Roman Catholic Diocese of Amarillo
Encyclopedia
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Amarillo is a Roman Catholic diocese
in Amarillo
Texas
. It was founded on August 3, 1926 (coincidentally, the same day that the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Antonio
, its metropolitan see
, was elevated to metropolitical status).
The diocese's past bishop
s include:
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
in Amarillo
Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo is the 14th-largest city, by population, in the state of Texas, the largest in the Texas Panhandle, and the seat of Potter County. A portion of the city extends into Randall County. The population was 190,695 at the 2010 census...
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...
. It was founded on August 3, 1926 (coincidentally, the same day that the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Antonio
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Antonio
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Antonio encompasses in Texas.The archdiocese includes the city of San Antonio and the following counties: Val Verde, Edwards, Kerr, Gillespie, Kendall, Comal, Guadalupe, Gonzales, Uvalde, Kinney, Medina, Bexar, Wilson, Karnes, Frio, Atascosa, and McMullen.On...
, its metropolitan see
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
, was elevated to metropolitical status).
The diocese's past bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
s include:
- Rudolph GerkenRudolph GerkenRudolph Aloysius Gerken was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Santa Fe from 1933 until his death.-Biography:...
(1926–1933) - Robert Emmet LuceyRobert Emmet LuceyArchbishop Robert Emmet Lucey was the second Bishop of Amarillo and the second Archbishop of San Antonio.-Early years:...
(1934–1941) - Laurence Julius FitzSimonLaurence Julius FitzSimonLaurence Julius FitzSimon was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Amarillo from 1941 until his death in 1958.-Biography:...
(1941–1958) - John Louis MorkovskyJohn Louis MorkovskyJohn 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:...
(1958–1963) - Lawrence Michael De FalcoLawrence Michael De FalcoLawrence Michael DeFalco was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Amarillo from 1963 to 1979.-Biography:...
(1963–1979) - Leroy Theodore MatthiesenLeroy MatthiesenLeroy Matthiesen was a theologian, political and social activist, and the retired Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Amarillo, Texas....
(1980–1997) - John Walter Yanta (1997–2008)
- Patrick ZurekPatrick ZurekPatrick James Zurek is the current Bishop of Amarillo since his appointment by Pope Benedict XVI on 3 January 2008. Zurek trained in Rome as a moral theologian who was a chaplain at the Bambino Gesu Children's Hospital during his seminary days.Zurek was ordained a priest in Rome on 29 June 1975 by...
(2008–present)
High schools
- Holy Cross Catholic AcademyHoly Cross Catholic Academy (Amarillo, Texas)Holy Cross Catholic Academy is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Amarillo, Texas. It is the only Catholic high school in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Amarillo.-Background:...
, Amarillo
Former Cathedrals
- Sacred Heart Cathedral (Amarillo, Texas)Sacred Heart Cathedral (Amarillo, Texas)Sacred Heart Cathedral is a former cathedral church located in Amarillo, Texas, United States. It was the seat of the Diocese of Amarillo from 1927 to 1975.-Sacred Heart Parish:...
, 1927-1975 - St. Laurence Catholic Church (Amarillo, Texas)St. Laurence Catholic Church (Amarillo, Texas)St. Laurence Catholic Church is a parish of the Diocese of Amarillo located in Amarillo, Texas, United States. It served as the cathedral church of the Diocese of Amarillo from 1975 to 2011.-History:...
, 1975-2011