Pope accepts resignation of San Diego bishop accused of embezzlement

Teri Figueroa, The San Diego Union-Tribune on Mar 10, 2026

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SAN DIEGO — Pope Leo XIV has accepted the resignation of Bishop Emanuel Shaleta from his role governing the Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle of San Diego, Catholic officials announced one day after Shaleta’s arraignment on embezzlement charges.

His resignation was accepted in February and announced Tuesday, according to a statement from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. The organization said the Pope has appointed the Most Rev. Saad Sirop Hanna as the apostolic administrator of the eparchy that Shaleta led.

The announcement does not address the criminal case Shaleta faces. The 69-year-old pleaded not guilty in El Cajon Superior Court on Monday to several embezzlement and money laundering charges. Shaleta faces a sentence of up to 15 years in custody if convicted of all charges and allegations.

Prosecutors said he siphoned more than $270,000 from the church by accepting rental money from a church property in cash, then backfilled the hole in the books with money intended to be used for poor people.

When a financial adviser with the church caught a discrepancy, Shelata “provided completely unreasonable tales of where that money was going,” Deputy District Attorney Joel Madero said during Shaleta’s arraignment.

The prosecutor alleged the money was taken over an eight-month period in 2024.

Shaleta’s attorney said during the arraignment that she plans to show the allegations are false.

On the front page of its website, St. Peter the Apostle posted a statement from its priests that points to “negative attacks” against the epachy and bishop, and says that they are “in solidarity” with both.

At a Mass in February, Shaleta denied allegations of wrongdoing, saying he never “abused any penny of the church money.” He also told the congregation he offered his resignation to the Vatican.

The Vatican said in its daily bulletin Tuesday that the pope had accepted Shaleta’s resignation.

Last Thursday, sheriff’s deputies arrested Shaleta at the San Diego International Airport as he was about to board a plane to Germany, according to Madero, who noted that the bishop had more than $9,000 cash on him. His attorney said the trip had been long-planned.

Shaleta’s bail was set at $125,000. As of Tuesday morning, he did not appear to still be in custody. On his release from jail, he must wear a GPS locator, as per judicial order.

The financial questions surrounding Shaleta were first reported by The Pillar, a news outlet covering the Catholic Church.

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