Austin Catholics welcome new bishop

AUSTIN (KXAN) - In an ancient and elaborate ceremony Monday afternoon at St. William Catholic Church in Round Rock, more than 2,000 invited guests witnessed the Mass of Installation for Bishop Joe S. Vasquez. He is the fifth bishop and first Mexican-American to lead the Diocese of Austin, which was established in 1947. Vasquez succeeds Archbishop Gregory Aymond who was named archbishop of New Orleans in June 2009.

Pope Benedict XVI's appointment of Bishop Vasquez to Austin was made public on Jan. 26. Since 2001, Vasquez, 52, was auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.

In a prepared statement released Monday, Bishop Vasquez said, "I am deeply grateful to the priests, deacons, religious men and women and faithful of the Diocese of Austin for their abundant prayers, congratulations and heartfelt welcome. I have been inspired by your deep abiding faith in Jesus Christ."

Catholic hierarchy attending the Mass of Installation include Cardinal Daniel DiNardo and Archbishop Joseph A. Fiorenza of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, Most Reverend Pietro Sambi, Papal Nuncio to the United States of America, Bishop John McCarthy, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Austin and Archbishop Aymond.

As part of the installation ceremony, Cardinal DiNardo stated to Bishop Vasquez, "You are called by the Holy Spirit to serve almighty God and the people of the Diocese of Austin in faith and love as their Shepherd.” Vasquez was then escorted to the cathedra, the chair from which the bishop exercises his chief role as teacher of the diocese. Cardinal DiNardo presented the bishop with the crosier, which symbolizes the bishop as chief shepherd."

Reserved seats for the Mass were in high demand. Diocesan officials lamented the lack of seating and encouraged those who could not be at St. Williams Church to watch the ceremony on television or online.

Bishop Vasquez will lead an estimated 458,000 Catholics who reside in the diocese, which incorporates 19,511 square miles and includes the cities of Austin, Waco and College Station.

Joe S. Vasquez was born in Stamford, north of Abilene on June 9, 1957. He attended public schools in Abilene. He was ordained a priest in the Diocese of San Angelo in 1984. He was a parish priest in Fort Stockton and San Angelo before moving to Houston to serve as auxiliary bishop.

On Monday, Bishop Vasquez thanked his deceased mother, his father, brothers and sisters and extended family for their love and support.

"May God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, give me the grace to serve as Bishop of Austin with a spirit of fidelity, humility and gratitude," Vasquez said.

The doors at St. William Parish in Round Rock opened at 2 p.m. The service started at 2:30 p.m. A procession began at 2:50 p.m. and the entire mass will last two hours.