Daniel E. Garcia

Daniel Elias Garcia (born August 30, 1960) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was consecrated an auxiliary bishop for the Diocese of Austin in Texas on March 3, 2015. On January 29, 2019, Garcia was installed as the fifth bishop of the Diocese of Monterey in California.

Early life and education
Daniel Garcia was born on August 30, 1960, in Cameron, Texas as the first child of Daniel and Sarah Garcia. He graduated from C.H. Yoe High School in Cameron in 1978 and earned an Associate degree from Tyler Junior College in Tyler, Texas, in 1982.

Deciding to become a priest, Garcia entered Saint Mary's Seminary at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Thomas in 1984 and a Master of Divinity degree in 1988.

Ordination and ministry
Garcia was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Austin at St. Monica Church in Cameron by Bishop John E. McCarthy on May 28, 1988.

After his 1988 ordination, the diocese assigned Garcia as associate pastor at the following parishes in Austin:


 * St. Catherine of Siena (1988 to 1990)
 * Cristo Rey
 * St. Louis King of France
 * St. Mary Magdalene

Garcia was sent in 1992 to the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston to be associate pastor at St. Mary Magdalene Parish in Houston. He returned to Austin in 1995 to become pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Austin, a position he would hold for the next 18 years. In 2007, Garcia was awarded a Master of Arts in Liturgical Studies from the Saint John's School of Theology in Collegeville, Minnesota.

In addition to serving in parishes, Garcia was a member of the priests’ personnel board and the college of consultors for the diocese. He was chair of the presbyteral council and as dean of the Austin North Deanery. He was appointed as master of ceremonies for the bishop. On March 3, 2014, Bishop Joe S. Vásquez appointed Garcia as moderator of the curia.

Auxiliary Bishop of Austin
On January 21, 2015, Garcia was appointed as an auxiliary bishop of Austin and titular bishop of Capsus by Pope Francis. He received his episcopal consecration on March 3, 2015, from Vásquez, with Archbishop Gregory Aymond and Bishop Michael Sis serving as co-consecrators.

Bishop of Monterey
On November 27, 2018, Francis appointed Garcia as bishop of Monterey. He was installed on January 29, 2019.