Evelio Menjivar-Ayala: From Refugee to Bishop

Evelio Menjivar-Ayala shares his journey from refugee to becoming the first Salvadoran Catholic bishop in the United States. In this excerpt from the 2025 Festival of Faiths, Menjivar-Ayala reflects on growing up in El Salvador during a time of violence and persecution, and the difficult path that led him to seek refuge in the United States. After multiple attempts to cross the border, he eventually built a life rooted in faith, perseverance, and service. Working multiple jobs, learning English, and finding community in the Church, he began to recognize a deeper calling—one that would lead him to the priesthood and ultimately to the role of bishop. His story is one of resilience, migration, and spiritual conviction, offering a deeply personal reflection on belonging, faith, and the journeys that shape who we become. Speaker: Evelio Menjivar-Ayala Auxiliary Bishop of Washington, D.C. The full session can be viewed here:    • Birthing Belonging | #FOF2025   The Festival of Faiths, based in Louisville, Kentucky, is a nationally recognized gathering of spiritual leaders, artists, and changemakers. The 2025 theme, Sacred Belonging, explores our deep interconnectedness and calls us toward communities rooted in care, empathy, and shared humanity.