Bishop Juan A. Arzube

Summary of Case: A native of Ecuador, Arzube was ordained in Los Angeles, California, at age 36. He was known throughout his career to be an advocate for Mexican Americans in Los Angeles. He was elevated to Auxilliary Bishop of the Los Angeles archdiocese in 1971. In 2003 Arzube was accused of having molested an 11 year-old boy in 1975 and 1976. He admitted in a 2006 deposition to training altar boys in his bedroom, but denied molesting anyone. A civil lawsuit against the archdiocese related to the accusation against him was part of a massive settlement in the summer of 2007. Arzube died in December, 2007.

Ordained: 1954
Incardinated: Los Angeles
Ordained Bishop: March 25, 1971
Retired: June 1, 1993
Died: Dec. 25, 2007

   

Start Stop Parish/Assignment Town/Accusations State Position Notes
1954
Los Angeles archbishop was James Francis ALoysius McIntyre (1948-1970) 		1956 St. Agnes Los Angeles CA 3/4 St. Agnes had a grade school with 440-434 students, and a high school with 333-387 students.
1956 1960 Resurrection Los Angeles CA 2/3 Resurrection had a school with 485-520 students.
1956 1960 Our Lady of Victory Los Angeles CA   This was a mission of Resurrection.
1960 1963 Ascension Los Angeles CA 2/2 Ascension had a school with 598-566 students.

1963

McIntyre was succeeded by Timothy Manning (1970-1985)

1971 Holy Name Society Los Angeles CA    
1963 1970 Nativity El Monte CA 2/2, 2/3 Nativity had a school with 590-693 students.
1963 1971 Our Lady of Guadalupe Medina Court CA 1/2 1968-1971

This was a mission of Nativity in El Monte.

Arzube was appointed Auxilliary Bishop Feb. 10, 1971, and ordained Bishop March 25, 1971.

1971

Manning was replaced by Roger Michael Mahony (1985-2011)

1987 St. Alphonsus'

Los Angeles

• Arzube was accused in 2003 of having molested an 11 year-old boy in 1975 and 1976 while pastor of St. Alphonsus. Arzube denied the accusation. During a 2006 deposition Arzube acknowledged taking altar boys to his bedroom for training.

CA

1/5, 1/6, 1/4
In residence 1980-1987; listed 1982-1987 as 4/4, 5/5.

St. Alphonsus' had a school with 652-302 students.
1972 1987 Archdiocesan Consultors Los Angeles CA    
1973 1986 Episcopal Vicar for Spanish Speaking Community Los Angeles CA    
1978 1981 Placement Board Los Angeles CA    
1987 1993 Regional Bishop of San Gabriel Region West Covina CA  

Address was 3149 Sunset Hill Dr.

Arzube retired Jun 1, 1993

    U.S. Bishops Conference Washington DC Arzube was involved with the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, the National Advisory Council, committees dealing with Spanish- Speaking people, domestic and international policy, and the church in Latin America.  
1993 1996 Retired West Covina CA   Address was 3149 Sunset Hill Dr.
1996 2002 Retired/Sacred Heart Altadena CA In residence.  
2002 2007 Retired/Nazareth House

West Los Angeles CA  

A civil lawsuit naming Arzube as having molested the boy in 1975 and 1976 was part of a massive settlement with the archdiocese in the July, 2007.

Arzube died Dec. 25, 2007

 

Source: Official Catholic Directory (New York: P.J. Kenedy and Sons, 1955-2008)

• LA Archdiocesan Report, Feb. 17, 2004, page 1
• Bishop Juan Arzube Dies at 89, Tidings, January 11, 2008
• Juan Arzube, 89; Bishop Was Lauded As an Activist but Tainted by Accusation, By Mary Rourke, Los Angeles Times, January 12, 2008
• List of Bishops Accused of Abuse, BishopAccountability.org, April 14, 2008
• L.A. Archdiocesan Report Addendum, Nov. 15, 2005
• L.A. Times Database, April 20, 2006



Priests in a Parish: We use the following convention to show a priest's place among the clergy of a parish: 1/2 means that he is the first priest listed in the Official Catholic Directory (usually the pastor) and that there is a total of two priests at the parish. The shorthand 3/4 means that the priest is listed third on a four-priest roster. See our sample page from the Directory.

Note: The Official Catholic Directory aims to report the whereabouts of Catholic priests in the United States on January 1 of the Directory's publication year. Our working assumption is that a priest listed in the Directory for a given year was at the same assignment for part of the previous year as well. However, Kenedy and Sons will sometimes accept updates well into the year of publication. Diocesan clergy records are rarely available to correct this information. The Directory is also sometimes misleading or wrong. We have tried to create an accurate assignment record, given the source materials and their limitations. Assignment records are a work in progress and we are always improving the records that we post. Please email us with new information and corrections.

This assignment record collates Arzube's career history as it is represented in the Official Catholic Directory with allegations as reported in the media. We make no representation regarding the truth of the allegation we report, and we remind our readers that the U.S. legal system presumes that a person accused of or charged with a crime is innocent until proven guilty. Similarly, individuals who may be defendants in civil actions are presumed not to be liable for such claims unless a plaintiff proves otherwise. Admissions of guilt or liability are not typically a part of civil or private settlements. For more information, see our posting policy.

This assignment record was last updated on June 27, 2012