Gilbert Espinosa Chávez

Gilbert Espinosa Chávez, (March 10, 1932 – March 15, 2020) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church who served as auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of San Diego.

His Excellency, The Most Reverend Gilbert Espinosa Chávez
Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of San Diego Titular Bishop of Magarmel
Church	Roman Catholic Church
Archdiocese	Los Angeles
Diocese	San Diego
Appointed	April 9, 1974
Installed	June 21, 1974
Term ended	June 1, 2007
Other post(s)	Titular Bishop of Magarmel
Orders
Ordination	March 19, 1960
Consecration	June 21, 1974 by Leo Thomas Maher, John R. Quinn, and Patrick Flores
Personal details
Born	(1932-05-09)May 9, 1932 Ontario, California
Died	March 15, 2020(2020-03-15) (aged 87) San Diego

Styles of Gilbert Espinosa Chávez
Reference style	His Excellency The Most Reverend
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Religious style	Bishop

Ordination history of Gilbert Espinosa Chávez
History Episcopal consecration Consecrated by Leo Thomas Maher Date June 21, 1974
Episcopal succession Bishops consecrated by Gilbert Espinosa Chávez as principal consecrator Salvatore Joseph Cordileone August 21, 2002

Biography

Gilbert Chávez was born in Ontario, California. He studied at Immaculate Heart Seminary in San Diego and was ordained a priest of the San Diego diocese on March 19, 1960.^[1]

Chávez was appointed auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of San Diego and titular bishop of Magarmel on April 9, 1974, by Pope Paul VI. He was consecrated on June 21, 1974. He was the second Mexican-American priest to be elevated to the rank of bishop in the US Catholic Church.^[2]

Pope Benedict XVI accepted Chávez's resignation on June 1, 2007.^[3]

Chávez died on March 15, 2020, at Nazareth House in San Diego.^[4]