Archbishop Joe S. Vasquez
His Excellency Joe S. Vásquez is the metropolitan archbishop of Galveston-Houston and pastor to its 2 million-plus Catholics (and the 7.1 million people within the Archdiocese) and 435 priests in 146 parishes and 54 schools spread over 8,880 square miles. His seats are St. Mary Cathedral Basilica in Galveston and the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Houston.
Archbishop Vásquez was born July 9, 1957, in Stamford, Texas to Juan and Elvira Vásquez. He is the eldest of six children with three brothers: Robert Vásquez, Samuel Vásquez, and James Vásquez; and two sisters: Cynthia Martínez and Consuelo Garza.
He obtained a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from St. Mary’s Seminary in Houston, and a licentiate in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He was ordained a priest on June 30, 1984, for the Diocese of San Angelo. In the Diocese of San Angelo, he served as Associate Pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Odessa from 1985 to 1987; as Pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Fort Stockton from 1987 to 1997; and as Pastor of St. Joseph Parish in San Angelo from 1997 to 2002.
He was appointed titular bishop of Cova and Auxiliary Bishop of Galveston-Houston on Nov. 30, 2001, and received his episcopal ordination on Jan. 23, 2002. On Jan. 26, 2010, he was appointed Bishop of Austin and also served as Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Tyler from Nov. 11, 2023, to Feb. 24, 2025.
On Jan. 20, 2025, Pope Francis appointed Bishop Joe S. Vásquez of Austin as Archbishop of Galveston-Houston. The appointment was publicized in Washington, D.C. by Christophe Cardinal Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States.
Archbishop Vásquez currently serves as a consultant to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on Pro-Life Activities and as Lead Bishop for Region X for the V National Encounter for Hispanic/Latino Ministry.
He has previously served on the following committees of the USCCB: Chair, Committee on Migration; Administrative Committee; Committee for Religious Liberty; consultant to the Committee on International Justice and Peace, the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, Subcommittee on Hispanic Affairs; and the Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism. He also previously served on the Board of Directors of Catholic Relief Services and the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc.
Archbishop Vásquez was born July 9, 1957, in Stamford, Texas to Juan and Elvira Vásquez. He is the eldest of six children with three brothers: Robert Vásquez, Samuel Vásquez, and James Vásquez; and two sisters: Cynthia Martínez and Consuelo Garza.
He obtained a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from St. Mary’s Seminary in Houston, and a licentiate in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He was ordained a priest on June 30, 1984, for the Diocese of San Angelo. In the Diocese of San Angelo, he served as Associate Pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Odessa from 1985 to 1987; as Pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Fort Stockton from 1987 to 1997; and as Pastor of St. Joseph Parish in San Angelo from 1997 to 2002.
He was appointed titular bishop of Cova and Auxiliary Bishop of Galveston-Houston on Nov. 30, 2001, and received his episcopal ordination on Jan. 23, 2002. On Jan. 26, 2010, he was appointed Bishop of Austin and also served as Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Tyler from Nov. 11, 2023, to Feb. 24, 2025.
On Jan. 20, 2025, Pope Francis appointed Bishop Joe S. Vásquez of Austin as Archbishop of Galveston-Houston. The appointment was publicized in Washington, D.C. by Christophe Cardinal Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States.
Archbishop Vásquez currently serves as a consultant to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on Pro-Life Activities and as Lead Bishop for Region X for the V National Encounter for Hispanic/Latino Ministry.
He has previously served on the following committees of the USCCB: Chair, Committee on Migration; Administrative Committee; Committee for Religious Liberty; consultant to the Committee on International Justice and Peace, the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, Subcommittee on Hispanic Affairs; and the Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism. He also previously served on the Board of Directors of Catholic Relief Services and the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc.
Full Name
Archbishop Joe S. Vasquez
Speaker Bio
His Excellency Joe S. Vásquez is the metropolitan archbishop of Galveston-Houston and pastor to its 2 million-plus Catholics (and the 7.1 million people within the Archdiocese) and 435 priests in 146 parishes and 54 schools spread over 8,880 square miles. His seats are St. Mary Cathedral Basilica in Galveston and the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Houston.
Archbishop Vásquez was born July 9, 1957, in Stamford, Texas to Juan and Elvira Vásquez. He is the eldest of six children with three brothers: Robert Vásquez, Samuel Vásquez, and James Vásquez; and two sisters: Cynthia Martínez and Consuelo Garza.
He obtained a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from St. Mary’s Seminary in Houston, and a licentiate in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He was ordained a priest on June 30, 1984, for the Diocese of San Angelo. In the Diocese of San Angelo, he served as Associate Pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Odessa from 1985 to 1987; as Pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Fort Stockton from 1987 to 1997; and as Pastor of St. Joseph Parish in San Angelo from 1997 to 2002.
He was appointed titular bishop of Cova and Auxiliary Bishop of Galveston-Houston on Nov. 30, 2001, and received his episcopal ordination on Jan. 23, 2002. On Jan. 26, 2010, he was appointed Bishop of Austin and also served as Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Tyler from Nov. 11, 2023, to Feb. 24, 2025.
On Jan. 20, 2025, Pope Francis appointed Bishop Joe S. Vásquez of Austin as Archbishop of Galveston-Houston. The appointment was publicized in Washington, D.C. by Christophe Cardinal Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States.
Archbishop Vásquez currently serves as a consultant to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on Pro-Life Activities and as Lead Bishop for Region X for the V National Encounter for Hispanic/Latino Ministry.
He has previously served on the following committees of the USCCB: Chair, Committee on Migration; Administrative Committee; Committee for Religious Liberty; consultant to the Committee on International Justice and Peace, the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, Subcommittee on Hispanic Affairs; and the Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism. He also previously served on the Board of Directors of Catholic Relief Services and the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc.
Archbishop Vásquez was born July 9, 1957, in Stamford, Texas to Juan and Elvira Vásquez. He is the eldest of six children with three brothers: Robert Vásquez, Samuel Vásquez, and James Vásquez; and two sisters: Cynthia Martínez and Consuelo Garza.
He obtained a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from St. Mary’s Seminary in Houston, and a licentiate in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He was ordained a priest on June 30, 1984, for the Diocese of San Angelo. In the Diocese of San Angelo, he served as Associate Pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Odessa from 1985 to 1987; as Pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Fort Stockton from 1987 to 1997; and as Pastor of St. Joseph Parish in San Angelo from 1997 to 2002.
He was appointed titular bishop of Cova and Auxiliary Bishop of Galveston-Houston on Nov. 30, 2001, and received his episcopal ordination on Jan. 23, 2002. On Jan. 26, 2010, he was appointed Bishop of Austin and also served as Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Tyler from Nov. 11, 2023, to Feb. 24, 2025.
On Jan. 20, 2025, Pope Francis appointed Bishop Joe S. Vásquez of Austin as Archbishop of Galveston-Houston. The appointment was publicized in Washington, D.C. by Christophe Cardinal Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States.
Archbishop Vásquez currently serves as a consultant to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on Pro-Life Activities and as Lead Bishop for Region X for the V National Encounter for Hispanic/Latino Ministry.
He has previously served on the following committees of the USCCB: Chair, Committee on Migration; Administrative Committee; Committee for Religious Liberty; consultant to the Committee on International Justice and Peace, the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, Subcommittee on Hispanic Affairs; and the Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism. He also previously served on the Board of Directors of Catholic Relief Services and the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc.