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Xavier Becerra’s religion is Roman Catholic. The California politician and former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services is reported to have been raised Catholic, and his Catholic faith has been a recurring subject in coverage of his career, particularly during his 2021 confirmation. This page covers his background, what is publicly documented about his faith, and where that faith has drawn debate.
Early Life and Background
Becerra was born on January 26, 1958, in Sacramento, California. His father, Manuel Guerrero Becerra, was born in Sacramento, raised in Tijuana, Mexico, and returned to the United States as a teenager; his mother, Maria Teresa, is from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. He grew up in a one-room apartment with three sisters, graduated from C. K. McClatchy High School in 1976, and earned a bachelor’s degree in economics (1980) and a law degree (1984) from Stanford University. He was the first in his family to graduate from college.
He went on to serve in the California State Assembly, the U.S. House of Representatives from 1993 to 2017, as California Attorney General from 2017 to 2021, and as Secretary of Health and Human Services under President Joe Biden.
Xavier Becerra Religion and Religious Views
Becerra identifies publicly as Catholic. In a February 2021 NBC News opinion piece, Sister Carol Keehan, the former head of the Catholic Health Association, described him as a leader “whose character is rooted in his Catholic upbringing and values” and wrote that his parents instilled in him a strong faith. America magazine reported the same description when covering his nomination, and quoted Keehan saying his goal of helping hardworking people get ahead is “both a Catholic value and an American value.”
His Catholic faith also became a point of contention. Pro-life leaders, in a February 18, 2021 letter signed by 60 advocates, called him “an enemy of the health of women and the unborn,” citing votes against the Hyde Amendment and other abortion-related measures. Church leaders in California, including Ned Dolejsi of the California Catholic Conference, opposed a state mandate requiring abortion coverage in health plans that Becerra supported as attorney general. Critics also pointed to his litigation against the Little Sisters of the Poor, a Catholic religious order, over contraceptive coverage, and to 2017 remarks that religious protections belong to individuals rather than institutions. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops declined to comment on his nomination.
Supporters, including Keehan, countered that his policy positions on health care reflected Catholic social values. Because much of the available commentary comes from advocates on one side or the other, it is best read as assessments of his record rather than as statements about his personal belief or practice. For comparison, see how other public figures’ faith has been covered, such as Sean Hannity’s religion and Vivek Ramaswamy’s religion, or read about the three major branches of Christianity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What religion is Xavier Becerra?
Xavier Becerra is Roman Catholic. Reporting from America magazine and an NBC News opinion piece by Sister Carol Keehan both describe him as Catholic and refer to his Catholic upbringing.
Was Xavier Becerra raised Catholic?
Yes. Sister Carol Keehan, former head of the Catholic Health Association, wrote in NBC News that his character is rooted in his Catholic upbringing and values, and that his parents instilled in him a strong faith.
Has Xavier Becerra’s faith been controversial?
Yes. When he was nominated as Secretary of Health and Human Services in 2021, pro-life leaders criticized his record on abortion, and Catholic leaders in California opposed an abortion-coverage mandate he supported as attorney general. Other Catholic figures, including Keehan, defended him.
What is Xavier Becerra’s family background?
Becerra was born in Sacramento, California, in 1958. His father, Manuel Guerrero Becerra, was raised in Tijuana, Mexico, and his mother, Maria Teresa, is from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.
Has Xavier Becerra publicly discussed his faith in detail?
The sources reviewed for this article do not include a detailed first-person account of his religious practice, parish or church attendance. His Catholic identity is reported, but specifics of his personal observance are not documented in them.
