Diocese of Corpus Christi, USA 🇺🇸

Continent: North America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Corpus Christi / Corporis Christi (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Galveston–Houston

Neighbouring Dioceses: Laredo (←), San Antonio (↖), Victoria (↗), Brownsville (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Websites:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Our Lady of Guadalupe (December 12), Saint Patrick (March 17)

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: July 17

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1912.03.23: Established as Diocese of Corpus Christi / Corporis Christi (Latin) (from the suppressed Apostolic Vicariate of Brownsville and became suffragan of New Orleans)
1926.08.03: Became suffragan of San Antonio
1965.07.10: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Brownsville
1982.04.13: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Victoria
2000.07.03: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Laredo
2004.12.29: Became suffragan of Galveston–Houston

Contact Info

Address: Chancery Office, 620 Lipan St., P.O. Box 2620, Corpus Christi, TX 78403-2620, USA

Phone: +1 (361) 882-6191

Present Prelates

Bishop (2025.12.01 – ...):

Bishop Mario Alberto Avilés Campos, C.O. (56)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Corpus Christi (Roman Rite)

Bishop Mario Alberto Avilés Campos, C.O. (56)
(2025.12.01 – ...)

Bishop of Corpus Christi (USA)

Caritas Dei diffusa est in cordibus nostris

Born:	1969.09.16 (Ciudad de México, Mexico)
Ordained Priest:	1998.07.21
Consecrated Bishop:	2018.02.22

Procurator General of Confederation of Oratories of Saint Philip Neri (Oratorians) (2012.09.10 – 2017.12.04)

Titular Bishop of Cataquas (2017.12.04 – 2025.12.01)

Auxiliary Bishop of Brownsville (USA) (2017.12.04 – 2025.12.01)

Bishop of Corpus Christi (USA) (2025.12.01 – ...)

Bishop William Michael Mulvey (76)
(2010.01.18 – 2025.12.01)

Bishop emeritus of Corpus Christi (USA)

Sententia in Christo vobis

Born:	1949.08.23 (Houston, TX, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1975.07.29
Consecrated Bishop:	2010.03.25

Priest of Austin (USA) (1975.07.29 – 2010.01.18)

Chaplain of His Holiness (2006.01.21 – 2010.01.18)

Bishop of Corpus Christi (USA) (2010.01.18 – 2025.12.01)

Bishop Edmond Carmody (92)
(2000.02.03 – 2010.01.18)

Bishop emeritus of Corpus Christi (USA)

With Christ all is possible

Born:	1934.01.12 (Ahalane, Ireland)
Ordained Priest:	1957.06.08
Consecrated Bishop:	1988.12.15

Priest of San Antonio (USA) (1957.06.08 – 1988.11.08)

Titular Bishop of Mortlach (1988.11.08 – 1992.03.24)

Auxiliary Bishop of San Antonio (USA) (1988.11.08 – 1992.03.24)

Bishop of Tyler (USA) (1992.03.24 – 2000.02.03)

Bishop of Corpus Christi (USA) (2000.02.03 – 2010.01.18)

Bishop Roberto Octavio González Nieves, O.F.M. (75) (later Archbishop)
(1997.04.01 – 1999.03.26)

Metropolitan Archbishop of San Juan de Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico)

Vita per Jesum

Born:	1950.06.02 (Elizabeth, NJ, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1977.05.08
Consecrated Bishop:	1988.10.03

Titular Bishop of Ursona (1988.07.19 – 1995.05.16)

Auxiliary Bishop of Boston (USA) (1988.07.19 – 1995.05.16)

Coadjutor Bishop of Corpus Christi (USA) (1995.05.16 – 1997.04.01)

Bishop of Corpus Christi (USA) (1997.04.01 – 1999.03.26)

Metropolitan Archbishop of San Juan de Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico) (1999.03.26 – ...)

President of Episcopal Conference of Puerto Rico (2000 – 2007.12)

President of Episcopal Conference of Puerto Rico (2012.12 – 2018.11.29)

Bishop René Henry Gracida (102)
(1983.05.19 – 1997.04.01)

Bishop emeritus of Corpus Christi (USA)

Abyssus abyssum invocat

Born:	1923.06.09 (New Orleans, LA, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1959.05.23
Consecrated Bishop:	1972.01.25

Priest of American-Cassinese Benedictine Congregation (1959.05.23 – 1961)

Priest of Miami (USA) (1961 – 1971.12.06)

Titular Bishop of Masuccaba (1971.12.06 – 1975.10.01)

Auxiliary Bishop of Miami (USA) (1971.12.06 – 1975.10.01)

Bishop of Pensacola–Tallahassee (USA) (1975.10.01 – 1983.05.19)

Bishop of Corpus Christi (USA) (1983.05.19 – 1997.04.01)

Bishop Thomas Joseph Drury
(1965.07.19 – 1983.05.19)

Deo servire regnare

Born:	1908.01.04 (Ballynote, Ireland)
Ordained Priest:	1935.06.02
Consecrated Bishop:	1962.01.24
Died:	1992.07.22 (Neptune, NJ, USA † 84)

Bishop of San Angelo (USA) (1961.10.30 – 1965.07.19)

Bishop of Corpus Christi (USA) (1965.07.19 – 1983.05.19)

Bishop Mariano Simon Garriga
(1949.03.15 – 1965.02.21)

Sub tutela matris

Born:	1886.05.30 (Port Isabel, TX, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1911.07.02
Consecrated Bishop:	1936.09.21
Died:	1965.02.21 (Corpus Christi, TX, USA † 78)

Titular Bishop of Syene (1936.06.20 – 1949.03.15)

Coadjutor Bishop of Corpus Christi (USA) (1936.06.20 – 1949.03.15)

Bishop of Corpus Christi (USA) (1949.03.15 – 1965.02.21)

Bishop Emmanuel Boleslaus Ledvina
(1921.04.30 – 1949.03.15)

In Domino confido

Born:	1868.10.28 (Evansville, IN, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1893.03.18
Consecrated Bishop:	1921.06.14
Died:	1952.12.15 (Corpus Christi, TX, USA † 84)

Bishop of Corpus Christi (USA) (1921.04.30 – 1949.03.15)

Titular Bishop of Pitanæ (1949.03.15 – 1952.12.15)

Bishop Paul Joseph Nussbaum, C.P.
(1913.04.04 – 1920.03.26)

Born:	1870.09.07 (Philadelphia, PA, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1894.05.20
Consecrated Bishop:	1913.05.20
Died:	1935.06.24 (Marquette, MI, USA † 64)

Bishop of Corpus Christi (USA) (1913.04.04 – 1920.03.26)

Titular Bishop of Gerasa (1920.03.26 – 1922.11.14)

Bishop of Sault Sainte Marie–Marquette (USA) (1922.11.14 – 1935.06.24)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Roberto Octavio González Nieves, O.F.M. (75) (later Archbishop) (1995.05.16 – 1997.04.01)
Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Mariano Simon Garriga (1936.06.20 – 1949.03.15)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Adolph Marx (1956.07.06 – 1965.07.09)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Corpus Christi Cathedral, Corpus Christi, Texas
Pro-Cathedral: Church of the Most Precious Blood, Corpus Christi, Texas
Jubilee Churches in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (2016)
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

Churches by City (105)

Laredo (←), San Antonio (↖), Victoria (↗), Brownsville (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 29,277 km²

Population: 356,500 Catholics (60.9% of 585,266 total)

Pastoral Centres: 69 parishes, 28 missions

Personnel: 120 priests (90 diocesan, 30 religious), 100 deacons, 149 religious (36 brothers, 113 sisters), 9 seminarians