Joseph Fiorenza
Encyclopedia
Joseph Anthony Fiorenza (born January 25, 1931) 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. He previously served as Bishop of San Angelo
from 1979 to 1984.
, Texas
, the second of four sons of Anthony and Grace (née Galiano) Fiorenza. His father immigrated from Sicily
at age 10, while his mother was the daughter of Sicilian immigrants. He attended St. Anthony High School in Beaumont, where he was football team captain and senior class president. He skipped a grade and graduated from high school at age 16 in 1947. He then studied at St. Mary's Seminary in La Porte
.
to the priesthood
on May 29, 1954. His first assignment was as assistant pastor
of Queen of Peace Church in Houston
, where he remained for three years. In 1957, he became professor of medical ethics
at Sacred Heart Dominican College and chaplain
of St. Joseph Hospital in Houston. He served as administrator of Sacred Heart Co-Cathedral
from 1959 to 1967. In 1965, he participated in the Selma to Montgomery marches
for African-American civil rights.
Fiorenza served as pastor of St. Augustine Church (1967-69) and of St. Benedict the Abbot Church (1969-72), both in Houston. From 1972 to 1973, he was both pastor of Assumption Church and vice-chancellor
of the Diocese of Galveston-Houston. He was named Honorary Prelate of His Holiness
by Pope Paul VI
on December 5, 1973, and served as diocesan chancellor from 1973 to 1979.
by Pope John Paul II
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on the following October 25 from Archbishop Patrick Flores
, with Bishops John Louis Morkovsky
and John E. McCarthy
serving as co-consecrators
, at Sacred Heart Cathedral
.
On December 18, 1984, Fiorenza was named Bishop of the Diocese of Galveston-Houston by Pope John Paul II
. He was installed as Bishop of Galveston-Houston by Archbishop Patrick Flores
in the presence of Archbishop Pio Laghi, the Apostolic Pro-Nuncio. The Diocese of Galveston-Houston was elevated to the status of Archdiocese by His Holiness Pope John Paul II on Dec. 29, 2004, at which point Fiorenza became an Archbishop. During his tenure, Fiorenza worked diligently to protect the reputation of the Church in light of the negative publicity surrounding the sexual abuses of priests targeting minors in the Galveston-Houston Diocese by stonewalling investigation efforts.
Archbishop Fiorenza submitted his letter of retirement to the Vatican in February 2006 at the customary age of 75 years. The response was received on February 28, 2006, officially granting Fiorenza his retirement and declaring former co-adjutor Archbishop Daniel DiNardo
the presiding Archbishop of Galveston-Houston.
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 Catholic Church. He was the seventh Bishop
Ordinary
In those hierarchically organised churches of Western Christianity which have an ecclesiastical law system, an ordinary is an officer of the church who by reason of office has ordinary power to execute the church's laws...
and the first Archbishop 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...
, serving from 1985 to 2006. He previously served as Bishop of San Angelo
Roman Catholic Diocese of San Angelo
The Roman Catholic Diocese of San Angelo is a Roman Catholic diocese covering twenty-nine counties in western and central Texas. It was founded on October 16, 1961.The Roman Catholic Diocese of San Angelo, Texas, encompasses some...
from 1979 to 1984.
Early life and education
Joseph Fiorenza was born in BeaumontBeaumont, Texas
Beaumont is a city in and county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, United States, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's population was 118,296 at the 2010 census. With Port Arthur and Orange, it forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the...
, 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...
, the second of four sons of Anthony and Grace (née Galiano) Fiorenza. His father immigrated from Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
at age 10, while his mother was the daughter of Sicilian immigrants. He attended St. Anthony High School in Beaumont, where he was football team captain and senior class president. He skipped a grade and graduated from high school at age 16 in 1947. He then studied at St. Mary's Seminary in La Porte
La Porte, Texas
La Porte is a city in Harris County, Texas within the Bay Area of the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city population was 31,880...
.
Priesthood
Fiorenza was ordainedHoly 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....
on May 29, 1954. His first assignment was as assistant 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 Queen of Peace Church in Houston
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, where he remained for three years. In 1957, he became professor of medical ethics
Medical ethics
Medical ethics is a system of moral principles that apply values and judgments to the practice of medicine. As a scholarly discipline, medical ethics encompasses its practical application in clinical settings as well as work on its history, philosophy, theology, and sociology.-History:Historically,...
at Sacred Heart Dominican College and chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
of St. Joseph Hospital in Houston. He served as administrator of Sacred Heart Co-Cathedral
Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Houston
The Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart is a place of worship located at 1111 St. Joseph Parkway in downtown Houston, Texas. The co-cathedral seats 1,820 people in its sanctuary. Together with the venerable St...
from 1959 to 1967. In 1965, he participated in the Selma to Montgomery marches
Selma to Montgomery marches
The Selma to Montgomery marches were three marches in 1965 that marked the political and emotional peak of the American civil rights movement. They grew out of the voting rights movement in Selma, Alabama, launched by local African-Americans who formed the Dallas County Voters League...
for African-American civil rights.
Fiorenza served as pastor of St. Augustine Church (1967-69) and of St. Benedict the Abbot Church (1969-72), both in Houston. From 1972 to 1973, he was both pastor of Assumption Church and vice-chancellor
Chancellor (ecclesiastical)
Two quite distinct officials of some Christian churches have the title Chancellor.*In some churches, the Chancellor of a diocese is a lawyer who represents the church in legal matters....
of the Diocese of Galveston-Houston. He was named Honorary Prelate of His Holiness
Monsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
by Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
on December 5, 1973, and served as diocesan chancellor from 1973 to 1979.
Episcopacy
On September 4, 1979, Fiorenza was appointed the fourth Bishop of San AngeloRoman Catholic Diocese of San Angelo
The Roman Catholic Diocese of San Angelo is a Roman Catholic diocese covering twenty-nine counties in western and central Texas. It was founded on October 16, 1961.The Roman Catholic Diocese of San Angelo, Texas, encompasses some...
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
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....
consecration
Consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
on the following October 25 from 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:...
, with Bishops John Louis Morkovsky
John Louis Morkovsky
John Louis Morkovsky was an Czech American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Amarillo and Bishop of Galveston-Houston .-Early life and education:...
and John E. McCarthy
John E. McCarthy
John E. McCarthy was the Third Roman Catholic bishop of the Diocese of Austin.-Life before Priesthood:John Edward McCarthy was born on June 21, 1930, in Houston, Texas to George McCarthy and Grace O'Brien McCarthy. McCarthy graduated from St. Thomas High School in Houston,TX and earned a...
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...
, at Sacred Heart Cathedral
Sacred Heart Cathedral (San Angelo, Texas)
Sacred Heart Cathedral is a cathedral church located in San Angelo, Texas, United States. It is the seat of the Catholic Diocese of San Angelo. Sacred Heart Parish was founded in 1884, and it was named a cathedral when the Diocese of San Angelo was established in 1961. The present church was...
.
On December 18, 1984, Fiorenza was named Bishop of the Diocese of Galveston-Houston 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 was installed as Bishop of Galveston-Houston by 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:...
in the presence of Archbishop Pio Laghi, the Apostolic Pro-Nuncio. The Diocese of Galveston-Houston was elevated to the status of Archdiocese by His Holiness Pope John Paul II on Dec. 29, 2004, at which point Fiorenza became an Archbishop. During his tenure, Fiorenza worked diligently to protect the reputation of the Church in light of the negative publicity surrounding the sexual abuses of priests targeting minors in the Galveston-Houston Diocese by stonewalling investigation efforts.
Archbishop Fiorenza submitted his letter of retirement to the Vatican in February 2006 at the customary age of 75 years. The response was received on February 28, 2006, officially granting Fiorenza his retirement and declaring former co-adjutor Archbishop Daniel DiNardo
Daniel DiNardo
Daniel Nicholas DiNardo is an American cardinal of the Catholic Church. He is the second and current Archbishop of Galveston-Houston, serving since 2006. He previously served as Bishop of Sioux City from 1998 to 2004....
the presiding Archbishop of Galveston-Houston.
Appointments and board memberships
- Member of the Administrative Board of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, 1995–present
- Former member of the Bishops' Committee for Black Catholics
- Vice-President of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops - 1995-1998
- Member of the Board of Trustees of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association
- Member of the Board of Trustees of the University of St. ThomasUniversity of St. Thomas (Houston)The University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas, United States is a comprehensive Catholic university, grounded in the liberal arts...
, Houston - President of the Board of Trustees of Catholic Charities
- President of the National Conference of Catholic BishopsUnited States Conference of Catholic BishopsThe United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is the episcopal conference of the Catholic Church in the United States. Founded in 1966 as the joint National Conference of Catholic Bishops and United States Catholic Conference, it is composed of all active and retired members of the Catholic...
- 1998-2001