Pope Francis promotes these Eastern WA Catholic leader to high-ranking position

A catholic leader with Eastern Washington and Tri-Cities ties has just been lifted to a new position by Pope Francis.

Archbishop Christophe Pierre made the announcement this week in Washington, D.C.

Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States, said the Rev. Michael Pham and the Rev. Felipe Pulido were named the new auxiliary bishops of San Diego by Pope Francis. The apostolic nuncio is the Vatican’s equivalent to an ambassador.

Bishop-elect Pulido serves as vicar for clergy and director of vocations for the Diocese of Yakima, and is currently a priest of the Diocese of Yakima and the pastor of St. Joseph’s parish in Kennewick. Pulido speaks English and Spanish.

He was appointed to serve the Diocese of Yakima as clergy and director of vocations in 2011, while serving as a pastor in two parishes. He was the pastor of St. Joseph’s parish in Yakima from 2012 to 2020. He then moved to a new role as pastor of St. Joseph parish in Kennewick.

Pulido continued his role as pastor at St. Joseph’s while being the vicar for clergy and director of vocations of Yakima.

Bishop-elect Pham, who currently serves as vicar general of the Diocese of San Diego, is a priest of the Diocese of San Diego and Pastor of Good Shepherd parish in San Diego. Pham is a native Vietnamese speaker, and speaks English and Spanish.

In 2016, Pham was named the pastor of Good Shepherd parish in San Diego, where he currently serves. Since 2017, he has been the episcopal vicar for ethnic and intercultural communities and in 2018, he served as general of the Diocese of San Diego.