Bishop Kevin Farrell

The Chief Shepherd of the Catholic Diocese of Dallas

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Just what is an an Auxiliary Bishop

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As we prepare for the Episcopal ordination next week of Bishop-elects J. Douglas Deshotel and Mark Seitz as auxiliary bishops I have been asked “what is the distinction between an auxiliary bishop and a diocesan bishop?” The simple answer is jurisdiction.

A diocesan bishop in “in charge” of a diocese, he has the triple responsibility of being pastor, teacher and sanctifier for all those who reside in the territory of the diocese as defined by the Church. An auxiliary bishop assists the diocesan bishop and has only the jurisdiction given to him by the diocesan bishop.

Of course all bishops are fully bishops, the term auxiliary describes his role or responsibilities. There are only three clerical ranks in the Church, deacon, priest and bishop. Other titles designate responsibilities or honors. For instance the Holy Father is first of all the Bishop of Rome and, as such, is the Pope. Archbishops are bishops of important dioceses that have been designated as archdioceses. Co-adjutor bishops are bishops who are assigned to assist and succeed diocesan bishops. Auxiliary bishops, unlike co-adjutor bishops, do not automatically succeed the diocesan bishops. Cardinals are bishops who have been appointed as papal electors. They may be a diocesan bishop or be assigned to an office at the Vatican. Monsignors are priests, usually senior clergy, who have been honored for their ministry.

Every bishop must be assigned a diocese. If he is not a diocesan bishop, then he is given the title of an ancient diocese that has been suppressed. He is than called the titular bishop of that diocese. Bishop-elect Deshotel will be the Titular Bishop of Cova and Bishop-elect Seitz will be Titular Bishop of Cozyla. Cova is a suppressed see in North Africa and Cozyla is a suppressed See in Bulgaria.

Both new bishops will be Vicars General. That is they will exercise authority over particular areas of administration delegated to them by the diocesan bishop. Both will be close associates and consultors to the diocesan bishop, and in his absence, have jurisdiction over the diocese.

I look forward to a close and fraternal relationship with both new bishops and am very grateful to the Holy Father for providing our diocese with two such fine priests as auxiliary bishops.

The Challenge of a Changing Church

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The Holy Father’s appointment of two new auxiliary bishops for the Diocese of Dallas is an indication of the unprecedented growth of the Catholic Church in Texas and the Southwest. In the last two decades the number of Catholics in the nine counties that comprise the Diocese has increased by more than one million.

In the State of Texas the Catholic population has nearly doubled since 1990, from 3,522,096 to 6,718,136. In just the past ten years the Church in Texas has been divided into two provinces, with the mother diocese of Galveston-Houston being raised to an Archdiocese and further honored by the appointment of Archbishop Daniel DiNardo as the first Cardinal in the Southwest.

Today’s announcement brings to five the number of new Episcopal appointments made in Texas in the past year. In addition to our new auxiliary bishops, new ordinaries have been named for Austin, Corpus Christi and Brownsville. The face of the Church in Texas is changing.

This growth is due not only to immigration from both the North and the South, but to the large number of converts to the Faith. More than 3,000 new Catholics will be received into the Church in the Diocese this Easter.

Of course such a dramatic increase demands a parallel increase in priests, deacons, religious men and women, lay ministers and parishes. We are rising to the challenge. We have the largest number of seminarians in our two diocesan seminaries that we have had in a number of years. Thanks to the School of Ministry at the University of Dallas, an increasing number of professional lay ministers are being formed, and thousands of parishioners volunteer to assist in the many ministries and programs in our parishes.

But we cannot rest. With God’s help, we must work diligently to create a new Catholic Culture sharing a common vision, committed to the Gospel and dedicated to witnessing to the Church as the continuing saving presence of Jesus in the world today.

Holy Father names two auxiliary bishops for Diocese of Dallas

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It is with great joy that I inform you that our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI has graciously decided to appoint two auxiliary bishops to assist me in ministering to the Catholic faithful in the Diocese of Dallas. I know you will be pleased to learn that our Holy Father has named Father Doug Deshotel and Monsignor Mark Seitz as Auxiliary Bishops for the Diocese of Dallas. The Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Pietro Sambi, made the announcement this morning in Washington, D.C.

Father Deshotel and Monsignor Seitz are long-time priests of the Diocese of Dallas. Father Deshotel was ordained a priest for this diocese in 1978. Monsignor Seitz was also ordained for this diocese in 1980. They have both served in numerous parishes throughout the diocese and on consultative boards and committees. I am confident that their collective 62 years of experience as priests and pastors will be of great help to me in our ministry to the 1.2 million Catholics in the Diocese of Dallas.

These appointments are very significant in that they demonstrate that our Holy Father continues to be keenly aware of the tremendous growth of the Catholic Church in Texas.Just three years ago, Pope Benedict made history in the American Church when he appointed the first cardinal to serve south of the Mason-Dixon Line. Today, these appointments are evidence that he also appreciates the incredible growth in the Diocese of Dallas over the last 30 years.

I know you will join me in congratulating Bishop-elect Doug Deshotel and Bishop -Elect Mark Seitz, and that you will also join me in praying that God will bless them with courage, wisdom and joy!

The bishops-elect will be ordained as bishops on Tuesday, April 27, 2010 at the Cathedral Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe in dowtown Dallas.