Meet Bishop Blaire

Bishop Blaire's Early Years

The Most Reverend Stephen E. Blaire was born in Los Angeles, California in 1941, the twelfth of fourteen children. He was raised in the San Fernando Valley where he attended local Catholic schools. After graduating from Queen of Angels High School Seminary in 1959, Bishop Blaire entered St. John’s College and Seminary in Camarillo.

View the slide show prepared for Bishop Blaire's 10th Anniversary as Bishop of Stockton to the right.

Bishop Blaire is pictured here with his mother on the day of his Ordination to the priesthood. He was ordained by
Cardinal McIntyre on April 29, 1967.

After Ordination

On 29 April 1967, Reverend Blaire was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles by James Francis Cardinal McIntyre. Reverend Blaire’s first assignment was as Associate Pastor at St. Luke’s Church in Temple City. In 1972, he began fourteen years of ministry with Catholic secondary education, first as a teacher and administrator at Bishop Alemany High School in Mission Hills, then as Vice Principal at Bishop Amat High School in La Puente. From 1977 to 1986, he returned to Bishop Alemany High School as Principal.

Ordination as a Bishop

In 1986, Reverend Blaire was appointed as the Moderator of the Curia and Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. On 31 May 1990 he was ordained an Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles and Titular Bishop of Lamzella by Cardinal Roger Mahony. Bishop Blaire served as a Vicar General for the  Archdiocese of Los Angeles from 1990 and Regional Bishop of Our Lady of the Angels Pastoral Region from 1995 to 1999.

Our Bishop

On 19 January 1999 it was announced that Pope John Paul II had appointed Bishop Blaire as the Bishop of Stockton. The Most Reverend Stephen E. Blaire was installed as the fifth Bishop of Stockton on 16 March 1999 at the Cathedral of the Annunciation.  

Retiring Bishop Montrose hands Bishop Blaire the symbol of his Office as local Bishop of the Diocese of Stockton. Also picture, to the left is Archbishop Wiliam Levada of San Francisco and Archbishop Pio Laghi, Papal Nunico to the United States.

One aspect of a bishop's ministry in the Church is conferring the Sacrament of Confirmation. This picture shows a young person being confirmed at  St. Anthony Parish in Manteca.

As often as possible, Bishop Blaire joins thousands of our parishioners in the Walk for Life held each year in San Francisco. He is pictured above with Nancy Bonnet, past Director of the Respect Life Office and two other walkers.

As a member of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, he has served as the Chairman of the Pastoral Practices Committee and as a member of the Committee for Ecumenical and Inter-religious Affairs. Bishop Blaire has also served locally as president of the California Catholic Conference. In 2009 he was elected Chair of the USCCB Committee on Domestic Justice, Peace and Human Development, effective August, 2010