Oscar Cantú

Oscar Cantú (born December 5, 1966) is an American bishop of the Catholic Church. He has been the bishop of the Diocese of Las Cruces, in New Mexico, since 2013. During his 4 1/2 years in San Antonio, because of the appointment of San Antonio Archbishop José Horacio Gómez to Los Angeles, Cantú was named apostolic administrator of the archdiocese until the installation of the new archbishop. At the time of his appointment as auxiliary bishop of San Antonio, he was the youngest bishop in the country.

Early life and education

Oscar Cantú was born in Houston, Texas to Mexican immigrants Ramiro and Maria de Jesus Cantú. He is fifth of eight children. His family originally lived in Chicago, Illinois before moving to the South, and is old friends with retired Archbishop Patrick Flores. He attended St. Thomas High School and the University of Dallas, from where he obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree. He also earned a Master of Divinity and of Theological Studies from the University of St. Thomas before traveling to Rome to study at the Pontifical Gregorian University, earning his Licentiate of Sacred Theology.