Summary: The Vatican has appointed the Most Rev. Evelio Menjivar-Ayala, a 55-year-old El Salvador–born immigrant advocate, as bishop of the Wheeling-Charleston Diocese in West Virginia. A former refugee who obtained humanitarian protection after arriving in the U.S. in 1990, Menjivar-Ayala has spoken out about federal immigration tactics and emphasized his commitment to listening to the poor, immigrants and workers. He succeeds Bishop Mark Brennan and will be installed on July 2; another Latin America–born priest, John Gomez, was named bishop of Laredo.
El Salvador–Born Immigrant Advocate Evelio Menjivar-Ayala Named Bishop Of West Virginia
Auxiliary Bishop Evelio Menjivar-Ayala speaks on a panel about immigration at Georgetown University in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Luis Andres Henao)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
The Vatican on Friday appointed the Most Rev. Evelio Menjivar-Ayala, an auxiliary bishop in Washington, D.C., as the new bishop of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, which covers the entire state of West Virginia.
From Refugee To Bishop
Menjivar-Ayala, 55, fled El Salvador during the late 1980s civil war and crossed into the United States without authorization in 1990. He told The Associated Press that he received humanitarian protection within "a couple of weeks," later obtained a visa as a religious worker and became a U.S. citizen about two decades ago. Those early experiences, he says, give him a deep empathy for migrants and families affected by enforcement actions.
Advocacy On Immigration
During his years in the Washington archdiocese—where more than 40% of parishioners are Latino—Menjivar-Ayala has been a visible advocate for immigrant communities. In a 2024 article for the Catholic Standard he criticized federal enforcement operations, warning that some tactics had adopted a "shock and awe" approach and questioning the legality and human cost of aggressive operations.
A Pastoral Focus
In remarks after the announcement, Menjivar-Ayala avoided direct comment on national politics and instead emphasized his desire to be welcomed by West Virginians and to listen to the whole community. Part of his address was delivered in Spanish.
“I have much to learn, but my heart is ready and wide-open,” he said. “Above all, I want to listen to the poor. Those in the margins of the church and society. To workers, to the immigrants, because as Matthew 25 says, the way we treat the least is the way we treat Jesus.”
The Diocese He Will Lead
The Wheeling-Charleston diocese covers all of West Virginia, a largely rural state of about 1.77 million people. According to the U.S. Census, roughly 92.6% of the state identifies as white and 2.4% as Latino. The diocese serves about 61,000 Catholics across 92 parishes—far fewer than the more diverse and densely Catholic Washington archdiocese where Menjivar-Ayala has spent his ministry.
Transition And Broader Context
Menjivar-Ayala succeeds the Most Rev. Mark Brennan, 79, who has led the diocese since 2019 after a controversy involving a previous bishop. At a joint news conference in Wheeling, Brennan stressed that the new bishop will serve everyone across the state.
Cardinal Robert McElroy of Washington praised Menjivar-Ayala’s pastoral work and advocacy for Hispanic and immigrant communities, saying his efforts have "planted seeds of grace" that will bear fruit in West Virginia.
Installation And Related Appointments
Menjivar-Ayala is scheduled to be installed as bishop on July 2. The announcement also named another Latin America–born priest, the Rev. John Gomez of Colombia, as the next bishop of Laredo, Texas; Gomez is to begin June 30. Both appointments underscore the growing role of foreign-born clergy in the U.S. as the number of priestly ordinations has declined for decades.
Reporting note: The Associated Press story includes contributions from Dell'Orto in Minneapolis. The AP’s religion coverage receives support through its collaboration with The Conversation US, funded in part by Lilly Endowment Inc.; the AP is solely responsible for the content.
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