Bishop Cantu reflects on time in Las Cruces as move to California looms

After five years of service, the bishop of the Las Cruces Catholic Diocese is being transferred to California.

Pope Francis announced the change earlier this week, and on Friday, Bishop Oscar Cantu held a news conference to discuss his transfer, as well as some of the issues the Diocese is dealing with.

Cantu is being reassigned by Pope Francis to lead the San Jose, California Diocese later this summer.

The second bishop the Las Cruces Diocese has had since it was founded in 1982, Cantu reflected on the work they have done, especially work with asylum seekers. Cantu spoke about how the diocese has worked to support migrants during their transition, work he said takes more than just himself to do and can be continued by the team in Las Cruces with their future leadership.

“I also trust that someone else will come along after me who will maybe have, see things that I don’t see and will be able to pick up the football and take it further down the field, so it’s a team approach,” Cantu said.

Bishop Cantu said the diocese could be without a bishop for some months before the Pope assigns or ordains someone to take over the area.