Sarah Mitchell
Texas is home to a large Catholic community, with about 8.5 million Catholics, accounting for about 30% of the state's population. The Texas Catholic Church is organised into 15 Latin Church dioceses and one personal ordinariate, each led by a bishop. There are also six auxiliary bishops serving in dioceses with specific pastoral needs. The state is divided into two ecclesiastical provinces, each with a metropolitan archdiocese led by an archbishop. The Catholic Church in Texas has a rich history, with notable figures such as Bishop Lynch, who was known for his oratory skills and his contributions to the establishment of new churches. The community is served by a dedicated group of bishops who provide spiritual guidance and leadership to their respective dioceses.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Catholic Bishops in Texas | 15 Latin Church dioceses and one personal ordinariate led by a bishop; six auxiliary bishops |
| Number of Catholics in Texas | 8.5 million |
| Number of Parishes | 1,069 |
| Number of Missions in the Diocese | 247 |
| Number of Priests | 2,006 |
| Number of Permanent Deacons | 1,934 |
| Number of Religious Sisters | 1,980 |
| Number of Religious Brothers | 181 |
| Number of Catholic Colleges and Universities | 8 |
| Number of Diocesan Seminaries | 5 |
| Number of Religious Seminaries | 13 |
| Number of Catholic High Schools | 56 |
| Number of Catholic Elementary Schools | 218 |
| Number of Students in Parish-based Religious Education Programs | 350,000+ |
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What You'll Learn
Bishops of the Roman Catholic Church in Texas
The Texas Catholic Church is comprised of 15 Latin Church dioceses and one personal ordinariate, each led by a bishop. The 15 Latin dioceses are divided into two ecclesiastical provinces, with each province having a metropolitan archdiocese led by an archbishop, and six or seven suffragan dioceses. In most archdioceses and some large dioceses, one or more auxiliary bishops serve in association with the diocesan bishop.
As of May 2016, one of these metropolitans is a cardinal: Galveston-Houston's Daniel Cardinal DiNardo. All active and retired bishops in Texas, including diocesan, coadjutor, and auxiliary bishops, are members of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
The Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter, based in Houston, Texas, was created by the Vatican in 2012 for former Anglican communities and clergy seeking to become Catholic. The ordinariate, which includes 42 parishes throughout the United States and Canada, is led by Bishop Steven Lopes, who has served since 2015.
- Bishop Gregory Kelly: Bishop of Tyler, installed in 2025
- Bishop Brendan Cahill: Bishop of Victoria, appointed in 2015
- Bishop Italo Dell'Oro: Auxiliary Bishop of Galveston-Houston, serving since 2021
- Bishop Michael Boulette: Auxiliary Bishop of San Antonio, appointed in 2017
- Bishop Gary Janak: Auxiliary Bishop of San Antonio, appointed in 2021
- Bishop Mario Alberto Avilés: Auxiliary Bishop of Brownsville
- Bishop Patrick Zurek: Bishop of Amarillo, appointed in 2008
- Bishop David L. Toups: Bishop of Beaumont, installed in 2020
- Bishop Daniel E. Flores: Bishop of Brownsville, appointed in 2009
- Bishop Wm. Michael Mulvey: Bishop of Corpus Christi, appointed in 2010
- Bishop Edward J. Burns: Bishop of Dallas, appointed in 2017
- Bishop Mark J. Seitz: Bishop of El Paso, appointed in 2013
- Bishop Michael F. Olson: Bishop of Fort Worth, appointed in 2013
- Bishop James A. Tamayo: Bishop of Laredo, appointed in 2000
- Bishop Robert M. Coerver: Bishop of Lubbock, appointed in 2016
- Bishop Michael J. Sis: Bishop of San Angelo, appointed in 2013
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Bishops serving outside Texas
The Texas Catholic Church is made up of 15 Latin Church dioceses and one personal ordinariate, each led by a bishop. The 15 Latin dioceses are divided into two ecclesiastical provinces, with each province having a metropolitan archdiocese led by an archbishop and six or seven suffragan dioceses. In most archdioceses and some large dioceses, one or more auxiliary bishops serve in association with the diocesan bishop.
While the above information details the bishops serving in Texas, there are also several bishops from Texas who are serving outside of the state. For example, Bishop Mark J. Seitz, who served as the bishop of the Diocese of El Paso, Texas, is now the bishop of the Diocese of Tulsa in Oklahoma. Similarly, Bishop Edward J. Burns, who was the bishop of the Dallas Diocese in Texas, now serves as the bishop of the Diocese of Juneau in Alaska.
Another example is Bishop Michael F. Olson, who was the bishop of the Fort Worth Diocese in Texas. He now serves as the bishop of the Diocese of Fort Sill in Oklahoma. Bishop James A. Tamayo, who served as the bishop of the Diocese of Laredo in Texas, is now the bishop of the Diocese of Brownsville in Texas. Finally, Bishop Robert M. Coerver, who was the bishop of the Diocese of Lubbock in Texas, now serves as the bishop of the Diocese of Dallas in Texas.
These bishops have brought their unique experiences and perspectives from their time serving in Texas to their new roles outside of the state, contributing to the diverse tapestry of the Catholic Church in the United States.
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Bishops in Texas who are members of the USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops)
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is a national membership organization of Catholic Bishops in the United States, composed of all active and retired members of the Catholic hierarchy in the country and the territory of the U.S. Virgin Islands. It was founded in 2001 after the merger of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB) and the United States Catholic Conference (USCC). As of January 2025, the USCCB president is Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese of Military Services, USA, and the vice president is Archbishop William E. Lori of the Archdiocese of Baltimore.
All active and retired bishops in Texas are members of the USCCB. The Texas Catholic Church comprises 15 Latin Church dioceses and one personal ordinariate led by a bishop. The 15 Latin dioceses are divided into two ecclesiastical provinces, with each province having a metropolitan archdiocese led by an archbishop and six or seven suffragan dioceses. In most archdioceses and some large dioceses, one or more auxiliary bishops serve in association with the diocesan bishop.
- Bishop Gregory Kelly: Installed as the fifth bishop of Tyler on February 24, 2025, serving approximately 119,168 Catholics in the Diocese of Tyler.
- Bishop Brendan Cahill: Bishop for the Diocese of Victoria in Texas, serving 71,600 Catholics since his appointment by Pope Francis in 2015.
- Bishop Italo Dell'Oro: Auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston since 2021.
- Bishop Michael Boulette: Appointed as the auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of San Antonio in 2017.
- Bishop Gary Janak: Appointed as the auxiliary bishop of the San Antonio Archdiocese in 2021.
- Bishop Daniel E. Flores: Bishop of the Diocese of Brownsville, serving as pastor to its 1.17 million Catholics since his appointment by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009.
- Bishop Edward J. Burns: Bishop of the Dallas Diocese, pastoring its 1.3 million Catholics since his appointment by Pope Francis in 2017.
- Bishop Mark J. Seitz: Bishop of the Diocese of El Paso and pastor to its 720,000 Catholics since his appointment by Pope Francis in 2013.
- Bishop Michael F. Olson: Bishop for the Fort Worth Diocese, leading its 1.1 million Catholics since his appointment by Pope Francis in 2013.
- Bishop James A. Tamayo: Bishop of the Diocese of Laredo, serving 348,000 Catholics since 2000.
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Bishops in Texas' Latin Church dioceses
The Catholic Church in Texas comprises 15 Latin Church dioceses and one personal ordinariate, each led by a bishop. The 15 Latin dioceses are divided into two ecclesiastical provinces: Galveston-Houston and San Antonio.
The province of Galveston-Houston includes the Galveston-Houston Archdiocese and the dioceses of Austin, Beaumont, Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Tyler, and Victoria. The Diocese of Austin is currently sede vacante, awaiting a new bishop to minister to its 639,000 Catholics. Bishop David L. Toups was installed as the bishop of Beaumont in 2020, and Bishop Gregory Kelly was installed as the bishop of Tyler in 2025. Bishop Italo Dell'Oro has served as an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston since 2021. Bishop Daniel E. Flores has served as the bishop of the Diocese of Brownsville since 2009, and Bishop Mario Alberto Avilés serves as an auxiliary bishop there. Bishop Wm. Michael Mulvey has served as the bishop of Corpus Christi since 2010, and Bishop Brendan Cahill has been the bishop of the Diocese of Victoria since 2015.
The province of San Antonio includes the San Antonio Archdiocese and the dioceses of Amarillo, Dallas, El Paso, Fort Worth, Laredo, Lubbock, and San Angelo. Bishop Patrick Zurek has served as the bishop of the Diocese of Amarillo since 2008. Bishop Edward J. Burns has been the bishop of the Dallas Diocese since 2017. Bishop Mark J. Seitz has served as the bishop of the Diocese of El Paso since 2013, and Bishop Anthony Celino was appointed auxiliary bishop of El Paso in 2022. Bishop Michael F. Olson has been the bishop of the Diocese of Fort Worth since 2014. Bishop James A. Tamayo has served as the bishop of the Diocese of Laredo since 2000. Bishop Robert M. Coerver was appointed bishop of the Diocese of Lubbock in 2016. Bishop Michael J. Sis has served as the bishop of the Diocese of San Angelo since 2013.
In addition to the 15 Latin Church dioceses, there is one personal ordinariate in Texas, the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter, led by Bishop Steven Lopes. It was created by the Vatican in 2012 for former Anglican communities seeking to become Catholic.
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Bishops in Texas' ecclesiastical provinces
In the Roman Catholic Church, bishops are Christ's representatives, serving as teachers, shepherds, and priests. Texas has 15 Latin Church dioceses and one personal ordinariate, each led by a bishop. The state is divided into two ecclesiastical provinces: Galveston-Houston and San Antonio.
The province of Galveston-Houston includes the Galveston-Houston Archdiocese and the dioceses of Austin, Beaumont, Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Tyler, and Victoria in Texas. The province is led by Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, who has served as archbishop since May 2016. The Diocese of Austin is currently sede vacante, awaiting a new bishop to minister to its 639,000 Catholics. Bishop Daniel E. Flores has served as bishop of the Diocese of Brownsville, pastoring its 1.17 million Catholics since 2009. Bishop Italo Dell'Oro has served as auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston since 2021. Bishop Gregory Kelly was installed as the fifth bishop of Tyler in February 2025, serving approximately 119,168 Catholics. Bishop David L. Toups was installed as the bishop of Beaumont in 2020, ministering to 81,000 Catholics. Bishop Steven Lopes has served as the bishop of the Ordinariate since 2015. Bishop Wm. Michael Mulvey has served as bishop of Corpus Christi, pastoring 297,000 Catholics since 2010.
The province of San Antonio includes the San Antonio Archdiocese and the dioceses of Amarillo, Dallas, El Paso, Fort Worth, Laredo, Lubbock, and San Angelo. The province is led by Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller, M.Sp.S., who has served since 2010. Bishop Patrick Zurek has served as bishop of the Diocese of Amarillo, pastoring 39,000 Catholics since 2008. Bishop Edward J. Burns is the bishop of the Dallas Diocese, ministering to 1.3 million Catholics since 2017. Bishop Mark J. Seitz has served as bishop of the Diocese of El Paso, pastoring 720,000 Catholics since 2013. Bishop Michael F. Olson is the bishop of the Fort Worth Diocese, leading 1.1 million Catholics since 2013. Bishop James A. Tamayo has served as bishop of the Diocese of Laredo, pastoring 348,000 Catholics since 2000. Bishop Robert M. Coerver shepherds the nearly 137,000 Catholics of the Diocese of Lubbock. He was appointed in 2016. Bishop Michael J. Sis has served as bishop of the Diocese of San Angelo, pastoring 131,600 Catholics since 2013. Bishop Brendan Cahill is bishop for the Diocese of Victoria in Texas, serving 71,600 Catholics since he was appointed in 2015. Bishop Michael Boulette was appointed auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of San Antonio in 2017. Bishop Gary Janak was appointed auxiliary bishop of the San Antonio Archdiocese in 2021. Bishop Mario Alberto Avilés serves as auxiliary bishop of the Brownsville Diocese.
An ecclesiastical province is one of the basic forms of jurisdiction in Christian churches with traditional hierarchical structures. It consists of several dioceses, one of which is the archdiocese, headed by a metropolitan bishop or archbishop who has jurisdiction over all other bishops in the province. Ecclesiastical provinces first corresponded to the civil provinces of the Roman Empire, and the bishops of these provinces assembled on important occasions for common counsel in synods. Over time, the bishop of the provincial capital came to occupy a superior position and was granted definite rights over the other bishops and dioceses of the state province.
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Frequently asked questions
There are 15 Latin Church dioceses in Texas, each led by a bishop. There is also one personal ordinariate, led by Bishop Steven Lopes, which was created in 2012 for Anglican communities who want to become Catholic. In addition, there are six auxiliary bishops who serve in dioceses with specific pastoral needs.
Catholic bishops are Christ's representatives, serving as teachers, shepherds, and priests. They are responsible for the apostolic mission of the Church.
Some of the Catholic bishops in Texas include Bishop Gregory Kelly of the Diocese of Tyler, Bishop Brendan Cahill of the Diocese of Victoria, Bishop Edward J. Burns of the Dallas Diocese, Bishop Mark J. Seitz of the Diocese of El Paso, and Bishop Michael F. Olson of the Diocese of Fort Worth.
There are approximately 8.5 million Catholics in Texas, which is about 30% of the total population. They worship in approximately 1,069 parishes and 247 missions in the diocese.
The USCCB is an assembly of the Catholic Church hierarchy in the United States and the U.S. Virgin Islands. All active and retired bishops in Texas are members of the USCCB.
