Jaime Soto
Encyclopedia
Jaime Soto, D.D. is an American
prelate
who currently serves as Bishop
of the Diocese of Sacramento
.
in Inglewood
, California
. He is the eldest of seven children in a Mexican American
family. His father, Oscar, was a telephone company
engineer
. In 1956, his family moved to Stanton
, where he attended St. Polycarp School as a child. He also played Mass
in his backyard with his siblings, knowing he wanted to be a priest
as early as second grade
. Soto graduated from Mater Dei High School
in Santa Ana
in 1974 and then he entered St. John's Seminary College
in Camarillo
. There Soto obtained his Bachelor's degree in Philosophy
in 1978, and his Master's in Divinity
in 1982.
to the priesthood
on June 12, 1982, and then served as associate pastor
of St. Joseph Church in Santa Ana until July 1984. Soto furthered his studies at Columbia University School of Social Work
in New York City
, graduating in May 1986 with a Master's in Social Work
. He was named Associate Director
of Catholic Charities
of Orange
during the following July, and Director of the Immigration
and Citizenship
Services within Catholic Charities in December. Soto was involved with the implementation of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986
as well.
He became Episcopal Vicar for the Hispanic Community in Orange on March 3, 1989, and was raised to the rank of Honorary Prelate of His Holiness
in 1990. In addition to his work with the Hispanic community, he was made diocesan
Vicar for Charities on March 1, 1999.
Auxiliary Bishop
of Orange
and Titular Bishop
of Segia by Pope John Paul II
. He received his episcopal consecration
on the following May 31 from Bishop Tod Brown
, with Bishops Michael Driscoll
and Norman Francis McFarland serving as co-consecrators
.
On June 11, 2003, Soto was a principal co-consecrator of his diocese's Auxiliary Bishop Dominic Mai Luong
.
Soto attended World Youth Day 2005
in Cologne, Germany, during which he and nine other American
bishops led catechetical
sessions.
of the Diocese of Sacramento on October 11, 2007, being installed on November 19 of that same year in the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament
. He became the Ordinary
of Sacramento on November 30, 2008 upon the retirement of his predecessor Bishop William Weigand
.
Upon appointment, Soto became the 25th Hispanic bishop in the United States. Soto believes that the Catholic Church in America
is in a "dire need" for a greater amount Spanish
-speaking clergymen. He adds that Latinos should step up and play a bigger role in church ministries and take on more responsibilities. "I encourage them to be greater protaganistas," says Soto, who learned Spanish as an adult. "I want them to have a sense of ownership of their church." His self-proclaimed greatest achievements have been counseling Hispanics diagnosed with AIDS
, leading monthly services for inmates at the Orange County
Jail
, and promoting such Hispanic rituals and events as the Procession of Our Lady of Guadalupe
and the Day of the Dead
.
Soto's official episcopal endorsement of the Sacramento Helpers of God's Precious Infants and leading helpers' prayer vigils for right to life
on the sidewalks of local abortion facilities has invigorated and strengthened the pro-life community within his diocese.
(USCCB), Soto is chairman of the USCCB Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church, a member of the Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis, and a consultant to the Committee on International Justice and Peace. He is also the chairman of the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC).
On November 17, 2010, Soto was appointed the head of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development
, a USCCB agency. The CCHD has been under intense pressure after allegations that the organization has funded numerous groups advocating the right to abortion and contraception, same-sex marriage, and other activities against Catholic Church doctrine. These reports led a coalition of Catholic and pro-life groups to launch a boycott of the national collection, and at least ten bishops chose to cease contributing to the national pot.
Soto's appointment came one day after the conservative Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York was appointed president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Soto is also a strong defender of conservative Catholic values. In 2008, Soto shocked attendees at a conference for the National Association of Catholic Diocesan Lesbian and Gay Ministries with an address insisting that the "homosexual lifestyle" is sinful. Soto stated: "Sexual relations between people of the same sex can be alluring for homosexuals but it deviates from the true meaning of the act and distracts them from the true nature of love to which God has called us all. For this reason, it is sinful." In the same speech, Soto spoke against premarital sex stating: "Sexual intercourse, outside of the marriage covenant between a man and a woman, can be alluring and intoxicating but it will not lead to that liberating journey of true self-discovery and an authentic discovery of God. For that reason, it is sinful."
Soto has also lamented the fact that that contraception has become “the unquestioned default mode of marriage.”
Bishop Soto has also been a strong defender of immigrant rights urging Catholics to look to the Bible to better understand the church’s teaching on immigration and its long-standing support for the rights of immigrants. Soto believes that comprehensive immigration reform, if done properly taking into account the concerns of all affected parties, would benefit the country as a whole.
Ring of Honor. Soto was recognized during the annual spring Ring of Honor and Founders Circle Dinner for his contributions towards their community.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
prelate
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
who currently serves as Bishop
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
of the Diocese of Sacramento
Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento is an ecclesiastical territory or particular church of the Roman Catholic Church in the northern California region of the United States...
.
Early life and education
Jaime Soto was born at Daniel Freeman HospitalCentinela Freeman Regional Medical Center, Memorial Campus
Centinela Freeman Regional Medical Center, Memorial Campus was a hospital in Inglewood, California, USA. The hospital was operated by Centinela Freeman HealthSystem, and was one of the three campuses of the Centinela Freeman Regional Medical Center. The hospital was founded by the Sisters of St...
in Inglewood
Inglewood, California
Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, southwest of downtown Los Angeles. It was incorporated on February 14, 1908. Its population stood at 109,673 as of the 2010 Census...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. He is the eldest of seven children in a Mexican American
Mexican American
Mexican Americans are Americans of Mexican descent. As of July 2009, Mexican Americans make up 10.3% of the United States' population with over 31,689,000 Americans listed as of Mexican ancestry. Mexican Americans comprise 66% of all Hispanics and Latinos in the United States...
family. His father, Oscar, was a telephone company
Telephone company
A telephone company is a service provider of telecommunications services such as telephony and data communications access. Many were at one time nationalized or state-regulated monopolies...
engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
. In 1956, his family moved to Stanton
Stanton, California
Stanton is a city located in western Orange County, California. The population was 38,186 at the 2010 census, up from 37,403 at the 2000 census. Like most of Orange County, it is more politically conservative compared to the rest of the state. The City was incorporated in 1956 and operates under...
, where he attended St. Polycarp School as a child. He also played Mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
in his backyard with his siblings, knowing he wanted to be a priest
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
as early as second grade
Second grade
In the United States, second grade is a year of primary education. Second grade is the second school year after kindergarten. Students are traditionally 7–8 years old, depending on when their birthday occurs....
. Soto graduated from Mater Dei High School
Mater Dei High School (Santa Ana, California)
Mater Dei High School is a private, Catholic, co-educational secondary school in Santa Ana, California. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange. With an enrollment of 2,100 students Mater Dei High School is one of the largest Catholic high schools in the United States...
in Santa Ana
Santa Ana, California
Santa Ana is the county seat and second most populous city in Orange County, California, and with a population of 324,528 at the 2010 census, Santa Ana is the 57th-most populous city in the United States....
in 1974 and then he entered St. John's Seminary College
St. John's Seminary (California)
St. John's Seminary is a Roman Catholic seminary located in Camarillo, California. It is within the Santa Barbara Pastoral Region of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. The seminarians prepare for assignments in dioceses as well as religious orders. St. John's offers the Master of Divinity degree as a...
in Camarillo
Camarillo, California
Camarillo is a city in Ventura County, California, United States. The population was 65,201 at the 2010 census, up from 57,084 at the 2000 census. The Ventura Freeway Camarillo is a city in Ventura County, California, United States. The population was 65,201 at the 2010 census, up from 57,084 at...
. There Soto obtained his Bachelor's degree in Philosophy
Bachelor of Philosophy
Bachelor of Philosophy is the title of an academic degree. The degree usually involves considerable research, either through a thesis or supervised research projects...
in 1978, and his Master's in Divinity
Master of Divinity
In the academic study of theology, the Master of Divinity is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America...
in 1982.
Pastoral appointments
Soto was ordainedHoly Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
to the priesthood
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
on June 12, 1982, and then served as associate pastor
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
of St. Joseph Church in Santa Ana until July 1984. Soto furthered his studies at Columbia University School of Social Work
Columbia University School of Social Work
The Columbia University School of Social Work is a professional program within Columbia University. With an enrollment of over 900, it is one of the largest social work programs in the United States. It is also the nation’s oldest, with roots extending back to 1898, when the New York Charity...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, graduating in May 1986 with a Master's in Social Work
Master of Social Work
The Master of Social Work is a master's degree in social workand especiality of sociology.- United States :In the United States, MSW degrees must be received from a graduate school that has been approved by the Council on Social Work Education...
. He was named Associate Director
Executive director
Executive director is a term sometimes applied to the chief executive officer or managing director of an organization, company, or corporation. It is widely used in North American non-profit organizations, though in recent decades many U.S. nonprofits have adopted the title "President/CEO"...
of Catholic Charities
Catholic Charities
Catholic Charities is a network of charities whose aim is "to provide service to people in need, to advocate for justice in social structures, and to call the entire church and other people of good will to do the same." It is one of the largest charities in the United States...
of Orange
Orange, California
Southern California is well-known for year-round pleasant weather: - On average, the warmest month is August. - The highest recorded temperature was in 1985. - On average, the coolest month is December. - The lowest recorded temperature was in 1950...
during the following July, and Director of the Immigration
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
and Citizenship
Citizenship
Citizenship is the state of being a citizen of a particular social, political, national, or human resource community. Citizenship status, under social contract theory, carries with it both rights and responsibilities...
Services within Catholic Charities in December. Soto was involved with the implementation of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986
Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986
The Immigration Reform and Control Act , , also Simpson-Mazzoli Act, is an Act of Congress which reformed United States immigration law.In brief the act:* required employers to attest to their employees' immigration status....
as well.
He became Episcopal Vicar for the Hispanic Community in Orange on March 3, 1989, and was raised to the rank of Honorary Prelate of His Holiness
Monsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
in 1990. In addition to his work with the Hispanic community, he was made diocesan
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
Vicar for Charities on March 1, 1999.
Diocese of Orange
On March 23, 2000, Soto was appointedAppointment of Catholic bishops
The appointment of bishops in the Catholic Church is a complicated process. Outgoing bishops, neighbouring bishops, the faithful, the apostolic nuncio, various members of the Roman Curia, and the pope all have a role in the selection...
Auxiliary Bishop
Auxiliary bishop
An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...
of Orange
Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange is a particular church of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church whose territory comprises the whole of Orange County, California, in the United States...
and Titular Bishop
Titular bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
of Segia by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
. He received his episcopal consecration
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
on the following May 31 from Bishop Tod Brown
Tod David Brown
Tod David Brown is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the third and current Bishop of Orange.- Biography :...
, with Bishops Michael Driscoll
Michael Patrick Driscoll
Michael Patrick Driscoll is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the eighth and current Bishop of Boise.-Early life and ministry:...
and Norman Francis McFarland serving as co-consecrators
Consecrator
Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...
.
On June 11, 2003, Soto was a principal co-consecrator of his diocese's Auxiliary Bishop Dominic Mai Luong
Dominic Mai Luong
Dominic Dinh Mai Luong is a Vietnamese-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is currently an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Orange, serving since 2003.-Early life and education:...
.
Soto attended World Youth Day 2005
World Youth Day 2005
The 20th World Youth Day 2005 was a Catholic youth festival that started on August 16 and continued until August 21, 2005 in Cologne, Germany. It was the first World Youth Day and foreign trip of Pope Benedict XVI, who joined the festival on August 18. This meeting was decided by the previous...
in Cologne, Germany, during which he and nine other American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
bishops led catechetical
Catechism
A catechism , i.e. to indoctrinate) is a summary or exposition of doctrine, traditionally used in Christian religious teaching from New Testament times to the present...
sessions.
Diocese of Sacramento
Soto was later named Coadjutor BishopCoadjutor bishop
A coadjutor bishop is a bishop in the Roman Catholic or Anglican churches who is designated to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese, almost as co-bishop of the diocese...
of the Diocese of Sacramento on October 11, 2007, being installed on November 19 of that same year in the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament
Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Sacramento
Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Sacramento is a cathedral of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. It is the mother church and seat of Jaime Soto, the ordinary bishop of the Diocese of Sacramento. The Cathedral is located downtown at the intersection of 11th and K...
. He became the Ordinary
Ordinary
In those hierarchically organised churches of Western Christianity which have an ecclesiastical law system, an ordinary is an officer of the church who by reason of office has ordinary power to execute the church's laws...
of Sacramento on November 30, 2008 upon the retirement of his predecessor Bishop William Weigand
William Weigand
William Keith Weigand is an American Roman Catholic bishop, who served as the eighth Bishop of Sacramento in the U.S. state of California from 1993 to 2008. He previously served as the seventh Bishop of Salt Lake City and as a priest in the Diocese of Boise.-Episcopal appointments:Weigand was born...
.
Upon appointment, Soto became the 25th Hispanic bishop in the United States. Soto believes that the Catholic Church in America
Roman Catholicism in the United States
The Catholic Church in the United States is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, the Christian Church in full communion with the Pope. With more than 68.5 registered million members, it is the largest single religious denomination in the United States, comprising about 22 percent of the population...
is in a "dire need" for a greater amount Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
-speaking clergymen. He adds that Latinos should step up and play a bigger role in church ministries and take on more responsibilities. "I encourage them to be greater protaganistas," says Soto, who learned Spanish as an adult. "I want them to have a sense of ownership of their church." His self-proclaimed greatest achievements have been counseling Hispanics diagnosed with AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
, leading monthly services for inmates at the Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
Jail
Jail
A jail is a short-term detention facility in the United States and Canada.Jail may also refer to:In entertainment:*Jail , a 1966 Malayalam movie*Jail , a 2009 Bollywood movie...
, and promoting such Hispanic rituals and events as the Procession of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Our Lady of Guadalupe
Our Lady of Guadalupe , also known as the Virgin of Guadalupe is a celebrated Catholic icon of the Virgin Mary.According to tradition, on December 9, 1531 Juan Diego, a simple indigenous peasant, had a vision of a young woman while he was on a hill in the Tepeyac desert, near Mexico City. The lady...
and the Day of the Dead
Day of the Dead
Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday celebrated throughout Mexico and around the world in many cultures. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. It is particularly celebrated in Mexico, where it attains the quality...
.
Soto's official episcopal endorsement of the Sacramento Helpers of God's Precious Infants and leading helpers' prayer vigils for right to life
Right to life
Right to life is a phrase that describes the belief that a human being has an essential right to live, particularly that a human being has the right not to be killed by another human being...
on the sidewalks of local abortion facilities has invigorated and strengthened the pro-life community within his diocese.
USCCB Committee positions
Within the United States Conference of Catholic BishopsUnited States Conference of Catholic Bishops
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is the episcopal conference of the Catholic Church in the United States. Founded in 1966 as the joint National Conference of Catholic Bishops and United States Catholic Conference, it is composed of all active and retired members of the Catholic...
(USCCB), Soto is chairman of the USCCB Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church, a member of the Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis, and a consultant to the Committee on International Justice and Peace. He is also the chairman of the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC).
On November 17, 2010, Soto was appointed the head of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development
Catholic Campaign for Human Development
The Catholic Campaign for Human Development is the domestic antipoverty and social justice program of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops ....
, a USCCB agency. The CCHD has been under intense pressure after allegations that the organization has funded numerous groups advocating the right to abortion and contraception, same-sex marriage, and other activities against Catholic Church doctrine. These reports led a coalition of Catholic and pro-life groups to launch a boycott of the national collection, and at least ten bishops chose to cease contributing to the national pot.
Soto's appointment came one day after the conservative Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York was appointed president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Positions
Bishop Soto is seen as conservative in matters of liturgy and morals. Soto has taken a very public position against abortion regularly leading prayer processions to abortion facilities. In January 2010, Soto organized a day of penance on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade to offer reparation for “the sinful national scourge of abortion.”Soto is also a strong defender of conservative Catholic values. In 2008, Soto shocked attendees at a conference for the National Association of Catholic Diocesan Lesbian and Gay Ministries with an address insisting that the "homosexual lifestyle" is sinful. Soto stated: "Sexual relations between people of the same sex can be alluring for homosexuals but it deviates from the true meaning of the act and distracts them from the true nature of love to which God has called us all. For this reason, it is sinful." In the same speech, Soto spoke against premarital sex stating: "Sexual intercourse, outside of the marriage covenant between a man and a woman, can be alluring and intoxicating but it will not lead to that liberating journey of true self-discovery and an authentic discovery of God. For that reason, it is sinful."
Soto has also lamented the fact that that contraception has become “the unquestioned default mode of marriage.”
Bishop Soto has also been a strong defender of immigrant rights urging Catholics to look to the Bible to better understand the church’s teaching on immigration and its long-standing support for the rights of immigrants. Soto believes that comprehensive immigration reform, if done properly taking into account the concerns of all affected parties, would benefit the country as a whole.
Honors
In 2003, Soto was inducted to the inaugural Mater Dei High SchoolMater Dei High School (Santa Ana, California)
Mater Dei High School is a private, Catholic, co-educational secondary school in Santa Ana, California. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange. With an enrollment of 2,100 students Mater Dei High School is one of the largest Catholic high schools in the United States...
Ring of Honor. Soto was recognized during the annual spring Ring of Honor and Founders Circle Dinner for his contributions towards their community.
Sources
- Biographical Summary The Most Reverend Jaime Soto www.diocese-sacramento Retrieved:2010-04-30.
- Bishops www.diocese-sacramento Retrieved:2010-04-30.