Pope Leo accepts resignation of Bishop Mulvey of Corpus Christi; names Bishop Avilés as successor
Pope Leo XIV accepted the resignation of Bishop W. Michael Mulvey of Corpus Christi, Texas. Bishop Mario A. Avilés, currently auxiliary bishop of Brownsville, Texas, has been appointed as the successor. The announcement was made in Washington on December 1st. Bishop Avilés was born in Mexico City and has a background in philosophy, theology, and divinity. He was ordained as a priest in 1998 and has served in parish ministry and leadership roles.
14 days ago
Pope Leo XIV accepted the resignation of Bishop W. Michael Mulvey, aged 76, from the Diocese of Corpus Christi, Texas, on December 1, 2025.1 He appointed Auxiliary Bishop Mario A. Avilés, 56, of Brownsville, Texas, as Mulvey's successor, with the announcement made public in Washington by Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the apostolic nuncio to the United States.1 2
Mulvey has led the diocese since 2010.2 The move follows standard Vatican procedure for bishops reaching retirement age.3
Bishop Avilés was born on September 16, 1969, in Mexico City.1 He joined the Congregation of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri in 1986, a society founded in 1575 with over 70 oratories worldwide.2
He earned bachelor's degrees in philosophy and sacred theology from the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum in Rome, along with a master of divinity from Holy Apostles College and Seminary in Connecticut, and a master's in education administration.1 2 Avilés is fluent in Spanish, English, and Italian, and holds Texas teaching certification.3
Ordained a priest in 1998 at age 28 in the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle National Shrine, Texas, he served in parish ministry in Pharr and Hidalgo for nearly two decades.1 His roles included parochial vicar, teacher, principal, rector at Oratory schools, and positions like vicar, secretary, treasurer, and novice master in the Oratorian congregation.2
From 2012 to 2018, Avilés was procurator general of the Confederation of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri in Rome, representing communities to the Holy See.1 Pope Francis named him auxiliary bishop of Brownsville in 2017, with ordination in 2018.2
His episcopal motto, "Caritas Dei diffusa est in cordibus nostris" (The love of God has been poured out into our hearts), draws from Romans 5:5 and St. Philip Neri's feast.3 His coat of arms features red roses for Our Lady of Guadalupe, honoring his Mexican roots, and three gold stars from the Neri family crest.2
Bishop Mulvey, 76, submitted his resignation in line with canon law, which mandates retirement at 75.1 He expressed welcome for Avilés, stating, "We welcome Bishop-designate Avilés with open hearts and deep prayer."2
Mulvey's tenure since 2010 focused on pastoral governance in a region with significant Catholic presence.4
The diocese spans 10,951 square miles across 12 counties in south Texas, serving a total population of 582,684, including 209,726 Catholics.1 It encompasses more than 200,000 Catholics, highlighting its role in a diverse, Hispanic-majority area.2
As the ninth bishop, Avilés will oversee spiritual leadership in this coastal region.3
Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville praised Avilés for his "wise counsel and good judgment, his joyful presence," and administrative skills, while expressing shared joy with Corpus Christi.2 Flores requested prayers for Avilés' new mission, invoking the Virgin Mary's care.3
The appointment underscores continuity in leadership for Texas dioceses with strong ties to Mexican heritage and Oratorian spirituality.4
This is among the early episcopal appointments by Pope Leo XIV, elected in May 2025 following Pope Francis's death.1 It reflects a preference for experienced, multilingual leaders attuned to U.S. Hispanic communities.2 The story remains developing, with updates expected on installation details.1
Does appointing a Mexican‑born Oratorian signal Church diversity policy?
The Catholic Church has long emphasized the universal nature of its mission, embracing cultural diversity as a reflection of God's creation and the Pentecost event, where the Holy Spirit unites peoples of every tongue and nation. Appointing a Mexican-born priest from the Oratorian congregation—such as to a bishopric or significant leadership role—would indeed signal the Church's ongoing policy of fostering diversity in its hierarchy and pastoral leadership. This aligns with teachings that prioritize the formation and elevation of native clergy, the integration of multicultural expressions of faith, and the rejection of distinctions based on origin or ethnicity. Such an appointment underscores the Church's commitment to inculturation, where local cultures enrich the universal faith, and it responds to the growing Hispanic and indigenous presence in regions like the United States and Latin America. Far from being a mere symbolic gesture, it embodies the call for bishops and priests to emerge from diverse backgrounds to better serve a pluralistic flock, as articulated in papal addresses and pastoral documents.
The Church's approach to diversity in leadership is rooted in the principle of equality among all peoples, as affirmed in Scripture and Tradition. Pope Pius XII, in his 1939 encyclical Summi Pontificatus, highlighted the need to form "cultured native clergy and gradually increasing the number of native Bishops" to express the Church's universality amid global divisions. This vision was realized symbolically when he elevated twelve bishops from "widely different peoples and races" on the Feast of Christ the King, proclaiming that in Christ "there is neither Gentile nor Jew... but Christ is all and in all" (Col 3:11). Appointing a Mexican-born Oratorian today would echo this, promoting leaders who embody the Church's catholicity—its ability to embrace all cultures without favoritism.
Pope John Paul II reinforced this in addresses to bishops, stressing impartiality in selecting episcopal candidates regardless of "origin." In his 1999 speech to Mozambican bishops, he urged no "distinctions" among priests of different nationalities, viewing them as part of "one priestly body" under the bishop as father (cf. Christus Dominus, 28). Similarly, in 1993, addressing U.S. bishops, he called for fostering "native-born vocations among Hispanic men and women" with formation standards equal to others, recognizing the "richness of religious expression and cultural diversity" in Hispanic communities. A Mexican-born appointee, particularly from a congregation like the Oratorians with roots in Italian spirituality but global reach, would exemplify this: it signals trust in diverse origins to lead evangelization, countering proselytism from other groups and sustaining family and faith in multicultural settings.
This policy extends to addressing historical marginalization. In 1998, John Paul II noted the "multi-cultural reality" of U.S. society as an "enrichment" for the Church, while challenging bishops to train clergy for "minority families and communities," including Hispanics, African-Americans, and Native Americans. He emphasized that every culture finds its "home" in the one Church of Christ, urging integration without assimilation—preserving traditions while centering on the Eucharist and Marian devotion. For a Mexican-born Oratorian, whose congregation historically engages youth and culture through art and education (as St. Philip Neri did in 16th-century Rome), this appointment would highlight the Church's strategy to use diverse charisms for "effective apostolic presence" in modern contexts.
The Congregation of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri, founded in 1575, emphasizes communal prayer, formation, and outreach to youth and the culturally distant, making it well-suited to diverse pastoral needs. John Paul II, in his 2000 address to the Oratorian General Chapter, praised their autonomy tied to local Churches, urging fidelity to St. Philip's charism amid "various situations of our time." He highlighted their "traditional sensitivity to art and culture" as tools for evangelization, especially to the young and "distant," aligning with the new evangelization in multicultural Europe and beyond. In his 1995 homily on St. Philip's 400th death anniversary, he described the Oratory's heritage as a "resource of notable value" for radiating "joy and trust" in a pluralistic world, incarnating spirituality locally while contributing to the universal vocation to holiness.
Appointing a Mexican-born Oratorian would thus signal not just ethnic diversity but charismatic renewal. Mexico's Catholic history, marked by indigenous roots and Spanish evangelization, blends with Oratorian emphases on joy and community—think of how Our Lady of Guadalupe unites ethnic plurality into "fraternal unity." John Paul II, in 1999 welcoming ceremonies in Mexico City, noted how faith transformed "ancient ethnic and antagonistic plurality" into national identity, with missionaries leaving "deep cultural imprints." A such appointee could bridge this heritage, fostering dialogue in multi-ethnic dioceses, as urged in 2001 when he called for maturing appreciation of indigenous dignity in Mexico's "plural and multi-ethnic situation." This reflects the Church's policy of building "fraternal peace" through inclusive leadership, excluding no one from dialogue.
Recent teachings under Pope Leo XIV continue this trajectory, emphasizing intercultural dialogue and inclusion. In his 2025 message for the Jubileo de los Pueblos Originarios, Leo XIV invoked St. John Paul II on the Gospel's power to "transform and regenerate" cultures, pruning them to bear fruit while appreciating "what is unique and original in each culture." He called for parrhesia—bold proclamation—among indigenous peoples, enriching the Church's "magnificent choir." For Mexican-born leaders, this signals policy: elevating them integrates Hispanic and indigenous voices, healing "wounds of our past" through encounter.
In greeting Chicago labor leaders in 2025, Leo XIV commended "broadening the participation and inclusion of minorities" and welcoming immigrants, echoing Pope Francis's call to be reborn "at the peripheries." The Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development's 2022 Pastoral Orientations on Intercultural Migrant Ministry further outlines this as welcoming, protecting, promoting, and integrating diversity, rethinking parishes as "a Church on the move" where newcomers enrich without assimilation. It urges "adequate pastoral care" for ethnic backgrounds, ensuring full membership as "active citizenship" modeled on Trinitarian unity. Appointing a Mexican-born Oratorian fits this, countering exclusion and promoting "communion in diversity."
Even in ecumenical contexts, Leo XIV's 2025 message to Stockholm's Ecumenical Week stressed shared witness for peace, rooted in baptismal unity across differences. This global lens shows diversity policy as essential for mission, not optional.
While such an appointment signals positive policy, the Church cautions against tokenism. Appointments must prioritize pastoral suitability over origin alone, as John Paul II stressed impartial evaluation for the episcopate. In diverse U.S.-Mexico border contexts, joint episcopal efforts improve immigrant care, with parishes as "principal reference points." For Oratorians, formation must assimilate St. Philip's spirit across cultures, as in the Scalabrinian model of renewal for mobility and dialogue. Controversies, like historical ethnic tensions, require ongoing discernment, but recent sources like Leo XIV's prevail, emphasizing encounter over division.
In summary, yes, appointing a Mexican-born Oratorian signals the Church's diversity policy: it promotes native leadership, inculturates charisms, and builds unity in multiplicity, fulfilling the Gospel's call to make disciples of all nations (Mt 28:19). This fosters a Church where every culture bears fruit in Christ, healing divisions and proclaiming abundant life.