Evelio Menjivar-Ayala

Contents

Evelio Menjivar-Ayala (born August 14, 1970) is a Salvadorian American Catholic prelate serving as Bishop of Wheeling–Charleston since 2026. When made an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Washington in 2023, he was the first Salvadoran-born bishop in the country.[1]

Biography

Early life

Menjivar-Ayala was born on August 14, 1970, in Chalatenango, El Salvador. As a teenager, he made three attempts to enter the United States illegally. Finally, in 1990, he and his brother were smuggled in the trunk of a car over the border crossing between Tijuana and San Diego. Over the next several years, while studying English and earning his GED, he worked janitorial and construction jobs in California and then in Washington, where he arrived in 1990.[2]

Deciding to become a priest, he entered the St. John Vianney College Seminary in Miami, Florida, in 1995, where he earned his bachelor's degree in philosophy in 1999.[3]

Menjivar-Ayala was sent to the Pontifical North American College in Rome in 1999 and received a Master of Theology degree from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in 2002. He completed further studies at the Scalabrini International Migration Institute (SIMI), part of the Pontifical Urban University in Rome, where he earned a licentiate. Menjivar-Ayala was ordained a deacon in St. Peter's Basilica on October 10, 2002, by Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan.[4]

Priesthood

On May 29, 2004, Menjivar-Ayala was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Washington by Cardinal Theodore McCarrick at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington.[5] He became an American citizen in 2006,[6][7]

The archdiocese assigned Menjivar-Ayala as parochial vicar for Mother Seton in Germantown, Maryland (2004 to 2008), Saint Bartholomew the Apostle in Bethesda, Maryland (2009), the Cathedral of Saint Matthew the Apostle in Washington (2009 to 2013),[3] and then pastor of Our Lady Queen of the Americas Parish in Washington (2013-2017), and of St. Mary's Church in Landover Hills, Maryland (2017-2022).[3]

Episcopal career

Auxiliary Bishop of Washington

Pope Francis appointed Menjivar-Ayala as an auxiliary bishop of Washington on December 19, 2022.[3][4] He was consecrated on February 21, 2023, by Cardinal Wilton Gregory at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle.[8] The co-consecrators were Bishop Mario Dorsonville and Auxiliary Bishop Roy Campbell.[9] He was the first Salvadoran-born bishop in the country.[1] His took his motto, Ibat cum illis ("He walked with them"), from Luke 24:15.[4]

Bishop of Wheeling-Charleston

On May 1, 2026, Pope Leo XIV appointed Menjivar-Ayala the tenth bishop of Wheeling-Charleston.[10] He was installed on July 2, 2026.[11]

Episcopal succession

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by-Auxiliary Bishop of Washington 2023–2026Succeeded by-
Preceded byMark E. BrennanBishop of Wheeling-Charleston 2026–presentSucceeded byIncumbent

References

  1. 1.[1.2]Tumulty, Karen (July 24, 2023). "He was an undocumented immigrant. He became 'your excellency.'". The Washington Post.
  2. 2.Acosta, Andrea (February 24, 2023). "From humble roots in El Salvador, new Bishop Evelio Menjivar believes 'faith is a path where God sets the pace'". Catholic Standard. Archived from the original on 2023-04-06. Retrieved 2023-05-25.
  3. 3.[3.2][3.3][3.4]"Pope Francis Names New Auxiliary Bishops of Washington". US Conference of Catholic Bishops. December 19, 2022. Archived from the original on December 19, 2022. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  4. 4.[4.2][4.3]"Pope Francis Names Two Auxiliary Bishops for Washington". Archdiocese of Washington. Archived from the original on December 19, 2022. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  5. 5."Bishop Evelio Menjivar-Ayala [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Archived from the original on 2023-08-11. Retrieved 2024-04-12.
  6. 6.Reardon, Hunter (2024-09-03). "Experiences as immigrant worker shaped Washington auxiliary bishop's ministry". Biweekly Newspaper for the Diocese of Richmond. Retrieved 2026-05-03.
  7. 7."Pope Leo's Pick for West Virginia Bishop Came to US Illegally From El Salvador". Yahoo News. 2026-05-01. Retrieved 2026-05-03.
  8. 8."Sacerdote salvadoreño es ordenado obispo auxiliar en Washington". El Mundo (in Spanish). February 22, 2023. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
  9. 9.Szczepanowski, Richard (February 21, 2023). "Two new auxiliary bishops ordained for Washington". Catholic Standard. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
  10. 10."Pope Leo XIV Accepts Resignation of Bishop Mark Brennan of Wheeling-Charleston; Appoints Bishop Evelio Menjivar-Ayala as Successor". United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. May 1, 2026. Retrieved May 1, 2026.
  11. 11."Most Reverend Evelio Menjivar-Ayala Named Tenth Bishop of Wheeling-Charleston". Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston. Retrieved 7 May 2026.