Myron Joseph Cotta (born March 21, 1953) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was appointed as the sixth bishop of the Diocese of Stockton in California by Pope Francis on January 23, 2018. His installation mass was celebrated on March 15, 2018, at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church in Modesto, California.[1] Cotta previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Sacramento in California from 2014 to 2018.
Deciding to become a priest, Cotta entered St. John's Seminary in Camarillo, California, in 1980. He received a bachelor's degree and a Master of Divinity degree in 1987.[4]
Priesthood
Cotta was ordained a priest at St. Anthony Church in Fresno by Bishop José de Jesús Madera Uribe for the Diocese of Fresno on September 12, 1987.[5] The diocese assigned Cotta to the following pastoral assignments in California parishes:
After the 2010 death of John Steinbock, the bishop of Fresno, the Vatican named Cotta as administrator of the diocese. He served this role until the consecration of Bishop Armando Ochoa in 2011.[6]
On January 23, 2018, Francis named Cotta as bishop of Stockton. He was installed on March 15, 2018.[6][5] Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone and Archbishop Christophe Pierre attended the installation mass.
Cotta is fluent in English, Spanish and Portuguese.[4]