Arturo Cepeda

José Arturo Cepeda Escobedo (May 15, 1969) is a Mexican-American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who has been serving as an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Detroit in Michigan since 2011.

Early life
Jose Cepeda was born in San Luis Potosi City in Mexico on May 15, 1969, to Jose Cepeda and Maria del Socorro Escobedo. He attended Catholic primary and secondary schools in his city run by the Brothers and Sisters of Joseph. After spending a year of spiritual formation, Cepeda entered the Seminario Guadalupano Josefino in San Luis Potosi.

After his family immigrated to San Antonio, Texas, Cepeda continued his seminary studies at Our Lady of the Lake University in the city. He then entered College Seminary of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Santa Fe, New Mexico, earning a Bachelor of Religious Studies' degree with a minor in psychology. After returning to San Antonio, Cepeda obtained a Master of Divinity degree from Assumption Seminary.

Priesthood
On June 1, 1996, Cepeda was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Patrick Flores for the Archdiocese of San Antonio at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church in San Antonio. After his ordination, the archdiocese assigned Cepeda as parochial vicar at St. Magdalen Parish in San Antonio. During this period, he received a Master of Biblical Theology degree from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio

The archdiocese then sent Cepeda to Rome to study at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas. In 2005, he was awarded a Licentiate in Sacred Theology (STL) and a Doctorate in Sacred Theology (STD) degrees, defending his dissertation in Spiritual Theology.

After returning to Texas, Cepeda was assigned teaching and formation responsibilities at Assumption Seminary and the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio. He also served as vocation director and faculty member for the Transitional Ministry Formation Program for the archdiocese, and as a member of the formation faculty of the St. Peter upon the Water Center in Ingram, Texas. Archbishop Jose Gómez appointed Cepeda as vice rector of Assumption Seminary in 2009 and rector in 2010.

Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit
Cepeda was appointed titular bishop of Tagase and auxiliary bishop of Detroit on April 18, 2011, by Pope Benedict XVI. He was installed and consecrated at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit by Archbishop Allen Vigneron on May 5, 2011, with Archbishop John Nienstedt and Bishop John Quinn serving as co-consecrators.

In November 2020, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops elected Cepeda as chair of the Committee on Cultural Diversity.