Oscar Solis

The son of Antonia Azarcón and Anselmo dela Fuente Solís, Oscar Solís was born in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija in the Philippines on October 13, 1953. He has three sisters and a brother, Ronald Solis, who is a Opus Dei priest in Hong Kong. Oscar Solis attended grade school at San Jose West Central School in San Jose and high school at Maria Assumpta Minor Seminary in Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija.

After deciding to enter the priesthood, Solis studied philosophy at Christ the King Seminary in Quezon City and theology at the Pontifical Royal Seminary of the University of Santo Tomas in Manila.{{cite news | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2479&dat=20040211&id=56ZjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=aSUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3333,23202050&hl=en |title=Novo Ecijano First Filipino Bishop in US | access-date = January 10, 2017 | date= February 11, 2004 | newspaper =Philippine Daily Inquirer | first= Reuben V. | last = Nepales }}{{cite news| url=http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2017/01/10/0017/00035.html | language=it| title=Rinunce e nomine, 10.01.2017| access-date=10 January 2016| date= 10 January 2017| publisher=Holy See}} He also pursued studies in Asian religions and cultures.

Solis was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Cabanatuan in the Philippines by Bishop Vicente Posada Reyes on April 28, 1979, at the San Jose Cathedral in San Jose.{{Cite web |title=Bishop Oscar Azarcon Solis [Catholic-Hierarchy] |url=https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bsolio.html |access-date=2024-02-12 |website=www.catholic-hierarchy.org}} Between 1979 and 1984, he served in his diocese as rector of the minor seminary, secretary of the priests senate, school chaplain, and director of vocations. Solis immigrated to the United States in 1984 and served for four years as parish vicar at Saint Rocco Parish in Union City, New Jersey, in the Diocese of Newark.{{Cite web |title=Pope Names Auxiliary Bishop Oscar Solis as Bishop of Salt Lake City |url=https://www.usccb.org/news/2017/pope-names-auxiliary-bishop-oscar-solis-bishop-salt-lake-city |access-date=2024-02-12 |website=US Conference of Catholic Bishops |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Most Reverend Oscar A. Solis, D.D. |url=https://www.dioslc.org/about-us/bishops-corner/bishop-solis-biography |access-date=2024-02-12 |website=Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City}}

Solis relocated to Louisiana in 1988 to serve as associate pastor at St. Joseph Co-Cathedral in Thibodaux. He was incardinated in, or transferred to, the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux on June 17, 1992. That same year, the diocese assigned Solis as pastor of Our Lady of Prompt Succor Church in Golden Meadow, Louisiana. After six years at Our Lady, Solis was appointed as pastor at St. Joseph Co-Cathedral and St. Luke the Evangelist Parish in Thibodaux.

On December 11, 2003, Pope John Paul II appointed Solis as titular bishop of Urci and as an auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles.{{cite news | title = First Filipino-American bishop installed in L.A. | date= December 12, 2003 | url = http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-first-filipino-american-bishop-installed-in-la-2003dec12-story.html | work = San Diego Union Tribune | access-date = January 10, 2017}} He was consecrated bishop by Cardinal Roger Mahony at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles on February 10, 2004, with Bishops Sam Jacobs, and Charles Jarrell serving as co-consecrators.{{cite news|last1=Sciaudone|first1=Christiana|title=Filipino American Bishop Is the First|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-feb-11-me-solis11-story.html|access-date=January 11, 2017|work=Los Angeles Times|date=February 11, 2004}} Solis said at the time that he was familiar with Spanish, but he was out of practice speaking it.

In Los Angeles, Solis served as episcopal vicar for ethnic ministry from 2004 to 2009.{{cite news |url=http://www.asianjournal.com/aj-magazine/midweek-mgzn/11728-most-rev-bishop-oscar-solis-the-blessed-life-of-las-first-filipino-bishop.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 January 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130117085449/http://www.asianjournal.com/aj-magazine/midweek-mgzn/11728-most-rev-bishop-oscar-solis-the-blessed-life-of-las-first-filipino-bishop.html |access-date=January 10, 2017 |first=Prosy |last=Arnaquez-Delacruz |work=Asian Journal |title=Most Rev. Bishop Oscar Solis: The Blessed Life of LA's first Filipino Bishop |date=August 3, 2011 }} He chaired and was later a member of the diocese Subcommittee on Asian and Pacific Affairs. He was an organizer of the first National Assembly of Filipino Priests in the United States in November 2011. He has held several positions with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Pope Francis named Solis bishop of Salt Lake City on January 10, 2017, when the position had been vacant for 20 months. He was installed on March 7, 2017.{{cite news | access-date = January 10, 2017 | url = http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865670788/Filipino-born-Oscar-Azarcon-Solis-named-10th-bishop-of-Salt-Lake-Diocese.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170111150631/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865670788/Filipino-born-Oscar-Azarcon-Solis-named-10th-bishop-of-Salt-Lake-Diocese.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = January 11, 2017 | first= Marjorie |last =Cortez | work = Deseret News | date = January 10, 2017 | title = Filipino-born Oscar Azarcon Solis named 10th bishop of Salt Lake Diocese}}

Solis has spoken on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the dominant faith in the diocese's territory, saying,

"We value our long-standing relationship with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Our communities share a call to social justice and love for the poor. The task before us is one of building and strengthening our inclusive communities of faith. I look forward to continuing a culture of dialogue and encounter that leads us together to God.”

In 2018, Solis released the pastoral plan for the diocese. It focused on developing a comprehensive vision for strengthening faith formation, promoting vocations to the priesthood and a universal call for holiness to the laity, seeking new ways to support the diocese financially and support the needy, increasing the reverence and devotion of the Eucharist, and upholding the dignity of all in society. Implementation of the plan began in 2018 and was to end in 2023.{{cite web |last1=Solis |first1=Oscar |title=Charting Our Mission: Pastoral Plan |url=https://www.dioslc.org/documents/40.pdf?v=20211108181645 |website=Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City |access-date=10 October 2022}}

In 2023, an honoree by the Carnegie Corporation of New York's Great Immigrant Award.{{Cite web |date=2023-06-28 |title=Pedro Pascal and World Bank's Ajay Banga among those named to Carnegie's 2023 Great Immigrants list |url=https://apnews.com/article/pedro-pascal-ajay-banga-carnegie-great-immigrants-f28abf588332dd3bf2fe089100efb279 |access-date=2024-06-17 |website=AP News |language=en}}

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{{succession box | title=Bishop of Salt Lake City | before= John Charles Wester | after= Incumbent | years=2017–present}}

{{succession box | title=Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles | before=– | after=– | years=2004–2017}}

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Category:1953 births

Category:20th-century American Roman Catholic priests

Category:21st-century Roman Catholic bishops in the United States

Category:Living people

Category:People from Nueva Ecija

Category:University of Santo Tomas alumni

Category:Bishops appointed by Pope Francis