Joe S. Vasquez
Encyclopedia
José Stephen Vásquez is an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He was appointed Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Austin
on January 26, 2010. He was previously the auxiliary bishop
of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
.
, Texas
, to Juan (b. 1933) and Elvira Vásquez (d. 2005). His father, a veteran of the Korean War
, dropped out of school in the second grade to support his family and later made a living as a mechanic
. The oldest of six children, he has three brothers, Robert, Samuel, and James; and two sisters, Cynthia and Consuelo. He attended public schools in Stamford and Abilene
. From 1976 to 1980, he studied at St. Mary Seminary and the University of St. Thomas
, from where he obtained a Bachelor's degree in Theology
. He then furthered his studies at the Pontifical North American College
and Pontifical Gregorian University
in Rome from 1980 to 1985.
Vásquez was ordained
to the priesthood
by Archbishop Joseph Fiorenza
on June 30, 1984. He then served as parochial vicar
at St. Joseph Church in Odessa
until 1987, when he became pastor
of St. Joseph Church in Fort Stockton
. From 1997 to 2002, he served as pastor of St. Joseph Church in San Angelo
.
On November 30, 2001, Vásquez was appointed Auxiliary Bishop
of Galveston-Houston
and Titular Bishop
of Cova by Pope John Paul II
. He received his episcopal consecration
on January 23, 2002 from Archbishop Fiorenza, with Archbishop Patrick Flores
and Bishop Michael Pfeifer
, O.M.I.
, serving as co-consecrators
. He selected as his episcopal motto
: "Sigueme."
On 26 January 2010 he was appointed as bishop of Austin
by Pope Benedict XVI
filling the vacancy left by Gregory Michael Aymond
who was appointed archbishop of New Orleans
. The diocese is home to some 50 seminarians and a Catholic population of 500,000, twice what it was two decades ago. It is expected to double again in size over the next 15 to 20 years. Bishop Vasquez will take possession of the see on 8 March. The appointment follows early December's appointment of Daniel E. Flores
as Bishop of Brownsville
and the 18 January appointment of Msgr. William Mulvey
, as Bishop of Corpus Christi
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
prelate
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. He was appointed Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Austin
Roman Catholic Diocese of Austin
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Austin includes 125 parishes, or faith communities, in 25 counties in Central Texas. The diocese stretches from West, Texas, in the north to San Marcos in the south to the Bryan/College Station area in the east to Mason in the west...
on January 26, 2010. He was previously the auxiliary bishop
Auxiliary bishop
An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...
of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston encompasses of ten counties in the southeastern area of Texas: Galveston; Harris; Austin; Brazoria; Fort Bend; Grimes; Montgomery; San Jacinto; Walker; and Waller.The chancery of the diocese is located in Downtown Houston. The Archdiocese's...
.
Biography
José Vásquez, who is of Mexican American descent, was born in StamfordStamford, Texas
Stamford is a small city located on the border of Jones and Haskell counties in the western part of the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 3,111 in 2008. H. McHarg, president of the Texas Central Railroad, named the site in 1900 for his hometown in Connecticut...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, to Juan (b. 1933) and Elvira Vásquez (d. 2005). His father, a veteran of the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, dropped out of school in the second grade to support his family and later made a living as a mechanic
Mechanic
A mechanic is a craftsman or technician who uses tools to build or repair machinery.Many mechanics are specialized in a particular field such as auto mechanics, bicycle mechanics, motorcycle mechanics, boiler mechanics, general mechanics, industrial maintenance mechanics , air conditioning and...
. The oldest of six children, he has three brothers, Robert, Samuel, and James; and two sisters, Cynthia and Consuelo. He attended public schools in Stamford and Abilene
Abilene, Texas
Abilene is a city in Taylor and Jones counties in west central Texas. The population was 117,063 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Abilene Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a 2006 estimated population of 158,063. It is the county seat of Taylor County...
. From 1976 to 1980, he studied at St. Mary Seminary and the University of St. Thomas
University of St. Thomas (Houston)
The University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas, United States is a comprehensive Catholic university, grounded in the liberal arts...
, from where he obtained a Bachelor's degree in Theology
Bachelor of Theology
The Bachelor of Theology is a three to five year undergraduate degree in theological disciplines. Candidates for this degree typically must complete course work in Greek or Hebrew, as well as systematic theology, biblical theology, ethics, homiletics and Christian ministry...
. He then furthered his studies at the Pontifical North American College
Pontifical North American College
The Pontifical North American College is a Roman Catholic educational institution in Rome, Italy educating seminarians for the dioceses in the United States and providing a residence for American priests studying in Rome. It was founded in 1859 by Blessed Pope Pius IX and was granted pontifical...
and Pontifical Gregorian University
Pontifical Gregorian University
The Pontifical Gregorian University is a pontifical university located in Rome, Italy.Heir of the Roman College founded by Saint Ignatius of Loyola over 460 years ago, the Gregorian University was the first university founded by the Jesuits...
in Rome from 1980 to 1985.
Vásquez was ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
to the priesthood
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
by Archbishop Joseph Fiorenza
Joseph Fiorenza
Joseph Anthony Fiorenza is an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He was the seventh Bishop and the first Archbishop of Galveston-Houston, serving from 1985 to 2006...
on June 30, 1984. He then served as parochial vicar
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
at St. Joseph Church in Odessa
Odessa, Texas
Odessa is a city in and the county seat of Ector County, Texas, United States. It is located primarily in Ector County, although a small portion of the city extends into Midland County. Odessa's population was 99,940 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Odessa, Texas Metropolitan...
until 1987, when he became pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
of St. Joseph Church in Fort Stockton
Fort Stockton, Texas
Fort Stockton is a city in Pecos County, Texas, United States. The population was 7,846 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Pecos County.-Geography:Fort Stockton is located at ....
. From 1997 to 2002, he served as pastor of St. Joseph Church in San Angelo
San Angelo, Texas
San Angelo is a city in the state of Texas. Located in West Central Texas it is the county seat of Tom Green County. As of 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau, the city had a total population of 93,200...
.
On November 30, 2001, Vásquez was appointed Auxiliary Bishop
Auxiliary bishop
An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...
of Galveston-Houston
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston encompasses of ten counties in the southeastern area of Texas: Galveston; Harris; Austin; Brazoria; Fort Bend; Grimes; Montgomery; San Jacinto; Walker; and Waller.The chancery of the diocese is located in Downtown Houston. The Archdiocese's...
and Titular Bishop
Titular bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
of Cova by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
. He received his episcopal consecration
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
on January 23, 2002 from Archbishop Fiorenza, with Archbishop Patrick Flores
Patrick Flores
Patrick Fernández Flores , is a Roman Catholic cleric and was Archbishop of San Antonio from 1979 until 2004. Flores was the first Mexican American to become a bishop of the Roman Catholic Church.-Early life:...
and Bishop Michael Pfeifer
Michael David Pfeifer
Michael David Pfeifer is the fifth and current Roman Catholic bishop of the Diocese of San Angelo. He was born in Alamo, Texas, the son of Maund Pfeifer and Alice Clausney Savage. On December 21, 1964 he was ordained a priest for the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate and served as a missionary...
, O.M.I.
Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate is a missionary religious congregation in the Catholic Church. It was founded on January 25, 1816 by Saint Eugene de Mazenod, a French priest born in Aix-en-Provence in the south of France on August 1, 1782. The congregation was given recognition by Pope...
, serving as co-consecrators
Consecrator
Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...
. He selected as his episcopal motto
Motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
: "Sigueme."
On 26 January 2010 he was appointed as bishop of Austin
Roman Catholic Diocese of Austin
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Austin includes 125 parishes, or faith communities, in 25 counties in Central Texas. The diocese stretches from West, Texas, in the north to San Marcos in the south to the Bryan/College Station area in the east to Mason in the west...
by Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
filling the vacancy left by Gregory Michael Aymond
Gregory Michael Aymond
Gregory Michael Aymond is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the fourteenth and current Archbishop of New Orleans...
who was appointed archbishop of New Orleans
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans, officially in Latin Archidioecesis Novae Aureliae, is an ecclesiastical division of the Roman Catholic Church administered from New Orleans, Louisiana...
. The diocese is home to some 50 seminarians and a Catholic population of 500,000, twice what it was two decades ago. It is expected to double again in size over the next 15 to 20 years. Bishop Vasquez will take possession of the see on 8 March. The appointment follows early December's appointment of Daniel E. Flores
Daniel E. Flores
Daniel Ernesto Flores is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He currently serves as the Bishop of Brownsville since December 2009. He had previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Detroit....
as Bishop of Brownsville
Roman Catholic Diocese of Brownsville
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Brownsville is a Roman Catholic diocese in Texas. It was founded on July 10, 1965. The number of catholics is 943,611 among the total population of 1,110,130 in 2006...
and the 18 January appointment of Msgr. William Mulvey
William Mulvey
William Michael Mulvey STL is the current bishop of Corpus Christi since his appointment by Pope Benedict XVI on 18 January 2010....
, as Bishop of Corpus Christi
Roman Catholic Diocese of Corpus Christi
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Corpus Christi is a Roman Catholic diocese in Texas. It was founded on March 23, 1912.The past bishops of the diocese are:*Dominic Manucy *Peter Verdaguer y Prat...
.