SAN DIEGO — Father Ramón Bejarano arrives in the San Diego Diocese in July from the Central Valley, where he served as a priest of the Diocese of Stockton for 21 years.
He will be consecrated as auxiliary bishop of San Diego on Tuesday, July 14, in a ceremony that will be livestreamed starting at 2 p.m. through the diocesan website, sdcatholic.org.
He sent the following message ahead of his arrival:
“Dear faithful of the local Church of San Diego and the Imperial Valley:
“Greetings from the northern Central Valley. I write this note as I prepare for my episcopal ordination.
“I am very happy to be able to carry out the mission that our Lord has called me to do, even though I’m a little fearful. I have been asking the Holy Spirit to help me to be faithful and to be truly of service to the community of the Diocese of San Diego.
“I wish with all of my heart to be close to you and to push myself to be a pastor that is truly an instrument of Christ, and that in announcing the Good News we can help each other mutually toward sainthood.
“That’s why I need to ask you to pray for me, for my conversion and saintliness. The prayers of so many people have sustained me throughout my entire life.
“That’s why I can tell you with certainty that I have not done anything on my own, it’s the Lord who has done everything, because He is faithful to the prayers of His people.
“We live in complicated, destabilizing times. There are a lot of confused souls, or who have strayed from God, or live in lukewarm spirituality. Nothing can quench our thirst for the eternal, only God.
“Let’s pray that Mother Mary helps us to be faithful to her Son, Jesus. Her Immaculate Heart will triumph and will lead us to salvation in Christ.
“I hope to see you soon, and to get to know you more and more.
“Blessings.”