As he is installed the ninth shepherd of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston on March 25, Archbishop Joe S. Vásquez is one of many bishops across the country who have an amazingly rich backstory with Catholic Extension Society.
What is unique in the case of Archbishop Vásquez is that we journeyed with him as a child, seminarian and young pastor. He hails from West Texas communities that have long been supported by Catholic Extension Society.
We recently got in touch with those communities, and we can say unequivocally that his installation Mass at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Houston is a celebratory moment not only for his new flock but also for those who nurtured his vocation and the faithful who once knew him as a pastor in rural Texas.
Priesthood dreams
Joe S. Vásquez grew up with his five younger siblings in a working-class household in Stamford, Texas. His father—a Korean War veteran—and mother supported the family working as a mechanic and seamstress, respectively. His grandparents were seasonal farmworkers from Mexico. Their back-breaking labor instilled in Vásquez the meaning of hard work early on—a key ingredient to his priesthood later in life.
The family attended St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Abilene, Texas. He was active in the youth group. Catholic Extension Society helped build this church, located in the Diocese of San Angelo in West Texas, in 1920.
It is among 13,500 church facilities that we have helped build or repair across America in 120 years. And like any church we help build, we never know the great people who will emerge from these humble places. In the case of St. Francis, it turns out that this small parish would nurture a future leader of one of the largest and growing Archdioceses in the country.
As a child, Vásquez saw how the joyful, young parish priest energized his entire community.
“He began to get people involved [when he arrived at the parish]. He got parents and couples involved. My own family got involved. My mother and father became involved in different ministries in the church, and the church came alive,” Vásquez recalled about his childhood pastor, Msgr. Bernard Gully, during an interview with the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB).
Young Vásquez began wondering:
If he has that joy, where does he get this joy? I want that joy.”
That spark grew into a calling as a teenager. Praying quietly inside a church before the Blessed Sacrament while on a retreat, he heard God’s voice telling him to become a priest. He said “yes.”
He entered St. Mary’s Seminary in Houston, where Catholic Extension Society supported his education. He spent his summers as a seminarian back in Abilene getting his hands dirty picking cotton with his father and brothers. Toiling away in the fields kept him close to the land, his family and his people. He witnessed firsthand their humble livelihoods, the dignity of their work, and their unwavering determination.
He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of San Angelo in 1984.
A beloved pastor of the people
For the next 17 years, Vásquez pastored three different parishes—coincidentally, all named St. Joseph. They share another similarity as well. They were each supported by Catholic Extension Society.
He pastored the Odessa community from 1985 to 1987,
Fort Stockton from 1987 to 1997,
and San Angelo from 1997 to 2002.
Texas has increased considerably in population and ethnic diversity over the years. These changing demographics were mirrored in the vibrant parishes he led, where he consistently worked to build unity among the growing congregations.
Parishioners from those early days still remember him fondly.
Deacon John Rangel from St. Joseph Parish in San Angelo admired his “contagious charismatic presence,” but more importantly how he motivated others.
“Father Joe encouraged others to become involved and take part in the ministry that fit their individual talents and capabilities,” Deacon John said. “He did this by personally inviting each person, by name.”
He continued,
Each person was a valued member of the parish.”
He added that Vásquez also fostered inclusivity, especially among parish youth.
“The youth group, while active and viable, became more so under his guidance. The youth groups had representatives on the Parish Council. Although they could not vote, they were able to voice their opinions, needs and concerns about the parish.”
Mike Wyse was the director of religious education during Vásquez’s tenure at St. Joseph in San Angelo. He now serves as the Diocese of San Angelo’s chancellor.
“Prior to his arrival, our bishop, Bishop Michael Pfeifer, told us that he thought Father Joe would be everything we could hope for in a pastor. That was quite an understatement. Father Joe was all that and more,” Wyse said.
The day that Vásquez was appointed as Galveston-Houston’s auxiliary bishop, a position he held from 2002 to 2010, Wyse remembered thinking how “the Holy Father could not have picked a better man.”
In 2010 he was appointed the fifth Bishop of Austin, a position he held for 15 years. He served in various roles, including ones that resonated with his humble roots, such as the USCCB’s Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development and the Subcommittee on Hispanic Affairs.
Shepherd of today
Archbishop Vásquez carries vital skills in his pastoral toolkit that makes him a good fit for Galveston-Houston. It is the 11th largest diocese in the country with a growing population of Catholics, who currently number 1.7 million.
His experience will also benefit all Catholics in Texas. The state is an epicenter of growth for the American Church.
Catholic Extension Society’s ongoing support in Texas is vital. We have supported all 15 dioceses in the state in our 120-year history. Our work in the Lone Star State today supports 2.8 million Catholics across eight dioceses, highlighted in red below. (The dots represent all churches we have built and repaired over the years.)
This includes millions of young people, who could one day become faith-filled parents, lay leaders, sisters, priests—or even bishops.
His education as a young seminarian and early years as a pastor of an Extension-built church will influence his service as an archbishop. He says he plans on focusing on the strength of the family, young adults, and vocations, which makes sense because that is precisely the pastoral formula that seemingly proved so effective in his own West Texas upbringing.
We rejoice with Archbishop Vásquez in this exciting chapter! We congratulate him as he becomes the next shepherd of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston on March 25. The same joy that captivated him at a small parish as a boy keeps him grounded today as he prepares to lead a major metropolitan archdiocese. We are proud to have walked with him and the people of Texas!
