Roman Catholic Diocese of El Paso
Encyclopedia
The Roman Catholic Diocese of El Paso is a particular church
of the Roman Catholic Church
in West Texas
. Covering 26686 square miles (69,116.4 km²), it encompasses the Texas
counties
of El Paso, Brewster
, Culberson
, Hudspeth
, Jeff Davis
, Loving
, Presidio
, Reeves
, Ward and Winkler
with approximately 668,000 professing members, being 80.8% of the total population, served by 107 priests, 54 parishes and 237 male and female religious. The see is a suffragan
of the Archdiocese of San Antonio
. The current bishop is Armando Xavier Ochoa
who was installed on June 26, 1996.
Erected on March 3, 1914, the Diocese of El Paso originally covered nearly 65000 square miles (168,349.2 km²) in West Texas and southern New Mexico
having been created from parts of the dioceses of Dallas
, San Antonio
and Tucson
. The present boundaries of the diocese were established on August 17, 1982 when the New Mexico portion of the diocese was split off to form part of the newly created Diocese of Las Cruces
.
which was established on September 2, 1530 by Pope Clement VII
and included all of the territory of New Spain
. On July 13, 1548 Pope Paul III
erected the Diocese of Guadalajara which included the northern frontier of New Spain. In 1620 Pope Paul V
established the Diocese of Durango
which encompassed all of the provinces of Nueva Vizcaya
and Santa Fe de Nuevo México
. In El Paso's present-day Mission Valley
, Spanish missionaries
established Mission Corpus Christi de la Isleta del Sur
in 1682 and Mission Nuestra Señora de la Limpia Concepción de Los Piros de Socorro del Sur
in 1682. In the 1770s the Presidio Chapel of San Elizario was established. These mission churches function to this day as parishes of the diocese. As a result of the Mexican-American War (1846–1848), the region became part of the United States
splitting from the Diocese of Durango and on July 23, 1850 the Vicariate Apostolic of New Mexico was established which on July 29, 1853 became the Diocese of Santa Fe
under Bishop John Baptist Lamy, encompassing West Texas
and New Mexico Territory
, which at the time included the present-day states of New Mexico
and Arizona
. San José de Concordia el Alto was erected in 1859 on the site of the present Concordia Cemetery
. It was the nearest Catholic church for El Paso residents at the time. There was no Catholic church in El Paso proper before 1881. Often Catholics from El Paso boarded a hand-pulled ferry to attend mass
at Our Lady of Guadalupe in Juárez
.
When the see of Santa Fe was elevated to an Archdiocese, the El Paso area was transferred to the newly created Vicariate Apostolic of Arizona
in 1868. In the 1880s
the new railroad lines in El Paso created a population boom and in 1882 lots were purchased on North Oregon Street as a site for the first Catholic church in El Paso, known as St. Mary's or Holy Family, which was completed in November 1882. In 1891 the El Paso area was transferred to the newly created Diocese of Dallas
. St. Mary's School was opened for Catholic children in 1903. The earliest school of the Sisters of Loretto
, Loretto Academy
, dates from 1879 in San Elizario and, after moving to El Paso in 1892, continues to operate to the present day. Hotel Dieu, a hospital opened in 1892, operated for many decades. During the Mexican Revolution
there was an influx of Catholics from Mexico into the El Paso area. To address the needs of the growing Catholic community, Jesuit
priest Carlos Pinto established several new parishes in El Paso. These included Sacred Heart, Immaculate Conception, St. Ignatius, Guardian Angel, and Holy Family parishes. Rural areas in southern New Mexico and west Texas were served by traveling priests in car and horseback. After Pinto's efforts, Catholic parishes began to flourish in El Paso.
established the Diocese of El Paso as a suffragan see
of Santa Fe. The diocese covered nearly 65000 square miles (168,349.2 km²) in West Texas and southern New Mexico and was created from parts of the dioceses of Dallas, San Antonio
and Tucson. Jesuit priest
Father John J. Brown was appointed bishop
of the newly created diocese on January 22, 1915 but resigned before his scheduled consecration. On June 17, 1915, another Jesuit, Father Anthony Joseph Schuler was appointed bishop and was consecrated on October 28, 1915 by John Baptist Pitaval
, the Archbishop of Santa Fe. Bishop Schuler oversaw the construction of St. Patrick's Cathedral. In raising funds for the cathedral's construction, the diocese offered to allow the first group to raise $10,000 for the project to name the new cathedral. A group of Irish
Catholic women met the challenge and chose St. Patrick as patron. At the time El Paso was a major center of the mining industry in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, with many of the miners being Irish.
The anti-clerical
Mexican Constitution of 1917
and the persecution of the Catholic Church under Mexican presidents Venustiano Carranza
and Plutarco Elías Calles
resulted in an influx of priests and religious crossing back and forth between El Paso and Juárez to serve the needs of Catholics in Mexico during the Cristero War
. Bishop Schuler ordained Father Pedro de Jesus Maldonado Lucero, from Chihuahua City
, in St. Patrick Cathedral in 1918 to serve the needs of the faithful in the state of Chihuahua. Fr Maldonado was beaten to death in Santa Isabel, Chihuahua by town authorities in 1937 for preaching the Gospel, and was raised to sainthood as one of the Mexican Martyrs canonized by Pope John Paul II
in 2000. A memorial commemorating the ordination of St. Peter of Jesus Maldonado was erected in St. Patrick Cathedral in 2005.
In 1924, Bishop Schuler opened St. Charles Borromeo Seminary and Cathedral High School
. In 1939 Urbici Soler y Manonelles
completed the Shrine of Cristo Rey on the mountain where the borders of New Mexico, Texas and Chihuahua meet. The massive statue of Christ the King looks out over three states in two nations.
On November 26, 1941 Pope Pius XII
appointed Sidney Matthew Metzger
, then Auxiliary Bishop of Santa Fe, coadjutor bishop
of El Paso. On November 29, 1942, Bishop Schuler retired and Metzger succeeded as bishop of El Paso. During the first few years of his term, with the help of the Catholic Church Extension Society
, Metzger traveled the United States making his appeal from the pulpit for funds to erect new apostolates
needed by the diocese. His success was evident in the continuing establishment of Catholic ministries and institutions. Metzger built the current St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, two Catholic youth organization camps in the New Mexico mountains, Holy Cross Retreat near Las Cruces
. On October 16, 1961 the eastern portion of the diocese was carved out to form part of the newly erected Diocese of San Angelo
. In the early 1960s
, Bishop Metzger was called to Rome
to attend the Second Vatican Council
. Metzger oversaw the implementation of the Council's decrees in the diocese. Metzger was also a strong advocate for social justice
issues such as the rights of the working people to collective bargaining
. In 1972 more than 3,000 employees of Farah Manufacturing Company in El Paso went on a strike lasting 20 months. Metzger gained national attention for his advocacy on behalf of the workers. At the time Metzger said, "I feel that the company is acting unjustly in denying to the workers the basic right to collective bargaining
." William Farah, the company's president, subsequently called Metzger a member of the "rotten old bourgeoisie
" and a man who is "lolling in wealth".
On Saint Patrick's Day
, 1978, Metzger retired and on April 4, 1978 Patrick Flores
, Auxiliary Bishop of San Antonio, was appointed by Pope Paul VI
to succeed him. Flores was installed on May 29, 1978 and served just over a year before being appointed Archbishop of San Antonio.
On April 29, 1980, Raymundo Joseph Peña
, Auxiliary Bishop
of San Antonio, was appointed bishop of El Paso and was installed on June 18, 1980. Continuing in Bishop Metzger's footsteps, Peña continued work for issues of social justice in the diocese taking up the cause the undocumented immigrants
. Peña called for a middle ground in the blockade against the undocumented during the mid-1990s
. He also established Tepeyac Institute to prepare members of the laity for many ministries within the diocese. On August 17, 1982 the portion of the diocese in southern New Mexico was carved out to form part of the newly formed Diocese of Las Cruces
; the Diocese of El Paso. which as a result was in Texas only, became part of the Province of San Antonio.
On May 23, 1994 Bishop Peña was transferred to the Diocese of Brownsville and on April 1, 1996 Pope John Paul II appointed then Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles
Armando Xavier Ochoa
as bishop of El Paso and he was installed on June 26, 1996. Ochoa has encouraged vocations to the priesthood and religious life, and the strengthening of diocesan ministries. In 1999 the diocese began a cooperative program with the Archdiocese of Atlanta
for preparing seminarians from that area for ministry to the growing Hispanic population in the southern United States. In 2001 the diocese entered into a pact of solidarity with the dioceses of Choluteca
, Tegucigalpa
, and Brownsville, Texas, in response to the devastation caused in Central America
in 1998 by Hurricane Mitch
. In 2004, Ochoa established the Committee on a Five-Year Plan for Vocations and a Committee on the Life and Ministry of Priests. He initiated the annual Diocesan Congresses which enable the faithful to enrich their knowledge of the faith and commitment to ministry.
Particular Church
In Catholic canon law, a Particular Church is an ecclesial community headed by a bishop or someone recognised as the equivalent of a bishop.There are two kinds of particular Churches:# Local particular Churches ...
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...
in West Texas
West Texas
West Texas is a vernacular term applied to a region in the southwestern quadrant of the United States that primarily encompasses the arid and semi-arid lands in the western portion of the state of Texas....
. Covering 26686 square miles (69,116.4 km²), it encompasses 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...
counties
County (United States)
In the United States, a county is a geographic subdivision of a state , usually assigned some governmental authority. The term "county" is used in 48 of the 50 states; Louisiana is divided into parishes and Alaska into boroughs. Parishes and boroughs are called "county-equivalents" by the U.S...
of El Paso, Brewster
Brewster County, Texas
Brewster County is a county located in western part of the US state of Texas, along the border with Mexico. It is one of the nine counties that comprise the Trans-Pecos region of West Texas. As of the 2000 census, the population is 8,866. In 2009, the population was estimated to be 9,481. Its...
, Culberson
Culberson County, Texas
Culberson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. It is one of the nine counties that comprise the Trans-Pecos region of West Texas. In 2000, its population was 2,975. Culberson was founded in 1911. It is named for David B. Culberson, a lawyer and Confederate soldier in the American...
, Hudspeth
Hudspeth County, Texas
Hudspeth County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. It is one of the nine counties that comprise the Trans-Pecos region of West Texas. As of 2000, the population was 3,344. By 2010, the population had increased to 3,476. Its county seat is Sierra Blanca. The largest city is Fort Hancock...
, Jeff Davis
Jeff Davis County, Texas
Jeff Davis County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. It is named for Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederate States of America. It is one of the nine counties that comprise the Trans-Pecos region of West Texas. In 2000, its population was 2,207, and 2,258 by 2009...
, Loving
Loving County, Texas
US Census 2000Of the 67 residents, 60 were White, 6 of "some other race", and 1 person of two or more races. There were 7 residents who were Hispanic or Latino of any race...
, Presidio
Presidio County, Texas
Presidio County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 7,304. Its county seat is Marfa. Presidio County is in the Trans-Pecos region of West Texas and is named for the ancient border settlement of Presidio del Norte.-Geography:Presidio County is triangular in...
, Reeves
Reeves County, Texas
Reeves County is a county located in the US state of Texas. It is one of the nine counties that comprise the Trans-Pecos region of West Texas. In 2000, its population was 13,137. Its seat is Pecos. Reeves County is named for George R. Reeves, a Texas state legislator and colonel in the...
, Ward and Winkler
Winkler County, Texas
Winkler County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 7,173. Its county seat is Kermit. The county is named for Clinton M. Winkler, a Colonel in the Confederate Army....
with approximately 668,000 professing members, being 80.8% of the total population, served by 107 priests, 54 parishes and 237 male and female religious. The see is a suffragan
Suffragan bishop
A suffragan bishop is a bishop subordinate to a metropolitan bishop or diocesan bishop. He or she may be assigned to an area which does not have a cathedral of its own.-Anglican Communion:...
of the 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...
. The current bishop is Armando Xavier Ochoa
Armando Xavier Ochoa
Armando Xavier Ochoa, D.D. is the fifth and current Bishop of El Paso. Ochoa is an advocate of diocesan foster care programs and responsible water use.-Early life:...
who was installed on June 26, 1996.
Erected on March 3, 1914, the Diocese of El Paso originally covered nearly 65000 square miles (168,349.2 km²) in West Texas and southern New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
having been created from parts of the dioceses of Dallas
Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas is a Roman Catholic diocese in Texas. It was founded on July 15, 1890 by Pope Leo XIII. The diocese's cathedral is the Cathedral Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe....
, 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...
and Tucson
Roman Catholic Diocese of Tucson
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Tucson is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the southwestern region of the United States. It comprises nine counties of the state of Arizona, making it the fifth largest diocese in the continental United States in terms of area...
. The present boundaries of the diocese were established on August 17, 1982 when the New Mexico portion of the diocese was split off to form part of the newly created Diocese of Las Cruces
Roman Catholic Diocese of Las Cruces
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Las Cruces is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the southwestern region of the United States, comprising the 10 southern counties in the state of New Mexico: Hidalgo, Grant, Luna, Sierra, Dona Ana, Otero, Lincoln, Chaves, Eddy, and...
.
Before founding
Originally, the present-day area of El Paso was under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of MexicoRoman Catholic Archdiocese of Mexico
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mexico is a metropolitan diocese, responsible for the suffragan Dioceses of Atlacomulco, Cuernavaca, Toluca and Tenancingo. It was elevated on February 12, 1546....
which was established on September 2, 1530 by Pope Clement VII
Pope Clement VII
Clement VII , born Giulio di Giuliano de' Medici, was a cardinal from 1513 to 1523 and was Pope from 1523 to 1534.-Early life:...
and included all of the territory of New Spain
New Spain
New Spain, formally called the Viceroyalty of New Spain , was a viceroyalty of the Spanish colonial empire, comprising primarily territories in what was known then as 'América Septentrional' or North America. Its capital was Mexico City, formerly Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec Empire...
. On July 13, 1548 Pope Paul III
Pope Paul III
Pope Paul III , born Alessandro Farnese, was Pope of the Roman Catholic Church from 1534 to his death in 1549. He came to the papal throne in an era following the sack of Rome in 1527 and rife with uncertainties in the Catholic Church following the Protestant Reformation...
erected the Diocese of Guadalajara which included the northern frontier of New Spain. In 1620 Pope Paul V
Pope Paul V
-Theology:Paul met with Galileo Galilei in 1616 after Cardinal Bellarmine had, on his orders, warned Galileo not to hold or defend the heliocentric ideas of Copernicus. Whether there was also an order not to teach those ideas in any way has been a matter for controversy...
established the Diocese of Durango
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Durango
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Durango is a Metropolitan Archdiocese in Mexico. Based in the city of Durango, it is responsible for the suffragan dioceses of Culiacán, Mazatlán and Torreón as well as the Territorial Prelature of El Salto.-Early history:...
which encompassed all of the provinces of Nueva Vizcaya
Nueva Vizcaya, New Spain
Nueva Vizcaya was the first province in the north of New Spain to be explored and settled by the Spanish. It consisted mostly of the area which is today the states of Chihuahua and Durango in Mexico.-Early exploration and the Viceroyalty:...
and Santa Fe de Nuevo México
Santa Fe de Nuevo México
Santa Fe de Nuevo México was a province of New Spain and later Mexico that existed from the late 16th century up through the mid-19th century. It was centered on the upper valley of the Rio Grande , in an area that included most of the present-day U.S. state of New Mexico...
. In El Paso's present-day Mission Valley
Mission Valley El Paso
Mission Valley is an area of El Paso, Texas, USA which includes part of Eastside and all Lower Valley districts. It is the third largest area of the city, behind East El Paso and Central El Paso. Hawkins Road and Interstate 10 border the Mission Valley...
, Spanish missionaries
Spanish missions in Texas
The Spanish Missions in Texas comprise a series of religious outposts established by Spanish Catholic Dominicans, Jesuits, and Franciscans to spread the Christian doctrine among the local Native Americans, but with the added benefit of giving Spain a toehold in the frontier land. The missions...
established Mission Corpus Christi de la Isleta del Sur
Ysleta Mission
The Ysleta Mission, located in the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo within the municipality of El Paso, Texas, is recognized as the oldest continuously operated parish in the State of Texas...
in 1682 and Mission Nuestra Señora de la Limpia Concepción de Los Piros de Socorro del Sur
Socorro Mission
The original Franciscan mission, Nuestra Señora de la Concepción del Socorro, was founded in 1682 by the Franciscan order, to serve displaced American Indians from New Mexico, who fled during the Pueblo Revolt...
in 1682. In the 1770s the Presidio Chapel of San Elizario was established. These mission churches function to this day as parishes of the diocese. As a result of the Mexican-American War (1846–1848), the region became part of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
splitting from the Diocese of Durango and on July 23, 1850 the Vicariate Apostolic of New Mexico was established which on July 29, 1853 became the Diocese of Santa Fe
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santa Fe
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santa Fe is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the southwestern region of the United States in the state of New Mexico. While the motherchurch, the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, is in the City of Santa Fe, its administrative center is in...
under Bishop John Baptist Lamy, encompassing West Texas
West Texas
West Texas is a vernacular term applied to a region in the southwestern quadrant of the United States that primarily encompasses the arid and semi-arid lands in the western portion of the state of Texas....
and New Mexico Territory
New Mexico Territory
thumb|right|240px|Proposed boundaries for State of New Mexico, 1850The Territory of New Mexico was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 6, 1912, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of...
, which at the time included the present-day states of New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
and Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
. San José de Concordia el Alto was erected in 1859 on the site of the present Concordia Cemetery
Concordia Cemetery
Concordia Cemetery is a historic cemetery located at Buffalo in Erie County, New York. It consists of a rectangular plot and was founded in 1859 by three German Lutheran congregations; First Trinity Lutheran Church, St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church, and St. Stephen's Evangelical Church...
. It was the nearest Catholic church for El Paso residents at the time. There was no Catholic church in El Paso proper before 1881. Often Catholics from El Paso boarded a hand-pulled ferry to attend mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
at Our Lady of Guadalupe in Juárez
Ciudad Juárez
Ciudad Juárez , officially known today as Heroica Ciudad Juárez, but abbreviated Juárez and formerly known as El Paso del Norte, is a city and seat of the municipality of Juárez in the Mexican state of Chihuahua. Juárez's estimated population is 1.5 million people. The city lies on the Rio Grande...
.
When the see of Santa Fe was elevated to an Archdiocese, the El Paso area was transferred to the newly created Vicariate Apostolic of Arizona
Roman Catholic Diocese of Tucson
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Tucson is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the southwestern region of the United States. It comprises nine counties of the state of Arizona, making it the fifth largest diocese in the continental United States in terms of area...
in 1868. In the 1880s
1880s
The 1880s was the decade that spanned from January 1, 1880 to December 31, 1889. They occurred at the core period of the Second Industrial Revolution. Most Western countries experienced a large economic boom, due to the mass production of railroads and other more convenient methods of travel...
the new railroad lines in El Paso created a population boom and in 1882 lots were purchased on North Oregon Street as a site for the first Catholic church in El Paso, known as St. Mary's or Holy Family, which was completed in November 1882. In 1891 the El Paso area was transferred to the newly created Diocese of Dallas
Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas is a Roman Catholic diocese in Texas. It was founded on July 15, 1890 by Pope Leo XIII. The diocese's cathedral is the Cathedral Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe....
. St. Mary's School was opened for Catholic children in 1903. The earliest school of the Sisters of Loretto
Sisters of Loretto
Sisters of Loretto or the Loretto Community is a Catholic religious institution, which, according to their mission statement, "strive[s] to bring the healing Spirit of God into our world" and is committed "to improving the conditions of those who suffer from injustice, oppression, and deprivation...
, Loretto Academy
Loretto Academy (El Paso, Texas)
Loretto Academy is a private Roman Catholic school in El Paso, Texas. It is a part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of El Paso alongside Cathedral High School and Father Yermo. Grades K-5 are coeducational, while grades 6-12 are all girls.-Background:...
, dates from 1879 in San Elizario and, after moving to El Paso in 1892, continues to operate to the present day. Hotel Dieu, a hospital opened in 1892, operated for many decades. During the Mexican Revolution
Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution was a major armed struggle that started in 1910, with an uprising led by Francisco I. Madero against longtime autocrat Porfirio Díaz. The Revolution was characterized by several socialist, liberal, anarchist, populist, and agrarianist movements. Over time the Revolution...
there was an influx of Catholics from Mexico into the El Paso area. To address the needs of the growing Catholic community, Jesuit
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
priest Carlos Pinto established several new parishes in El Paso. These included Sacred Heart, Immaculate Conception, St. Ignatius, Guardian Angel, and Holy Family parishes. Rural areas in southern New Mexico and west Texas were served by traveling priests in car and horseback. After Pinto's efforts, Catholic parishes began to flourish in El Paso.
Founding and early history
On March 3, 1914, Pope Pius XPope Pius X
Pope Saint Pius X , born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto, was the 257th Pope of the Catholic Church, serving from 1903 to 1914. He was the first pope since Pope Pius V to be canonized. Pius X rejected modernist interpretations of Catholic doctrine, promoting traditional devotional practices and orthodox...
established the Diocese of El Paso as a suffragan see
Suffragan bishop
A suffragan bishop is a bishop subordinate to a metropolitan bishop or diocesan bishop. He or she may be assigned to an area which does not have a cathedral of its own.-Anglican Communion:...
of Santa Fe. The diocese covered nearly 65000 square miles (168,349.2 km²) in West Texas and southern New Mexico and was created from parts of the dioceses of Dallas, 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...
and Tucson. Jesuit priest
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....
Father John J. Brown was appointed 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...
of the newly created diocese on January 22, 1915 but resigned before his scheduled consecration. On June 17, 1915, another Jesuit, Father Anthony Joseph Schuler was appointed bishop and was consecrated on October 28, 1915 by John Baptist Pitaval
John Baptist Pitaval
John Baptist Pitaval was a French-born clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Santa Fe from 1909 to 1918.-Biography:...
, the Archbishop of Santa Fe. Bishop Schuler oversaw the construction of St. Patrick's Cathedral. In raising funds for the cathedral's construction, the diocese offered to allow the first group to raise $10,000 for the project to name the new cathedral. A group of Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
Catholic women met the challenge and chose St. Patrick as patron. At the time El Paso was a major center of the mining industry in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, with many of the miners being Irish.
The anti-clerical
Anti-clericalism
Anti-clericalism is a historical movement that opposes religious institutional power and influence, real or alleged, in all aspects of public and political life, and the involvement of religion in the everyday life of the citizen...
Mexican Constitution of 1917
Constitution of Mexico
The Political Constitution of the United Mexican States is the current constitution of Mexico. It was drafted in Santiago de Querétaro, in the State of Querétaro, by a constitutional convention, during the Mexican Revolution. It was approved by the Constitutional Congress on February 5, 1917...
and the persecution of the Catholic Church under Mexican presidents Venustiano Carranza
Venustiano Carranza
Venustiano Carranza de la Garza, was one of the leaders of the Mexican Revolution. He ultimately became President of Mexico following the overthrow of the dictatorial Huerta regime in the summer of 1914 and during his administration the current constitution of Mexico was drafted...
and Plutarco Elías Calles
Plutarco Elías Calles
Plutarco Elías Calles was a Mexican general and politician. He was president of Mexico from 1924 to 1928, but he continued to be the de facto ruler from 1928–1935, a period known as the maximato...
resulted in an influx of priests and religious crossing back and forth between El Paso and Juárez to serve the needs of Catholics in Mexico during the Cristero War
Cristero War
The Cristero War of 1926 to 1929 was an uprising and counter-revolution against the Mexican government in power at that time. The rebellion was set off by the strict enforcement of the anti-clerical provisions of the Mexican Constitution of 1917 and the expansion of further anti-clerical laws...
. Bishop Schuler ordained Father Pedro de Jesus Maldonado Lucero, from Chihuahua City
Chihuahua, Chihuahua
The city of Chihuahua is the state capital of the Mexican state of Chihuahua. It has a population of about 825,327. The predominant activity is industry, including domestic heavy, light industries, consumer goods production, and to a smaller extent maquiladoras.-History:It has been said that the...
, in St. Patrick Cathedral in 1918 to serve the needs of the faithful in the state of Chihuahua. Fr Maldonado was beaten to death in Santa Isabel, Chihuahua by town authorities in 1937 for preaching the Gospel, and was raised to sainthood as one of the Mexican Martyrs canonized 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 ...
in 2000. A memorial commemorating the ordination of St. Peter of Jesus Maldonado was erected in St. Patrick Cathedral in 2005.
In 1924, Bishop Schuler opened St. Charles Borromeo Seminary and Cathedral High School
Cathedral High School (El Paso, Texas)
Cathedral High School is a private, Catholic high school for boys, in El Paso, Texas. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of El Paso which owns and administers the school. Its mission is to "Teach minds and touch hearts"-Background:...
. In 1939 Urbici Soler y Manonelles
Urbici Soler y Manonelles
Urbici Soler was a Spanish-born American sculptor and art educator. He is remembered chiefly for Christ the King , a monumental statue of Jesus on the cross atop Mount Cristo Rey in the El Paso suburb of Sunland Park, New Mexico which he completed in 1939 and which is a site of Roman Catholic...
completed the Shrine of Cristo Rey on the mountain where the borders of New Mexico, Texas and Chihuahua meet. The massive statue of Christ the King looks out over three states in two nations.
On November 26, 1941 Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
appointed Sidney Matthew Metzger
Sidney Matthew Metzger
Sidney Matthew Metzger, STD, JCD was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Bishop of El Paso from 1942 to 1978.-Biography:...
, then Auxiliary Bishop of Santa Fe, coadjutor bishop
Coadjutor bishop
A coadjutor bishop is a bishop in the Roman Catholic or Anglican churches who is designated to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese, almost as co-bishop of the diocese...
of El Paso. On November 29, 1942, Bishop Schuler retired and Metzger succeeded as bishop of El Paso. During the first few years of his term, with the help of the Catholic Church Extension Society
Catholic Church Extension Society
The Catholic Church Extension Society of the United States of America is a charitable organization affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church that seeks to support the Church's activities in under-resourced and isolated communities in the United States...
, Metzger traveled the United States making his appeal from the pulpit for funds to erect new apostolates
Lay apostolate
The lay apostolate is made up from laypeople and consecrated religious who exercise a ministry in cooperation with the Catholic Church. These organizations cooperate with ecclesiastical authorities. They operate "under direction of her pastors" but are not members of the official Church hierarchy...
needed by the diocese. His success was evident in the continuing establishment of Catholic ministries and institutions. Metzger built the current St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, two Catholic youth organization camps in the New Mexico mountains, Holy Cross Retreat near Las Cruces
Las Cruces, New Mexico
Las Cruces, also known as "The City of the Crosses", is the county seat of Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 97,618 in 2010 according to the 2010 Census, making it the second largest city in the state....
. On October 16, 1961 the eastern portion of the diocese was carved out to form part of the newly erected Diocese 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...
. In the early 1960s
1960s
The 1960s was the decade that started on January 1, 1960, and ended on December 31, 1969. It was the seventh decade of the 20th century.The 1960s term also refers to an era more often called The Sixties, denoting the complex of inter-related cultural and political trends across the globe...
, Bishop Metzger was called to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
to attend the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
. Metzger oversaw the implementation of the Council's decrees in the diocese. Metzger was also a strong advocate for social justice
Social justice
Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
issues such as the rights of the working people to collective bargaining
Collective bargaining
Collective bargaining is a process of negotiations between employers and the representatives of a unit of employees aimed at reaching agreements that regulate working conditions...
. In 1972 more than 3,000 employees of Farah Manufacturing Company in El Paso went on a strike lasting 20 months. Metzger gained national attention for his advocacy on behalf of the workers. At the time Metzger said, "I feel that the company is acting unjustly in denying to the workers the basic right to collective bargaining
Collective bargaining
Collective bargaining is a process of negotiations between employers and the representatives of a unit of employees aimed at reaching agreements that regulate working conditions...
." William Farah, the company's president, subsequently called Metzger a member of the "rotten old bourgeoisie
Bourgeoisie
In sociology and political science, bourgeoisie describes a range of groups across history. In the Western world, between the late 18th century and the present day, the bourgeoisie is a social class "characterized by their ownership of capital and their related culture." A member of the...
" and a man who is "lolling in wealth".
On Saint Patrick's Day
Saint Patrick's Day
Saint Patrick's Day is a religious holiday celebrated internationally on 17 March. It commemorates Saint Patrick , the most commonly recognised of the patron saints of :Ireland, and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland. It is observed by the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion , the Eastern...
, 1978, Metzger retired and on April 4, 1978 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:...
, Auxiliary Bishop of San Antonio, was appointed 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...
to succeed him. Flores was installed on May 29, 1978 and served just over a year before being appointed Archbishop of San Antonio.
On April 29, 1980, Raymundo Joseph Peña
Raymundo Joseph Peña
Raymundo Joseph Peña is an American Roman Catholic bishop.Born in Corpus Christi, Texas, he was the son of Cosme A. Peña and Elisa Ramon Peña. He attended St. John’s Seminary, and Assumption Seminary, both in San Antonio, Texas. He was ordained on 25 May 1957 at Corpus Christi Cathedral by 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 San Antonio, was appointed bishop of El Paso and was installed on June 18, 1980. Continuing in Bishop Metzger's footsteps, Peña continued work for issues of social justice in the diocese taking up the cause the undocumented immigrants
Illegal immigration to the United States
An illegal immigrant in the United States is an alien who has entered the United States without government permission or stayed beyond the termination date of a visa....
. Peña called for a middle ground in the blockade against the undocumented during the mid-1990s
1990s
File:1990s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope floats in space after it was taken up in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields and the USA Lexie in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War; The signing of the Oslo Accords on...
. He also established Tepeyac Institute to prepare members of the laity for many ministries within the diocese. On August 17, 1982 the portion of the diocese in southern New Mexico was carved out to form part of the newly formed Diocese of Las Cruces
Roman Catholic Diocese of Las Cruces
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Las Cruces is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the southwestern region of the United States, comprising the 10 southern counties in the state of New Mexico: Hidalgo, Grant, Luna, Sierra, Dona Ana, Otero, Lincoln, Chaves, Eddy, and...
; the Diocese of El Paso. which as a result was in Texas only, became part of the Province of San Antonio.
Present day
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles is an archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the U.S. state of California. Headquartered in Los Angeles, the archdiocese comprises the California counties of Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Ventura. The diocesan cathedral is the Cathedral of Our Lady of the...
Armando Xavier Ochoa
Armando Xavier Ochoa
Armando Xavier Ochoa, D.D. is the fifth and current Bishop of El Paso. Ochoa is an advocate of diocesan foster care programs and responsible water use.-Early life:...
as bishop of El Paso and he was installed on June 26, 1996. Ochoa has encouraged vocations to the priesthood and religious life, and the strengthening of diocesan ministries. In 1999 the diocese began a cooperative program with the Archdiocese of Atlanta
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the southeastern United States. It is composed of the northern counties of the state of Georgia and is led by a prelate archbishop, who is also pastor of the mother church, the...
for preparing seminarians from that area for ministry to the growing Hispanic population in the southern United States. In 2001 the diocese entered into a pact of solidarity with the dioceses of Choluteca
Roman Catholic Diocese of Choluteca
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Choluteca is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Tegucigalpa. It was elevated on 29 August 1979.-Ordinaries:*Marcel Gérin y Boulay, P.M.E....
, Tegucigalpa
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Tegucigalpa
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Tegucigalpa is a metropolitan see in Honduras. It was elevated as the Archdiocese of Tegucigalpa on 2 February 1916.-Ordinaries:*Alfonso de Talavera, O.S.H....
, and Brownsville, Texas, in response to the devastation caused in Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
in 1998 by Hurricane Mitch
Hurricane Mitch
Hurricane Mitch was the most powerful hurricane and the most destructive of the 1998 Atlantic hurricane season, with maximum sustained winds of 180 mph . The storm was the thirteenth tropical storm, ninth hurricane, and third major hurricane of the season. Along with Hurricane Georges, Mitch...
. In 2004, Ochoa established the Committee on a Five-Year Plan for Vocations and a Committee on the Life and Ministry of Priests. He initiated the annual Diocesan Congresses which enable the faithful to enrich their knowledge of the faith and commitment to ministry.
Bishops
| Portrait | Bishop | Term | Date of birth | Place of birth | Date of death | Place of death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
John J. Brown, S.J., Bishop-elect | Appointed January 22, 1915 Resigned before installation | ||||
| |
Anthony Joseph Schuler, S.J. | October 28, 1915 — November 29, 1942 | September 30, 1869 | St. Marys, Pennsylvania St. Marys, Pennsylvania St. Marys is a city in Elk County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 14,502 at the 2000 census. Originally a small, Bavarian Catholic town, St. Marys was founded December 8, 1842. It is home to Straub Brewery and the first Benedictine convent in the United States. In 1992, the... |
June 3, 1944 | El Paso, Texas El Paso, Texas El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States... |
| |
Sidney Matthew Metzger Sidney Matthew Metzger Sidney Matthew Metzger, STD, JCD was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Bishop of El Paso from 1942 to 1978.-Biography:... |
November 29, 1942 — March 17, 1978 | July 11, 1902 | Fredericksburg, Texas Fredericksburg, Texas Fredericksburg is the seat of Gillespie County, in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 Census estimate, the city had a population of 10, 530... |
April 12, 1986 | El Paso, Texas El Paso, Texas El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States... |
| |
Patrick Fernández Flores | May 29, 1978 — August 23, 1979 | July 26, 1929 | Ganado, Texas Ganado, Texas Ganado is a city in Jackson County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,915 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Ganado is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.... |
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Raymundo Joseph Peña Raymundo Joseph Peña Raymundo Joseph Peña is an American Roman Catholic bishop.Born in Corpus Christi, Texas, he was the son of Cosme A. Peña and Elisa Ramon Peña. He attended St. John’s Seminary, and Assumption Seminary, both in San Antonio, Texas. He was ordained on 25 May 1957 at Corpus Christi Cathedral by the... |
June 18, 1980 — May 23, 1994 | February 19, 1934 | Corpus Christi, Texas Corpus Christi, Texas Corpus Christi is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas. The county seat of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patricio counties. The MSA population in 2008 was 416,376. The population was 305,215 at the 2010 census making it the... |
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Armando Xavier Ochoa Armando Xavier Ochoa Armando Xavier Ochoa, D.D. is the fifth and current Bishop of El Paso. Ochoa is an advocate of diocesan foster care programs and responsible water use.-Early life:... |
June 26, 1996 — December 1, 2011 | April 3, 1943 | Oxnard, California Oxnard, California Oxnard is the 113th largest city in the United States, 19th largest city in California and largest city in Ventura County, California, by way of population. It is located at the western edge of the fertile Oxnard Plain, and is an important agricultural center, with its distinction as the... |
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High schools
- Cathedral High SchoolCathedral High School (El Paso, Texas)Cathedral High School is a private, Catholic high school for boys, in El Paso, Texas. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of El Paso which owns and administers the school. Its mission is to "Teach minds and touch hearts"-Background:...
, El Paso - Father Yermo High SchoolFather Yermo High SchoolFather Yermo High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in El Paso, Texas. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of El Paso.-Background:...
, El Paso - Loretto AcademyLoretto Academy (El Paso, Texas)Loretto Academy is a private Roman Catholic school in El Paso, Texas. It is a part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of El Paso alongside Cathedral High School and Father Yermo. Grades K-5 are coeducational, while grades 6-12 are all girls.-Background:...
, El Paso
See also
- Cathedral Parish of Saint Patrick in El Paso
- Urbici Soler y ManonellesUrbici Soler y ManonellesUrbici Soler was a Spanish-born American sculptor and art educator. He is remembered chiefly for Christ the King , a monumental statue of Jesus on the cross atop Mount Cristo Rey in the El Paso suburb of Sunland Park, New Mexico which he completed in 1939 and which is a site of Roman Catholic...
- Cristero WarCristero WarThe Cristero War of 1926 to 1929 was an uprising and counter-revolution against the Mexican government in power at that time. The rebellion was set off by the strict enforcement of the anti-clerical provisions of the Mexican Constitution of 1917 and the expansion of further anti-clerical laws...
External links
- Roman Catholic Diocese of El Paso Home Page
- Diocese of El Paso Catholic Schools
- Diocese of El Paso The Hierarchy of the Catholic Church website