History of the Diocese

In 1874, the Holy See established the Vicariate Apostolic of Brownsville, simultaneous to the creation of the Diocese of San Antonio. The two bishops appointed to the newly created jurisdictions were Bishops Manucy and Pellicer, cousins, both natives of Florida, of mixed Spanish descent.

Bishop Dominic Manucy, for reasons disputed by area Church historians, chose, after some years to reside in Corpus Christi rather than Brownsville. The Right Reverend Claude Jaillet was appointed administrator "ex officio sed non in titulo" when Bishop Manucy was appointed Bishop of Mobile with Bishop John C. Neraz of San Antonio being appointed administrator "in titulo." In 1890, Father Pedro Verdaguer, a native of Spain, was named to succeed Manucy as Vicar Apostolic of Brownsville.

Bishop Verdaguer chose to reside in Laredo because of its Hispanic and Catholic culture. During his episcopacy, the parish of the Immaculate Heart of Mary was erected in Encinal (1893), as well as the parish of St. Peter's to minister to the needs of the English-speaking Catholics in Laredo (1897). Bishop Verdaguer died in 1911 while on a Confirmation tour near Mercedes, Texas. His mausoleum is in the Laredo Catholic Cemetery. Mrs. Bruna Puig Sutton, whose parents' home was across the street from Bishop Verdaguer's residence behind San Agustin Church (1760), recalled the elderly bishop telling her parents that if the people of Laredo did not begin to be more generous in their support of the Church, the next bishop would surely move his residence to Corpus Christi. The Diocese of Corpus Christ was established in 1912 with the Most Reverend Paul Nussbaum as its First Bishop. Corpus Christi was established as the See City, as it was fast outgrowing both Brownsville and Laredo.

In 1920, Bishop Emmanuel B. Ledvina succeeded Bishop Nussbaum. During his long term of office, Laredo saw the erection of Our Lady of Guadalupe and Holy Redeemer parishes. Bishop Ledvina's episcopate also witnessed the Calles' persecution of the Church in Mexico. The people of Laredo generously offered their homes as refuge for many clergy and religious who were expelled, exiled or fled the country. At one time there were 14 bishops and archbishops living in Laredo. In 1926, the Franciscans came to Hebbronville and established the parish of Our Lady of Guadalupe and a seminary, Scotus College, which operated unti1 1952.

Bishop Mariano Simon Garriga, a native of Port Isabel, was named Coadjutor Bishop of Corpus Christi with right of succession in 1936, and was placed in residence at St. Peter's parish in Laredo. He lived in Laredo until 1948, when Bishop Emmanuel B. Ledvina, second bishop of Corpus Christi was retired as Ordinary. He was well-loved by the citizenry and was even named Mr. South Texas, after his departure in 1954.

During the administration of Bishop Thomas J. Drury, fourth Bishop of Corpus Christi, the parishes of St. Vincent de Paul, St. Patrick, San Martin de Porres and St. John Neumann were erected, bringing the total number of parishes in the city of Laredo to thirteen (13).

Bishop Rene H. Gracida, Fifth Bishop of Corpus Christi, created the parishes of Holy Family and St. Jude in 1984. Soon after his appointment to the See of Corpus Christi, Bishop Gracida procured the present Laredo Pastoral Center (1985). The various departments of the diocese began to establish offices in Laredo, housed in the Pastoral Center.

On January 25, 1990, Bishop Gracida issued a decree of erection of the Western Vicariate of the Diocese of Corpus Christi. The decree states that the vicariate was created to promote the pastoral good unity of all the people of God in this area, "especially in view of the possible erection of a new diocese in that region in the not too distant future." The Western Vicariate encompassed the counties of Webb, Zapata, Jim Hogg and the southern portion of La Salle.

The Reverend Monsignor James A. Tamayo was appointed the first Episcopal Vicar, serving in this capacity from January 25, 1990, until March 1993, when he was appointed as auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Galveston-Houston. During

Monsignor Tamayo's tenure, the vicariate began to gain a corporate identity as an entity within a larger body. A relationship was promoted between the vicariate and the new Diocese of Nuevo Laredo. Regular coordinators' meetings were held during Monsignor Tamayo's term of office. The Pro-Life movement began to increase activities in the Laredo area. Greater emphasis was placed upon the outreach to the rapidly growing colonias in South Laredo. The independent mission of Santa Margarita was created at this time.

Further, Monsignor Tamayo coordinated efforts with Bishop Edmond Carmody, then Auxiliary Bishop of San Antonio, appointed by Archbishop Patricio Flores to oversee the counties in the Archdiocese which would possibly be joined to the proposed new Diocese of Laredo. Bishop Gracida envisioned a “border" diocese that would possess a somewhat homogeneous population addressing similar concerns.

For reasons that are not ascertainable, the process for the creation of the new diocese halted. Late in 1994, Bishop Gracida was given word that the process was underway again.

Upon Monsignor Tamayo's Episcopal Ordination, the Reverend Monsignor Lucian Brasley became the Acting Episcopal Vicar. He was invited out of retirement from the active ministry, and also became acting pastor of Blessed Sacrament Parish in Laredo. Under his tenure, a new effort was launched on behalf of the colonias of South Laredo, seeking to offer pastoral and medical care, and utilities and services where they were not previously available. In Apri1 1995, a mobile medical clinic began regular visits to those colonias offering medical care at first, to women and children, and later to men.

Also, under Monsignor Brasley's vicarship, the priests began to gather every two months on the vicariate/deanery level that fostered more collaboration and communication than had previously existed. There were also seasonal celebrations and welcome lunches for new priests in the area that served to increase the bonds of fraternity among the presbyterate. The Human Life Office of the Western Vicariate was also inaugurated under Monsignor Brasley's term of office. He suggested that the bishop celebrate a Chrism Mass in Laredo, which seemed to have been very well received by the people of Laredo. In November 1994, Monsignor Brasley fully retired because of health concerns.

In 1997, Bishop Roberto 0. Gonzalez succeeded Bishop Gracida as the Sixth Bishop of the Diocese of Corpus Christi and began frequent trips to the parishes of the city and once again initiated efforts to have Laredo established as a Diocese in its own right. Several mission churches in the colonias were built and others are still under construction. Mercy Hospital was completed and continued its outreach to the community and beyond. Father Domingo De Llano was named Vicar of the Western Vicariate, while continuing his work as pastor of San Martin Parish, but after having to take medical retirement cause of health reasons, was succeeded in that position by Msgr. Thomas Davis. Msgr. James Harris, the pastor of San Agustin, was named as the Dean of the Laredo Deanery. To give a further presence of clergy and laity in the administration of the Diocese of Corpus Christi, Bishop Gonzalez appointed Msgr. Alejandro Salazar as Chancellor of the Diocese and named laymen and women to the Diocesan Finance Council and other diocesan governing boards.

On March 17, 2000, Bishop Edmond Carmody was installed as the Seventh Bishop of the Diocese of Corpus Christi and immediately turned his attention to the Laredo area for confirmations and continuing the ongoing process on behalf of erection of the Diocese of Laredo.

On August 9, 2000, the Canonical Erection of the Diocese of Laredo took place, and Bishop James A. Tamayo was installed as Bishop. Laredo is the fifteenth diocese in the state of Texas.