Cardinal DiNardo welcomes successor
January 28, 2025
Daniel Cardinal DiNardo speaks during a press conference about the announcement of Bishop Joe S. Vásquez of Austin as the new Archbishop of Galveston-Houston on Jan. 20 at the downtown chancery in Houston. (Photo by Jonah Dycus/Herald)
HOUSTON — Following the announcement of Bishop Joe S. Vásquez of Austin as the new Archbishop of Galveston-Houston on Jan. 20, Daniel Cardinal DiNardo lauded his successor.
“Archbishop-Designate Vásquez is a faithful, articulate and bi-cultural bishop who has wisely led the Diocese of Austin for the last 15 years,” Cardinal DiNardo said. “Further, we are joyful in welcoming him back to the local Church where he was ordained a bishop and served diligently for many years as auxiliary bishop. I and the many priests, deacons, women and men religious, and lay faithful who make up this incredibly diverse local Church assure Archbishop-Designate Vásquez of our love, our prayers and support as he begins his new ministry among us,” he said.
After leading Galveston-Houston since 2004, Cardinal DiNardo’s resignation was accepted by Pope Francis.
An Ohio native who was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, then-Archbishop DiNardo succeeded Archbishop Joseph A. Fiorenza as Galveston-Houston’s shepherd on Feb. 28, 2006. Two years earlier, he had been named coadjutor bishop (later coadjutor archbishop) of Galveston-Houston in January 2004.
On Dec. 29, 2004, St. John Paul II elevated the Diocese of Galveston-Houston to the status of a metropolitan Archdiocese, creating a second Archdiocese in Texas. Archbishop Fiorenza was named the first archbishop of Galveston-Houston, and then-Bishop DiNardo became the coadjutor archbishop.
Before his Texas appointment, Cardinal DiNardo was the bishop of Sioux City, Iowa. He was appointed coadjutor bishop of Sioux City and ordained there as a bishop in October 1997. As his episcopal motto, he adopted: “Ave Crux Spes Unica,” meaning “Hail the Cross, Our Only Hope.” He succeeded retiring Bishop Lawrence D. Soens as head of the diocese in November 1998.
The Galveston-Houston Archdiocese covers over 8,880 square miles and has over 2 million Catholics out of a total population of 7.1 million.
OSV News contributed to this report.