With Communion bowls in hand, a group of California bishops walked through the barbed wire gates of the ICE Processing Center and offered Jesus to the men locked inside. 

This moment of the Mass, held Dec. 10 outside the town of Adelanto in the Mojave Desert, was deeply emotional for both the bishops and the roughly 300 detainees present.

“To see their faces, to see how they were impacted, was very powerful for me,” said Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop Brian Nunes. “So many times we think of migrants, refugees as a category. And a category is very impersonal, but seeing them one by one with faces, with voices, that are very memorable, is something that I’ll take with me.”

Watch ABC 7 Los Angeles’ Coverage

A total of seven bishops were on hand to celebrate the Mass, which sought to bring faith and hope to the undocumented immigrants awaiting legal proceedings. The outdoor service, organized by the California Catholic Conference (CCC) and the Diocese of San Bernardino, was the first major religious event at the High Desert facility since the COVID-19 pandemic.

The visit was inspired by the “special message” on immigration issued by the U.S. bishops in November. It criticized the Trump administration’s policy of mass deportations and called for humane treatment at detention facilities, while acknowledging the right of nations to protect their borders. 

Pope Leo XIV has appointed Bishop Ramón Bejarano as the new Bishop of the Diocese of Monterey. 

The appointment was made public on December 17, 2025, by the Vatican through the Holy See Press Office and confirmed by Cardinal Christophe Pierre, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States. 

Bishop Bejarano, 56, currently serves as Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of San Diego and holds the title of Titular Bishop of Carpi. Born on July 17, 1969, in Laredo, Texas, he pursued ecclesiastical studies at the Diocesan Seminary in Tijuana, Mexico, and at Mount Angel Seminary in Oregon, before being ordained a priest for the Diocese of Stockton on August 15, 1998. He was appointed auxiliary bishop in February 2020 and was consecrated in July of that year. 

Bishop Bejarano succeeds Bishop Daniel E. Garcia, who was recently appointed Bishop of Austin, Texas. 

In his new role, Bishop Bejarano will shepherd a diverse Catholic population of more than 368,000 faithful across the over 21,000-square-mile diocese that stretches from Marin County to San Luis Obispo County. 

May the Holy Spirit guide Bishop Bejarano as he takes up his ministry, and may his leadership strengthen the bonds of faith, service, and hope throughout the Diocese of Monterey and the Church in California.

On Wednesday, March 25, 2026, Catholics from across California will gather in Sacramento for Catholics at the Capitol. This year’s theme is Igniting a Faith that Serves. We invite parish and diocesan leaders, students and schools, ministries, and ALL Catholics to join our California bishops and fellow parishioners for a grace-filled day that includes music and prayer, Holy Mass celebrated by Bishop Jaime Soto, visits with your state legislators, formation in Catholic Social Teaching, and joyful fellowship.

Together, we will lift our voices on behalf of human dignity, care for the vulnerable, and the common good—bringing our faith into the public square.

The Catholic bishops of California invite you to celebrate the beauty and goodness of marriage and family through Radiate Love — a new 96-page book capturing two years of reflections, prayers, saints, and activities from the statewide initiative of the same name.

Now available for pre-order in English and Spanish, this splendid resource helps families become living witnesses of God’s love in their homes and communities.

Share the Gift of Love
Stock up for your parish or ministry, and follow the California bishops’ lead by giving a copy to every couple at Mass on World Marriage Day, February 8. Your gesture of pastoral care will bless countless couples — and remind them that the Church desires their marriage to thrive as a radiant sign of God’s love.

As we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, we are reminded that God enters our world not in power or comfort, but in humility, love, and hope. The light of Christmas shines most brightly when we open our hearts to Christ present among us—especially in the poor, the vulnerable, and those longing for peace.

During this holy season, may our parishes, families, and communities across California be renewed by the joy of the Incarnation and strengthened in our call to live the Gospel with courage and compassion. As we look toward the new year, let us carry the hope of Bethlehem into our daily lives, witnessing to God’s love through acts of mercy, justice, and solidarity.

Wishing you and your loved ones a blessed and joyful Christmas, and a New Year filled with faith, hope, and peace.