David Garcia

Title: Senior Advisor for Clergy Outreach

Areas of Expertise: Hispanic community in the United States, clergy, Church in Latin America

Languages Spoken: English and Spanish

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Biography

Rev. David H. Garcia is senior advisor for clergy outreach for Catholic Relief Services, based in San Antonio, Texas. In this role, Fr. Garcia helps lead the agency's efforts to develop and strengthen relationships with clergy leaders in the United States and promote solidarity with the poor and vulnerable in the developing world. He also focuses on outreach to Latino clergy and supports CRS' Global Fellows program, a grassroots speaking initiative that draws on the talents of active and retired Catholic priests to spread the message about CRS' work in parishes around the country.

Fr. Garcia is also director of the Old Spanish Missions of San Antonio and has been rector of San Fernando Cathedral in San Antonio since 1995. He has served the Archdiocese of San Antonio in a number of ways, including secretary to the Archbishop, director of administrative services and vocation director.

He has written and published articles on a variety of religious topics for Origins, Today's Catholic, Church, Journal of Hispanic/Latino Theology, New Catholic World, Gracias and Columbia. He has served as adjunct faculty at Oblate School of Theology and the Mexican American Cultural Center, and summer faculty for the Graduate School of Theology program at St. Mary's University.

During his time at San Fernando Cathedral, Fr. Garcia has produced a highly-rated weekly televised mass shown by satellite throughout North and South America. He has also produced and co-produced numerous national and local television specials, and received the prestigious Gabriel Award for co-producing with Univision a national broadcast on Our Lady of Guadalupe, Las Mañanitas, in 2003.

Fr. Garcia holds two master's degrees from Notre Dame University in theology and administration, and a B.S. in history from St. Mary's University in San Antonio.