Archbishop of Galveston-Houston
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.
Archbishop Emeritus of Galveston-Houston
Daniel Cardinal DiNardo served as the metropolitan archbishop of Galveston-Houston from 2006 to 2025. During that time, he was pastor to its 2 million-plus Catholics (and the 7.8 million people within the Archdiocese) and 435 priests in 146 parishes and 54 schools spread over 8,880 square miles. On Jan. 20, 2025, Pope Francis accepted Cardinal DiNardo's resignation and appointed Bishop Joe S. Vásquez of Austin as his successor.
Born in Steubenville, Ohio, and raised with three siblings in Castle Shannon near Pittsburgh, Cardinal DiNardo attended St. Anne grade school and the Jesuit-run Bishop's Latin school before enrolling in St. Paul Seminary and Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. He received his master's degree in philosophy from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. and degrees of Sacred Theology from both the Pontifical Gregorian University and the Patristic Institute Augustinianum in Rome.
He was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Pittsburgh on July 16, 1977, and served as parish pastor, seminary professor, spiritual director and in the chancery. From 1984 to 1991, he worked in Rome as a staff member for the Congregation for Bishops, as director of Villa Stritch (the house for American clergy), and as adjunct professor at the Pontifical North American College. In 1991, he returned to Pittsburgh, serving as pastor to several parishes and again in the chancery.
He was appointed coadjutor bishop of Sioux City, Iowa and ordained there as a bishop in October 1997. As his Episcopal motto, he adopted: Ave Crux Spes Unica, meaning "Hail the Cross, Our Only Hope." He succeeded retiring Bishop Lawrence Donald Soens of Sioux City in November of 1998.
He was named coadjutor bishop (later coadjutor archbishop) of Galveston-Houston in January 2004 and succeeded Archbishop Joseph Fiorenza on February 28, 2006. On June 29, 2006, he received the pallium from Pope Benedict XVI. He was elevated to the College of Cardinals in November of 2007 at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. He was designated the titular Church of Sant'Eusebio in Rome.
As a member of the Sacred College, he served as a Cardinal-Elector in the Papal Conclave of 2013, which saw the election of Pope Francis to the See of Peter.
In November of the same year, he was elected by his brother bishops as the Vice-President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) for a three-year term. Cardinal DiNardo served as President of the USCCB from Nov. 2016 - Nov. 2019.
He was a member of the Pontifical Council for Culture, the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, the Pontifical Council for the Economy, and is on the Board of Trustees of The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.
Born in Steubenville, Ohio, and raised with three siblings in Castle Shannon near Pittsburgh, Cardinal DiNardo attended St. Anne grade school and the Jesuit-run Bishop's Latin school before enrolling in St. Paul Seminary and Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. He received his master's degree in philosophy from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. and degrees of Sacred Theology from both the Pontifical Gregorian University and the Patristic Institute Augustinianum in Rome.
He was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Pittsburgh on July 16, 1977, and served as parish pastor, seminary professor, spiritual director and in the chancery. From 1984 to 1991, he worked in Rome as a staff member for the Congregation for Bishops, as director of Villa Stritch (the house for American clergy), and as adjunct professor at the Pontifical North American College. In 1991, he returned to Pittsburgh, serving as pastor to several parishes and again in the chancery.
He was appointed coadjutor bishop of Sioux City, Iowa and ordained there as a bishop in October 1997. As his Episcopal motto, he adopted: Ave Crux Spes Unica, meaning "Hail the Cross, Our Only Hope." He succeeded retiring Bishop Lawrence Donald Soens of Sioux City in November of 1998.
He was named coadjutor bishop (later coadjutor archbishop) of Galveston-Houston in January 2004 and succeeded Archbishop Joseph Fiorenza on February 28, 2006. On June 29, 2006, he received the pallium from Pope Benedict XVI. He was elevated to the College of Cardinals in November of 2007 at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. He was designated the titular Church of Sant'Eusebio in Rome.
As a member of the Sacred College, he served as a Cardinal-Elector in the Papal Conclave of 2013, which saw the election of Pope Francis to the See of Peter.
In November of the same year, he was elected by his brother bishops as the Vice-President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) for a three-year term. Cardinal DiNardo served as President of the USCCB from Nov. 2016 - Nov. 2019.
He was a member of the Pontifical Council for Culture, the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, the Pontifical Council for the Economy, and is on the Board of Trustees of The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.