Background
Garmendia, Francisco was born on November 6, 1924 in Lozcano, Spain. Came to the United States, 1964, naturalized.
Garmendia, Francisco was born on November 6, 1924 in Lozcano, Spain. Came to the United States, 1964, naturalized.
He served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of New York from 1977-2001. He served as a priest in Argentina before he was incardinated into the Archdiocese of New York in 1975. Pope Paul VI appointed him as the Titular Bishop of Limisa and Auxiliary Bishop of New York on May 24, 1977.
He was ordained a bishop by Cardinal Terence Cooke on June 29, 1977.
The principal co-consecrators were Coadjutor Archbishop John Maguire of New York and Auxiliary Bishop Patrick Ahern. Garmendia served as the pastor of Saint Thomas Aquinas Church in The Bronx and the Vicar for Spanish Pastoral Development.
He was the first Hispanic bishop in New York, and continued to serve as an auxiliary bishop until his resignation was accepted by Pope John Paul II on October 30, 2001. He died on November 16, 2005 at the age of 81.