Mark J. Seitz

The Most Reverend
Mark J. Seitz
Bishop of El Paso
Seitz as auxiliary bishop of Dallas
Church Catholic Church
Archdiocese San Antonio
Diocese El Paso
Appointed May 6, 2013
Installed July 9, 2013
Predecessor Armando Xavier Ochoa
Orders
Ordination May 17, 1980
by Thomas Tschoepe
Consecration April 27, 2010
by Kevin Joseph Farrell, Charles Victor Grahmann, Michael Duca
Personal details
Born (1954-01-10) January 10, 1954
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Previous post Auxiliary Bishop of Dallas
Motto Latin: Paratum Cor Meum
Styles of
Mark Joseph Seitz
Reference style His Excellency
Spoken style Your Excellency
Religious style Bishop

Mark Joseph Seitz (born January 10, 1954) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He has been the bishop of the El Paso since July 9, 2013. He was Auxiliary Bishop of Dallas from 2010 to 2013.

Early life and education

Mark Seitz was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on January 10, 1954, the eldest of ten siblings.[1] In 1972, he entered Holy Trinity Seminary at the University of Dallas in Texas.[2] He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy in 1976 and a Master of Divinity degree in 1980.[1]

Ordination and ministry

Seitz was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Thomas A. Tschoepe on May 17, 1980. He served as a parochial vicar at Good Shepherd Church in Garland from 1980 to 1985.[3] He earned a M.A. in Theology from the University of Dallas in 1982 and an M.A. in Liturgical Studies from Saint John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota, in 1985.[1] He also took summer courses at the University of Notre Dame and Duquesne University.[1]

Seitz served as an adjunct professor at the University of Dallas from 1985 to 1994, teaching liturgy and sacramental theology.[3] He also served as associate spiritual director (1986-1987), director of liturgy (1986-1993), and vice-rector (1987-1993) at Holy Trinity Seminary.[3] From 1993 to 2003, he was pastor of St. Joseph Church in Waxahachie.[1] He was an instructor at Christ the Servant Institute in Dallas in the fall of 2001 and interned at the National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during the fall of 2002.[1] In 2003, he became pastor of St. Rita's Church in Dallas.[3] He was named a Prelate of Honor by Pope John Paul II in December 2004.[3] In 2009, he donated one of his kidneys to an ailing parishioner.[4] In 2010, he became pastor of All Saints Church in Dallas.[3]

Seitz was a member of the Presbyteral Council of the Diocese of Dallas (1988–1993, 1999–2006, 2007–2010), spiritual director of Dallas/Fort Worth Courage (1998–2010), a member of the Diocesan Honduras Solidarity Team (2002–2010), a member of the College of Consultors of the diocese (2007–2010), spiritual director of the White Rose Women's Center (2009–2010), and a member of the Board of Directors of the BirthChoice Catholic Crisis Pregnancy Center (2009-2010).[1]

Auxiliary Bishop of Dallas

On March 11, 2010, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Seitz auxiliary bishop of Dallas with the titular see of Cozyla. He said: "I have learned through the years that following Christ is an adventure filled with totally unexpected dips and turns. When you give your life to His service you better learn to enjoy the ride."[5] Along with J. Douglas Deshotel, he was be one of the first auxiliary bishops of the Dallas since the Diocese of Fort Worth was split from it in 1969.[2]

He received his episcopal consecration on the April 27, 2010 from Bishop Kevin Farrell, with Charles V. Grahmann and Michael Duca serving as co-consecrators.

Bishop of El Paso

On May 6, 2013, Pope Francis appointed Seitz the Bishop of El Paso, Texas.[2][3] He was installed there on July 9, 2013.

On July 18, 2017, he issued a pastoral letter on immigration in which he said that "elected leaders have not yet mustered the moral courage to enact permanent, comprehensive immigration reform" and praised the efforts of the "heroic individuals, families, pastors, religious, parishes and institutions that spend themselves in service to migrants and refugees" and campaign "against the militarization of our border". He expressed concern for immigrant families who fear separation and for law enforcement officers who "put their lives on the line to stem the flow of weapons and drugs" but are "troubled in conscience by divisive political rhetoric and new edicts coming from Washington, D.C." He condemned profit-based immigrant detention centers, the hostility shown to asylum seekers, and "the disparagement of our Muslim brothers and sisters".[6]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "CURRICULUM VITAE" (PDF). Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-12-05.
  2. 1 2 3 "Vatican Recognizes Growth, Pope Appoints Auxiliary Bishops" (PDF). Roman Catholic Diocese of El Paso (Press release). 2013-07-09. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-11-25.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Pope Names Vicar General, Pastor As Auxiliary Bishops For Dallas". United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (Press release). 2010-03-11.
  4. ↑ "Priest donates own 'holy kidney' to ailing parishioner". Catholic News Agency. 2009-11-13. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
  5. ↑ "Statement from Bishop-elect Mark Seitz" (PDF). Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas (Press release). 2010-03-11. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-12-05.
  6. ↑ Guidos, Rhina (18 July 2017). "Bishop Mark Seitz denounces hateful words, militarization of border". National Catholic Reporter. Catholic News Service. Retrieved 20 July 2017.

Episcopal succession

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by
Armando Xavier Ochoa		 Bishop of El Paso
2013—Present		 Succeeded by
Incumbent
Preceded by
-		 Auxiliary Bishop of Dallas
2010-2013		 Succeeded by
-
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.