Bishop Matthew Elshoff OFM, Cap.

Bishop Matthew G. Elshoff, OFM Cap.

Birth Date: September 24, 1955
Birth Place: Cincinnati, Ohio
Seminary: Saint Albert’s Priory in Oakland, CA; and the Dominican School of Philosophy & Theology in Berkeley, CA
Ordination: June 18, 1982
Order: Order of Friars Minor, Our Lady of the Angels Province

Bishop Elshoff was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, but grew up in the Los Angeles area, attending St. Bede the Venerable Church and school in La Cañada Flintridge as a child. After graduating St. Francis High School, also in La Cañada Flintridge, he entered the Capuchin Franciscan Order in 1973 and was ordained to the priesthood by Cardinal Timothy Manning  in 1982.

As a Capuchin, he served as Vice Master of Novices, and was soon elected for leadership as a Definitor from 1999 to 2005 and then as local Provincial from 2008 to 2014. Within the Archdiocese, he has served as Chaplain, then President of his beloved St. Francis High School. He has also served as Pastor of Old Mission Santa Ines in Solvang, and most recently as Pastor in 2018 at St. Lawrence Brindisi in Los Angeles. Archbishop Gomez appointed him as Episcopal Vicar for Our Lady of the Angels Pastoral Region​ on September 26, 2023 at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. 

Statement by Bishop-elect Matthew Elshoff ||  July 18, 2023 

Good morning everyone, my name is Father Matthew Elshoff.

Over 30 years ago my provincial said to me, “Matt, if you want to give God a good laugh, tell him your plans!”

This important moment in my life and the Archdiocese speaks to the mysterious ways of the Lord.

“Your thoughts are not my thoughts; your ways are not my ways,” says the Lord.

Well, the Lord certainly surprised me this time, very much!

With this in mind, I want to thank Almighty God for his many blessings, especially, this gift of the episcopacy.

I am very grateful to His Holiness Pope Francis for placing his confidence in me by appointing me an auxiliary bishop as well as to Archbishop Gomez for his part in this process in accepting me as one of his auxiliaries.

I am humbled to serve the priests, deacons, religious and people of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

I grew up in this Archdiocese, and this is my home. I attended St. Bede the Venerable Church and School, in La Cañada. I was taught by the Sisters of St. Louis, who encouraged my vocation to the priesthood.

After graduating from St. Francis High School in 1973, I entered the Capuchin Franciscan Order.

I was ordained by Cardinal Timothy Manning in 1982.  Except for seven years, I have been privileged to serve as a priest in this Archdiocese.

Some years ago, I served as a confessor and spiritual director at the Cardinal Manning House of Prayer for Priests. I was enriched by my relationships with these priests and religious, many of whom came from various parts of the world to serve here.

Whatever our race, culture, or religious traditions, we all have one goal, namely, to know Jesus, to share Jesus and to be with Jesus.

With this in mind, I promise to serve the Archbishop and the priests, deacons, religious and laity to the fullest of my abilities.

I would like to take a moment to acknowledge and thank my provincial, Fr. Joseph Seraphin, who is here this morning.

I am very grateful to him and the friars of Our Lady of Angels Province who have fostered my love of the Lord through St. Francis of Assisi and St. Claire of Assisi. I owe them a great debt of gratitude.

I also want to thank the people of God from my various ministries who have formed me as a priest by their wisdom.  I stand here today because of you.

Finally, I want to thank my parents, Irene and Cal, both of whom have gone to the Lord.  Their lived example of their Catholic faith both in our home and at St. Bede’s; inspired me to be a priest and friar.

Let me close by assuring you of my prayers and asking for yours. Our prayer will always be our greatest gift for each other.

May the Lord continue the good work that He has begun in all of us.

Thank you for listening and may God bless you.

************

Paz y bien, mis hermanos y hermanas, soy el Padre Mateo.

Hace más de 30 años, mi provincial me dijo: “Mateo, si quieres hacer reír a Dios, ¡dile tus planes!”.

¡El Señor ciertamente me sorprendió, esta vez bastante!

Este momento es muy importante en mi vida y la Arquidiócesis habla de los caminos misteriosos del Señor. “Mis pensamientos no son tus pensamientos y tus caminos no son mis caminos,” dice el Señor.

Por eso, quiero agradecer a Dios Padre Todopoderoso por sus muchas bendiciones, especialmente, este don del episcopado.

Estoy muy agradecido a Su Santidad el Papa Francisco por confiar en mí al nombrarme obispo auxiliar, así como al Arzobispo Gomez por su parte en este proceso y por aceptarme como uno de sus auxiliares.

Me siento honrado de servir a los sacerdotes, diáconos, religiosos y personas de la Arquidiócesis de Los Ángeles.

Crecí en la Arquidiócesis, y este es mi hogar. Asistí a la Iglesia y Escuela St. Bede el Venerable, en La Cañada. Fui instruido por las Hermanas de St. Louis, que alentaron mi vocación al sacerdocio.

Después de graduarme de la Escuela Secundaria St. Francis en 1973, entré a la Orden de los Franciscanos Capuchinos.

Fui ordenado por el Cardenal Timothy Manning en 1982. Excepto por siete años, he tenido el privilegio de servir como sacerdote en esta Arquidiócesis.

Hace algunos años, serví como confesor y guía espiritual en la Casa de Oración para Sacerdotes.  Me enriquecieron mis relaciones con estos sacerdotes y religiosos, muchos de los cuales vinieron de varias partes del mundo para servir aquí.

Cualquiera que sea nuestra raza, cultura o tradiciones religiosas, todos tenemos una meta, conocer a Jesús, compartir a Jesús y estar con Jesús.

Con esto en mente, prometo servir al Arzobispo y a los sacerdotes, diáconos, religiosos y laicos en la mayor medida de mis capacidades.

Me gustaría tomarme un momento para reconocer y agradecer a mi provincial, el Padre Joseph Seraphin, que está aquí esta mañana.

Estoy muy agradecido a él y a los frailes de la Provincia de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles que han fomentado mi amor al Señor a través de San Francisco de Asís y Santa Clara de Asís. Tengo con ellos una gran deuda de gratitud.

También quiero agradecer al pueblo de Dios de mis diversos ministerios que con su sabiduría me han formado como sacerdote. Estoy aquí hoy gracias a ustedes.

Finalmente, quiero dar gracias a mis padres, Cal e Irene Elshoff, quienes se han ido al Señor. Su ejemplo vivido de su fe católica en casa y en St. Bede me inspiró a ser sacerdote y religioso.

Permítanme terminar asegurándoles mis oraciones y pidiendo las suyas.

Nuestra oración siempre será nuestro mayor regalo del uno para el otro.

Que el Señor continúe la buena obra que ha comenzado en todos nosotros.

Gracias por escucharme y que Dios les bendiga.