Pope Promotes Bishop Who Sneaked Into US
Auxiliary Bishop Evelio Menjivar-Ayala speaks on a panel about immigration at Georgetown University in Washington on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Luis Andres Henao)
A man who entered the United States as a teenager hidden in the trunk of a car has been chosen to lead the Catholic Church in West Virginia. On Friday, Pope Leo XIV appointed Bishop Evelio Menjivar-Ayala, a 55-year-old born in El Salvador, to serve as the state’s bishop. Earlier in his life, he lived in the United States without legal status and worked in construction and janitorial jobs.
Menjivar-Ayala is believed to be one of the first Catholic bishops in the United States born in Central America. He has previously encouraged Catholics to speak out against immigration policies under President Trump. Until now, he has served as an auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of Washington, DC.
He will replace retiring Bishop Mark Brennan, who had helped him obtain a green card years ago. Among other recent appointments is the Rev. Robert Boxie III, a chaplain at Howard University, who has described attacks on diversity as un-American and un-Christian.
These appointments reflect the pope’s continued elevation of American clergy who have expressed views on issues where church teachings differ from policies under President Trump. Last year, Menjivar-Ayala criticized the treatment of immigrants in a column published by the archdiocese, raising concerns about enforcement actions and their legality. He wrote that the situation was becoming more troubling and severe.
In his remarks on Friday, however, Menjivar-Ayala did not address immigration or President Trump. Instead, he focused on his commitment to serving the people of West Virginia and listening to their concerns. He emphasized his desire to hear from those on the margins of both the church and society, including workers and immigrants, saying that how people treat the least among them reflects how they treat Jesus.
About Post Author
