About Us

Our History

The Texas Catholic Conference (TCC) is the statewide association of the Roman Catholic dioceses in Texas.   The Conference was established as the fifth State Catholic Conference in 1963 during the Second Vatican Council in Rome. The Conference relates to all of the programs and institutions operated under the jurisdiction of the Church of Texas. An annual General Assembly of the Conference brings together representatives of many of the apostolates and institutions of the Church of Texas.

"While gathered in Rome in 1963 during the Second Vatican Council those of the Bishops of the Roman Catholic Church having ordinary jurisdiction in the State of Texas, at the time referred to as the Ordinaries, who were then in attendance at the Council, by joint act initiated and established the Texas Catholic Conference." - Constitution of the Texas Catholic Conference

The Board of Directors of the TCC is made up of regular and consultative members. The regular members are the Diocesan Bishops of the Roman Catholic dioceses of Texas - the Bishops of Texas who are responsible for the administration of the dioceses. The consultative members are all the other Bishops residing in Texas as well as representatives of the laity, clergy, and religious.

Our Mission

The primary purpose of the Conference is to encourage and foster cooperation and communication among the dioceses and the ministries of the Catholic Church of Texas.

A major function of the Conference is to be the public policy arm of the Conference's Board of Directors, the bishops of Texas, before the Texas legislature, the Texas delegation in Congress, and state agencies. The public policy issues addressed by the Conference include institutional concerns of the Catholic Church as well as issues related to Catholic moral and social teachings.

Our Activities

In addition to its public policy function, the Texas Catholic Conference is involved in a wide range of other activities.

The Texas Catholic Conference Education Department, in cooperation with the diocesan schools office staffs, oversees the accreditation of the Catholic elementary and secondary schools of Texas. The Education Department is assisted by the Texas Catholic Conference Accreditation Commission and is a part of the state-approved Texas Private School Accreditation Commission.

The Catholic Archives of Texas, founded in 1923 and under the jurisdiction of the Conference since 1985, is the only Catholic state archival repository in the United States. The Archives' mission is to collect, preserve, and make available for research records of individuals and organizations who have been engaged in the ministries and works of the Catholic Church in Texas. Closely associated with the Catholic Archives of Texas is the Texas Catholic Historical Society, which publishes Catholic Southwest: A Journal of History & Culture.

Our Departments

The Conference relates directly to virtually all of the ministries of the Catholic Church in Texas. There are 6 departments of the Conference representing the usual departments in each (arch)diocese. They are: Episcopal, Religious Education, Superintendents of Schools, Charity and Justice, Life and Family Life, and Tribunal.

Our Educational Programs

The Texas Catholic Conference is responsible for annual and occasional convenings for specific purposes. Among them are:

• The TCC General Assembly, a convocation of the department heads of each of the (Arch)dioceses.
• The Annual TCC Scripture Seminar, a week-long educational experience conducted by nationally prominent theologians and scripture scholars.
• Workshops and convocations to implement programs of the American and Texas Bishops.