The Catholic Church appointed its first bishop of Asian ancestry in the United States this week, signaling the church's efforts to better reflect its multicultural congregation.

Monsignor Ignatius Wang will serve in the Archdiocese of San Francisco, where 25 percent of the 450,000 members is Asian American, according to Maurice Healy, a spokesperson for the diocese.

'It is a common belief among Asian people, especially among the Chinese, that the Catholic Church is a western Church,' Wang said. 'This is one concept I will help to correct.'

The Chinese Catholics in America, no matter how small a group, are an important piece of the American mosaic, Wang said. His appointment signals that the Church is making significant strides in better representing the diversity of American Catholics, Wang said.

'Last August, a mosaic picture of Our Lady of China was installed at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.,' he said. 'Now, we have a Chinese bishop.'

'His appointment recognizes the rapidly growing numbers of Asians, especially from Eastern Asia, who have immigrated to this country from China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, the Philippines and other countries,' said Archbishop William J. Levada.

'It is particularly appropriate for us here in the Archdiocese of San Francisco to have a bishop from among the Chinese people. From the time of those first immigrants there has been a small community of Chinese Catholics, strong in faith, who have been an active part of the life of the Archdiocese of San Francisco.'

In 1982, Wang was appointed pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Church in North Beach, becoming the city's first Chinese-American pastor. He was named a monsignor in 1989 and now serves as chancellor of the archdiocese.

Wang was ordained in Hong Kong in 1959 but was unable to serve in China because of the Communist regime's lack of religious tolerance. There are 2.5 million Catholics in 90 dioceses in China, but the church is forced to operate largely in the shadows.

Before coming to San Francisco in 1974, Wang was a priest on the Caribbean island of Grenada.

'While bishop-elect Wang is the first bishop of Asian background to be appointed in the United States, I feel confident that his appointment also signals the desire of the Church in this country to accompany the pilgrim journey of Asian-Americans from many different countries with the appointment of bishops in the future,' Levada said.

The Archdiocese of San Francisco is composed of 89 parishes, 29 bishops and 272 priests. There are nearly 300 active bishops nationwide.

Wang, who joins John Wester as auxiliary bishop under Levada, will officially assume his new duties after his ordination Jan. 30 in St. Mary's Cathedral.