Bishops’ statement
Texas bishops appeal to district attorney, state board and governor to spare the life of death row inmate Melissa Lucio
Bishops seek a withdrawal of execution date, stay of execution and clemency AUSTIN — The 21 Catholic bishops in active ministry in Texas have written Cameron County District Attorney Luis Saenz, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles, and Gov. Greg Abbott to spare the life of Melissa Lucio, a mother of 14 and a…
Read MoreTexas bishops offer solidarity to Ukraine
AUSTIN — The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops issued the following statement regarding the war on Ukraine: “We reaffirm the words of Pope Francis, who has been unceasing in his appeal to stop the war on Ukraine. It is a ‘senseless massacre where every day there is a repetition of slaughter and atrocities. There is…
Read MoreTexas bishops pray for those affected by wildfires
AUSTIN — The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops expressed gratitude for all who are responding to wildfires in the state, and prayers for those affected by the disaster. As of March 20, more than 62,000 acres in the state are ablaze, from Spring to just west of the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex. The largest fire,…
Read MoreTCCB Statement on George Floyd
The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops offers our prayers for George Floyd, his family and friends, and all those affected by his killing and the events that followed in Minnesota. As the US Bishops stated in their recent pastoral letter, “Open Wide Our Hearts,” the injustice and harm racism causes are an attack on the…
Read MoreStatement on Scarce Healthcare Resources
At this time of a highly contagious pandemic, our healthcare providers are performing heroic actions daily in serving our communities. We commend and are grateful for their efforts and ask the Holy Spirit to guide their decisions and provide them and their patients with wisdom, fortitude, and prudence. We also commend and are grateful for…
Read MoreAn Annunciation Message of Hope
Espanol On Wednesday, 25 March, the feast of the Annunciation, the bishops of Texas join Pope Francis, who has invited “the Heads of the Churches and the leaders of every Christian community, together with all Christians of the various confessions, to invoke the Almighty, the omnipotent God, to recite at the same time the prayer that Jesus,…
Read MoreUn mensaje de esperanza en la Anunciación
English En esta fiesta de la Anunciación del Señor, los obispos católicos de Texas ofrecemos palabras de fe viva y esperanza a nuestra gente en este tiempo extraordinario de ansiedad y enfermedad. Al enfrentar tantas incógnitas, podemos estar seguros de la fidelidad de Dios. La Anunciación del Señor es una fiesta de esperanza en la…
Read MoreTexas Catholic Bishops respond to Governor Greg Abbott’s decision to turn away refugees
Governor Greg Abbott’s decision to turn away refugees from the great state of Texas is deeply discouraging and disheartening. While the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops respects the governor, this decision is simply misguided. It denies people who are fleeing persecution, including religious persecution, from being able to bring their gifts and talents to our…
Read MoreTexas Bishops applaud Supreme Court’s stay of execution
The Catholic bishops of Texas applaud the decision of the US Supreme Court to stay the execution of Patrick Henry Murphy since he did not have access to a spiritual director of his faith. Our country was founded on the rights of each individual to exercise his faith, regardless of whether in prison or in…
Read MoreTexas Catholic dioceses announce plan to release names of clergy credibly accused of sexual abuse of minors
Lists of clergy will include years 1950 to 2018 AUSTIN – The 15 Catholic dioceses in Texas and the Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter made the decision on Sept. 30 to release names of clergy who have been credibly accused of sexually abusing a minor, going back at least to 1950. The statement…
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