SAN DIEGO (LifeSiteNews) — Pope Leo XIV on Thursday appointed Bishop Michael Pham, auxiliary bishop of San Diego, to succeed Cardinal Robert McElroy as head of the diocese.

Pham, who was appointed auxiliary bishop of San Diego in 2023 by Pope Francis, is the first U.S. episcopal appointment of Leo XIV’s papacy. 

Born and raised in Vietnam, Pham fled the country with his family at the age of 13 as the country suffered under Communism. They eventually relocated to San Diego, where Pham was ordained and has lived out his priesthood. He was named pastor of a few parishes in the diocese, including Holy Family Parish in San Diego, and also as vocations director from 2001 to 2004.

Heterodox Bishop Robert McElroy selected Pham as episcopal vicar for ethnic and intercultural communities in 2017 and as vicar general in 2018. 

The result of his 2017 appointment was a Pentecost Mass for All Peoples, which in 2018 involved a “multilingual Mass and festival of ethnic foods” and which Pham described as “a foretaste of the banquet in Heaven, where all people of all cultures gather together at the altar … united in Christ.”

Pham has also served on the College of Consultors, Diocesan Finance Council, Presbyteral Council, Personnel Board of Priests, Seminary Board, Priests Retirement Pension, and Diaconate Council.

On March 18, 2025, Pham was elected diocesan administrator after McElroy was installed as bishop of Washington in March.

Following his consecration as bishop, Pham said, “It’s been a great experience (working with Cardinal McElroy), and I like and continue to work with him … along with Bishop Bejarano and (Bishop-designate) Pulido, to make our diocese become more and more vibrant.”

Leo XIV has a couple years of bishop selections under his belt, having been appointed prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops by Francis in 2023.