Detroit — Bishop-designate Jose Arturo Cepeda — the sociable rector of Assumption Seminary in the Archdiocese of San Antonio who until Monday was essentially unknown here — stood in front of rows of priests, seminarians and laypeople at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit.
He had just been introduced by Archbishop Vigneron as Detroit’s 28th auxiliary bishop, after having been named so by Pope Benedict XVI that morning.
“Good morning. Buenos Diaz,” he said following a warm round of applause. “It’s so good to be here. Thank you very much for the snow. I have not had the chance to see snow in the longest time. And as Archbishop Vigneron said this morning, it was planned.”
Drawing an ice-breaking chuckle from the gathering, the white coating outside marked an ironic twist to the unexpected announcement. Just 27 days after two local priests — Msgr. Donald Hanchon and Fr. Michael Byrnes — had been named auxiliary bishops for Detroit, the unconventional follow-up appointment meant Detroit would have a full roster of auxiliary bishops to assist Archbishop Vigneron in pastoral oversight of the archdiocese.
But that’s not all it meant.
Because Bishop-designate Cepeda was born in Mexico, he immediately would become an integral part of the Detroit Church’s pastoral plan for Hispanics.
Because he is 41-years old, he will be the youngest bishop in the United States.
And because he comes from Texas, he will be the second youngest auxiliary bishop Detroit will have had from the state — following Bishop Daniel Flores’s being ordained in the archdiocese from the Diocese of Corpus Christi, staying here from 2006-2010.
At Bishop-designate Cepeda’s introduction — made during a whirlwind 24-hour stop in Detroit, his first visit outside of Metro Airport — the young bishop-designate seemed to embrace his role.
“It is with a humble heart I profoundly thank His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI for the confidence he has placed in me by calling me to embrace this new journey, in union with him, as a successor of the apostles,” he said.
He continued by thanking God, his family, his mentors, and fellow ministers and the Catholic community in Texas for supporting him throughout his priesthood.
Bishop-designate Cepeda said he’s looking forward to learning about, and from, the people of the Archdiocese of Detroit.
“Today, as I begin this new journey with the Church of the Archdiocese of Detroit, I am confident that with God’s help and the encouragement of Gods’ faithful in the Archdiocese, I will offer a clear reason for the hope we share in Christ, praying to show myself a true and faithful servant to the Lord who brings us together,” he said.
Bishop-designate Cepeda will be ordained May 5 at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament with Bishop-designates Hanchon and Byrnes. The three will join Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Francis Reiss as the archdiocese’s assistant bishops.
By way of introducing the new bishop-designate, Archbishop Vigneron said that, like Bishop Flores had done before him, Bishop-designate Cepeda would play a special role in building up the Latino Catholic community.
“Bishop Cepeda comes to us with an apostolic mission to use all of his many gifts and talents for the service of the whole People of God in Southeast Michigan — with particular attention to that portion of our family which is Hispanic,” said Archbishop Vigneron in a statement. “He is a true son of Our Lady of Guadalupe. I know she will help him to share his gifts with us, so that all of us — from so many diverse cultures — will share our gifts of grace with one another.”
Born in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, Bishop-designate Cepeda grew up in a Catholic family and discovered a desire to be a priest early on in his life. He came to the Archdiocese of San Antonio at the age of 19 when his family moved to the United States.
He was ordained in 1996, and served as an associate pastor at San Antonio’s cathedral. He then went to the Angelicum Pontifical University in Rome, where he earned a licentiate and a doctorate in sacred theology. Since his return to the Archdiocese of San Antonio, he has been involved in teaching and formation, has been the archdiocese’s vocation director, and has been vice rector, then rector of Assumption Seminary in the city.
Also throughout his priestly ministry, Bishop-designate Cepeda has hosted religious television programs on Catholic Television of San Antonio. Episodes of his bilingual, vocations-focused show “The Call/La Llamada” can be seen at www.ctsa.tv.
Asked how he felt about the next step in his ministry, Bishop-designate Cepeda — who describes himself as being social and having a lot of energy — says he was both humbled and excited.
“When I was first ordained, I said I’m open to wherever the spirit moves us in ministry,” he said in an interview. “I’m very happy as a priest and serving the people of God. That I know. And God has been very good to me and blessed me with a number of gifts that are meant to be shared. I am just a happy camper, in other words.”
Other happy campers include those in the Archdiocese of Detroit’s vast Hispanic community — which is thought to include about 250,000 Hispanic Catholics.
“I am very happy, and I’m sure the community is very excited,” said Herman Leal, an Hispanic parishioner involved with Holy Redeemer Parish in Southwest Detroit. "We feel more comfortable if somebody can speak our language. Many of our people don’t really speak English so well… when they celebrate the Mass, we can feel the spirit coming in our language.”
He added that people of Holy Redeemer felt their blessing had been multiplied, after having their own pastor, Bishop-designate Hanchon, was named an auxiliary bishop on March 22.
Following his introduction, Bishop-designate Cepeda returned to the Archdiocese of San Antonio. Both before and following his ordination on May 5, he will finish out the academic year in his role as rector of Assumption Seminary before returning to Detroit permanently.
