James Anthony Tamayo

James Anthony Tamayo (born October 23, 1949) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He has been serving as bishop of the Diocese of Laredo in Texas since 2000. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Galveston-Houston in Texas from 1993 to 2000.

His Excellency, The Most Reverend

James Anthony Tamayo
Bishop of Laredo
ChurchRoman Catholic
ArchdioceseSan Antonio
DioceseLaredo
AppointedJuly 3, 2000
InstalledAugust 9, 2000
PredecessorFirst Bishop
Orders
OrdinationJuly 11, 1976
ConsecrationMarch 10, 1993
by Joseph Fiorenza, René Henry Gracida, and Enrique San Pedro
Personal details
Born (1949-10-23) October 23, 1949
Brownsville, Texas
Previous post(s)Auxiliary Bishop of Galveston-Houston
Titular Bishop of Ita
MottoTODO CON AMOR
Styles of
James Anthony Tamayo
Reference style
Spoken styleYour Excellency
Religious styleBishop

Biography

Early life and priesthood

Bishop Tamayo is the son of Antonio P. Tamayo and Guadalupe B. Tamayo. He has a sister, Mrs. Mercy Barrera of Corpus Christi.[1] He holds a Master of Theology degree from the University of St. Thomas and attended St. Mary's Seminary in Houston. Tamayo was ordained a priest on July 11, 1976.

Auxiliary Bishop of Galveston-Houston

Pope John Paul II appointed Tamayo as an auxiliary bishop for the Diocese of Galveston-Houston on January 26, 1993. He was consecrated as bishop on March 10, 1993. He also became the titular bishop of Ita.

Bishop of Laredo

On July 3, 2000, Pope Paul II appointed Tamayo as bishop of the newly founded Diocese of Laredo. On August 9, 2000, he was installed as its first bishop.

On September 10, 2008, Tamayo called upon the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush to halt work-place raids in search of illegal immigrants.

"We have respect for our enforcement personnel, but these worksite raids are only pitting human beings against each other. We must abandon the raids."[2]

In March 2015, Tamayo was among eighty religious figures who signed a letter to President Barack H. Obama asking that the government halt the practice of detaining families who have come into the United States illegally. He visited a detention center in Dilley,Texas and expressed concern for the women being held there, some for a long time.[3]

Controversies

In March 2016, Tamayo halted the construction of a Catholic student center at Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) in Laredo. The Brothers of St. John, key sponsors of the $4 million-plus project, held a groundbreaking ceremony in November 2013. Tamayo did not attend the groundbreaking; nor did he offer an explanation for his opposition to the project, even to TAMIU President Ray Keck. Hundreds of thousands of preliminary funds have already been spent on the project, which has been on the drawing board for a decade.[4]

Glen S. Jackson of Alexandria questioned Tamayo's opposition to the student center, which he said has caused a "hostile atmosphere" in the Laredo diocese. No other college or university has faced such a denial. Jackson claims that 99 percent of the clergy in the Laredo diocese favors the project.[5]Meanwhile, Father Robert L. Kincl, a former judicial vicar for the diocese, announced that he would mail thirty letters opposing Tamayo's position to The Vatican.[6]

In 2002, a priest from New York City was arrested in Laredo on rape charges out of New York. The district attorney of Kings County in New York said that the Diocese of Laredo was "less than satisfactory" in cooperating with law enforcement. Tamayo did not explain the circumstances under which the priest had left the Diocese of Laredo.[7]

See also

References
  1. "Antonio P. Tamayo". Laredo Morning Times. Retrieved March 7, 2016.
  2. Hernan Rozemberg of the San Antonio Express-News, "End raids, bishops plea", Laredo Morning Times, September 11, 2008, pp. 1, 9A
  3. "Faith leaders support immigrants", Laredo Morning Times, March 28, 2015, pp. 1, 13A
  4. Philip Balli; Judith Rayo; Gabriel A. Trevino (March 20, 2016). "Bishop Tamayo halts construction of Catholic Student Center". Laredo Morning Times. Retrieved March 21, 2016.
  5. Glen S. Jackson (Letter to the Editor). "Bishop Tamayo rejecting the construction for the ministry center baffles all who have donated". Laredo Morning Times. Retrieved March 29, 2016. {{cite news}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  6. "Letters urging pope to allow construction of Catholic Student Center to be delivered to Vatican". Laredo Morning Times. April 1, 2016. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
  7. "Letters delivered to Vatican question bishop's actions". Laredo Morning Times. Retrieved May 16, 2016.

Episcopal succession
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