Bishop-designate Sanchez was born Nov. 26, 1946 in Brooklyn. Then-Bishop James Hickey, who later became Archbishop of Washington and a cardinal, ordained him to the priesthood at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome in December 1971.
He has served at several parishes and he has been a member of the diocesan Liturgical Commission, the Presbyteral Council, and a subcommittee of the International Committee on English in the Liturgy.
He received a bachelor’s degree from St. Bonaventure’s University, a master’s degree from the University of Notre Dame, and a Licentiate in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He speaks English and Spanish.
The bishop-designate reflected on the parishes he has served.
“I have loved my ministry as a parish priest in my first three wonderful parishes and then as pastor of the people of St. Agatha in Sunset Park and Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Astoria. Even when the people had limited financial resources, they were rich in faith and an inspiration to my life of faith.”
His time as Territorial Vicar of Queens allowed him to work closely with the pastors, priests and staff of the diocese’s parishes, he said.
The Diocese of Brooklyn has 1.4 million Catholics across the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens.
The diocese already has two auxiliary bishops: diocese Vicar General Bishop Frank Caggiano and Bishop Octavio Cisneros, the Vicar for Hispanic Concerns and pastor of Holy Child Jesus Parish in Richmond Hill.