Jul 14, 2026
Bishop Oscar Cantú is pleased to announce the appointment of Susana Garcia as Director of Mission Advancement & Stewardship for the Diocese of San José, effective August 3, 2026. Reporting to Rosio Gonzalez, Chief Operating Officer, Susana will provide strategic leadership for stewardship and mission advancement in support of the Diocese, its parishes, schools, and ministries. Her appointment follows a comprehensive search and discernment process that drew input from diocesan leadership, staff, and key stakeholders.
The Office of Mission Advancement & Stewardship supports the mission of the Diocese by fostering stewardship, philanthropy, and the relationships that sustain our parishes, schools, ministries, and pastoral priorities. Susana brings the leadership and experience to build upon the strong foundation already in place.
“As we have seen in our Sowing Seeds of Faith campaign, stewardship is about relationship: accompanying our parishes, schools, and ministries, and inviting the faithful to share in the mission of the Church,” said Bishop Cantú. “Susana’s years of leadership in Catholic organizations are the right mix to carry the momentum of Spiritual Renewal forward.”
Susana brings more than a decade of leadership within Catholic organizations, most recently guiding enrollment, institutional advancement, and community-building at Notre Dame High School in San José, alongside consulting and teaching roles with Catholic School Management and the University of San Francisco. Across her work, she has focused on stewardship in its truest sense: cultivating relationships, inviting participation, and strengthening the communities that carry the Church’s mission forward.
The Diocese of San José has been Susana’s lifelong home, and she is a product of Catholic education from kindergarten forward. She holds a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Spanish and a Master of Arts in Spirituality, all from Santa Clara University. She has served her local Church as a liturgical and youth minister and has worshiped at parishes across the diocese, including St. Lawrence the Martyr, Mission Santa Clara, and Five Wounds.
“Susana brings faith, authenticity, and a collaborative spirit to this work, along with a genuine commitment to people,” said Rosio Gonzalez, Chief Operating Officer. “I am confident her leadership will inspire greater generosity, engagement, and hope throughout our community.”
Most recently, Susana walked more than 180 miles across Portugal and Spain on the Camino de Santiago. Closer to home, she enjoys hiking the Bay Area’s trails and beaches.
“One thing that I loved about the Camino was the lesson of companionship,” Susana said. “I’m grateful to bring that same spirit of walking with others into this work.”
Jul 9, 2026
Orlando, Florida — During the Summer Plenary Assembly of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) being held in Orlando, Florida, Bishop Oscar Cantú of the Diocese of San José, Chair of the USCCB Committee on Hispanic Affairs, presented to the bishops of the United States an ambitious national pastoral plan in preparation or the Roadmap to the Celebration of the 500th Anniversary of the Apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe in 2031.
Addressing the more than 300 bishops gathered for the Assembly, Bishop Cantú outlined a three-phase initiative that seeks to deepen devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, strengthen catechesis, and renew the faith of Catholics throughout the nation as the Church approaches this historic milestone.
The first phase of the preparation will focus on the pilgrimage of a replica of the Tilma of Saint Juan Diego throughout the dioceses of the United States. Each diocese will receive the sacred image for public veneration, either at the cathedral or another suitable location. The Tilma will then travel from parish to parish, allowing the faithful across the country to encounter and pray before the beloved image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. To accompany this initiative, catechetical materials will be developed and distributed to help educate the faithful on the history, spirituality, and enduring message of Guadalupe.
The second phase will center on a National Eucharistic Congress and Pilgrimage to the Basilica and Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. This major event will unite Catholics from across the United States in prayer, Eucharistic devotion, and Marian pilgrimage, highlighting the profound connection between devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe and the mystery of Christ present in the Holy Eucharist.
The third phase will culminate in a National Celebration in the United States marking the 500th Anniversary of the Apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe in 2031. The celebration is envisioned as a moment of national thanksgiving, evangelization, and renewal, honoring the Patroness of the Americas whose message of faith, hope, and unity continues to inspire millions.
These national observances will complement the major celebrations planned in Mexico City, where the 500th anniversary of the apparitions to Saint Juan Diego will be commemorated at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, has been invited to participate in the historic event and is expected to attend, making the jubilee celebration a moment of significance for the universal Church.
In his presentation, Bishop Cantú emphasized that the upcoming anniversary is not merely a remembrance of a past event but an opportunity for a new evangelization. The message of Our Lady of Guadalupe, one of compassion, dignity, reconciliation, and encounter with Jesus Christ, remains as relevant today as it was nearly five centuries ago.
As the Church in the United States begins this journey toward 2031, Catholics are encouraged to deepen their devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, embrace the call to missionary discipleship, and participate actively in the various diocesan and national initiatives that will mark this historic celebration.
Jun 26, 2026
On Wednesday, June 24th, 2026, the Diocese of San José, in partnership with Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County and Catholic IMMpact (a joint initiative of the Hope Border Institute and the Center for Migration Studies) convened nearly 70 regional faith leaders for a daylong summit on migration at Our Lady of Peace Church & Shrine in Santa Clara.
‘In these critical moments for our immigrant brothers and sisters, the Church raises a voice of conscience, a voice of concern for families and individuals who feel vulnerable in this present environment,’ said the Most Reverend Oscar Cantú, Bishop of San José. ‘We promise our advocacy and accompaniment for immigrants and refugees in our own country and globally.’
The gathering drew participants from dioceses across the region, bringing together clergy, pastoral staff, service providers, Catholic organizations and lay leaders for focused formation, mutual support and practical planning.
‘This symposium directly addresses the rising fear many parishioners are experiencing,’ said Father Michael Carson, Interim Director of Life, Justice and Peace for the Diocese of San Jose. “The information and expert dialogue we shared will strengthen our ability to implement the Bishop’s pastoral guidance on immigration.”
‘After three decades of frontline legal work with immigrants, I’ve witnessed extraordinary resilience,’ said Robert Yabes, Program Director of Catholic Charities Immigration Legal Services in San Jose. ‘The challenges before us demand bold, collective action. This gathering was a sacred refusal to look away — an occasion to plan a courageous response to families in crisis. Our faith calls us not to passive charity but to practical solidarity.’
The summit continues a series of regional convenings organized by the Catholic Immigration Prophetic Action Project (Catholic IMMpact), designed to deepen the Church’s pastoral and public witness on behalf of migrants and refugees. Recent Catholic IMMpact events have been held in Detroit, Providence and Phoenix.
“As a Church, we are called both to tend to immediate needs and to confront the systemic forces that produce injustice. The first step toward action is education. To hear from those directly impacted by these horrific policies and work with those same people to change the policies that ignore due process, separate families, and detain our neighbors and family members for months at a time,’ said Father Jon Pedigo, Executive Director of PACT.
“The San José symposium exemplified honest conversation and practical collaboration across the Church and its ministries,” said Sofia Lozano Pallares, Assistant Director of Community Engagement at the Hope Border Institute. “We are grateful to have supported this effort and look forward to accompanying the Diocese of San José in its ongoing pastoral leadership and public witness.”
Jun 25, 2026
Our hearts are saddened by the catastrophic earthquakes that have caused horrific loss of life, injuries, devastation, and property damage in Venezuela last night. Our hearts go out to the people of Venezuela at this time.
Not long ago, I was with Archbishop Raúl Biord Castillo of Caracas at a conference — a bright, warm, and faithful shepherd. I wrote to him this morning to tell him that the Church of San José stands with him and his people, and to assure him of our prayers and charitable contributions.
Our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, has already sent emergency aid and is in close contact with the local Church. Let us follow his lead. There are two trusted ways we can help:
Please pray for the dead, for the injured, and for the rescuers who have not slept. And please give what you can.
Our Lady of Coromoto, patroness of Venezuela — comfort and embrace your people suffering in Venezuela.
Most Reverend Oscar Cantú
Bishop of San José
Jun 22, 2026
The Valley Catholic, the magazine of the Diocese of San José, received eight awards from the Catholic Media Association at the 2026 Catholic Media Conference, held June 16–19 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The honors included two first-place awards, two third-place awards, and four honorable mentions, recognizing excellence in essay writing, feature reporting, interviews, and social justice coverage throughout the publication.
The Catholic Media Association (CMA) represents hundreds of Catholic publications and communications professionals across the United States and Canada, and its annual awards are among the most respected recognitions in Catholic media.
The Valley Catholic relaunched as a bimonthly magazine in 2022 and introduced its companion podcast, Invited, in 2024. Published in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese, the magazine reflects the diverse communities of the diocese, telling local stories of faith that draw hearts closer to Christ.
Today, the magazine reaches nearly 70,000 registered households across Santa Clara County.
“These awards belong to our whole team, from our writers and editors to our designers, photographers, and videographers. Every recognition reflects people who pour their faith and their craft into each issue,” said Cynthia Shaw, executive editor of The Valley Catholic. “To see the stories of our own community honored on a national stage is humbling, and it tells us the vision is taking root.”
“The Valley Catholic is a gift to our local Church. Through its pages, and now its podcast, the Good News of Christ’s truth and love is shared in the languages and lived experiences of our people. I am proud of the team whose dedication has earned these national recognitions, and grateful for the way their work nurtures faith and builds communion across our diocese,” shared Most Reverend Oscar Cantú, Bishop of San José.
The 2026 CMA Honors
First Place
Third Place
Honorable Mention
The Valley Catholic is delivered free to every registered household in the diocese as a stewardship gift made possible by the Annual Diocesan Appeal.
Read the award-winning articles at thevalleycatholic.org and listen to the Invited podcast on your favorite streaming service.
