Pope appoints former undocumented immigrant as bishop of West Virginia
Summary
Pope Leo XIV appointed Bishop Evelio Menjivar-Ayala, a former undocumented immigrant, as the new bishop of West Virginia. Menjivar-Ayala, originally from El Salvador, has spoken about his difficult journey to the United States and his commitment to serving immigrants and the church.Key Facts
- Pope Leo XIV named Bishop Evelio Menjivar-Ayala as the new bishop of West Virginia.
- Menjivar-Ayala entered the US as an undocumented immigrant, hidden in a car trunk.
- He was born in El Salvador in 1970 and fled civil war violence.
- After multiple attempts, including imprisonment in Mexico, he successfully crossed into the US in 1990.
- Menjivar-Ayala worked janitorial and construction jobs before starting his path to the priesthood in Maryland.
- He is the first Salvadoran bishop in the US and served as auxiliary bishop in Washington, D.C.
- The bishop has spoken against harsh immigration policies and wants to support young people, workers, and immigrants.
- Pope Leo XIV has criticized US immigration policies, calling for more respectful treatment of foreigners.
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