EARLY YEARS
Auxiliary Bishop Pham fled Vietnam as a 13-year-old refugee in 1980, accompanied by his older sister and a younger brother, arriving first at a refugee camp in Malaysia, before being sponsored a year later in 1981 by an American family and relocating to Blue Earth, MN. A few months later, another sister came to live with them and in 1983 the remainder of his family – four more siblings and his parents – arrived in Minnesota. His family moved to San Diego in 1985.
ORDINATION AND SERVICE
He finished high school at San Diego High and graduated from San Diego University with a bachelor’s and started master’s degree in aeronautical engineering before convincing his family that the call he felt to enter the priesthood was too strong to ignore, transferring to St. Francis Seminary at the University of San Diego. He completed his seminary training at St. Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo Park with Systematic Theology Baccalaureate (STB) and Master of Divinity (Mdiv.) degrees. He was ordained a priest of the San Diego Diocese in 1999. In 2009, he completed a Master of Science (MS) in Psychology. In 2020, he completed a Licentiate in Sacred Theology (STL).
Bishop Pham has served as associate pastor of St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish in Oceanside; diocesan vocations director; pastor of Holy Family Parish in Linda Vista, St. Therese Parish in Del Cerro and Good Shepherd Parish in Mira Mesa. He also has served on the College of Consultors, Diocesan Finance Council, Presbyteral Council, Personnel Board of Priests, Seminary Board, Priests Retirement Pension, Diaconate Council, Executive Board, Vicar for Ethnic and Intercultural Communities, and Vicar General.
CURRENT RESPONSIBILITIES
Auxiliary Bishop Pham is part of Cardinal Robert W. McElroy’s leadership team. He serves as Vicar for Clergy.
