Our Bishop
The Most Reverend James A. Tamayo, First Bishop of Laredo: Most Reverend James Anthony Tamayo, D.D. was born on October 23, 1949 in Brownsville, Texas to Guadalupe and Antonio Tamayo. Bishop Tamayo is a Mexican American who takes pride in his Hispanic heritage and fluently speaks English and Spanish. Bishop Tamayo recalls hearing his calling to the priesthood as early as the first grade. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 11, 1976 in Corpus Christi, Texas at Corpus Christi Cathedral by Most Reverend Thomas J. Drury, D.D. His Excellency was ordained to the Episcopacy and installed as Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese (now Archdiocese) of Galveston-Houston on March 10, 1993. As Auxiliary Bishop, Bishop Tamayo served as the Episcopal Vicar to the Hispanic community. Seven years later, on August 9, 2000, he was installed as the first bishop of the newly erected Diocese of Laredo.
The Diocese of Laredo was erected on August 9th of the Jubilee Year 2000 by Pope John Paul II. This is a diocese on the border of the United States and the Republic of Mexico. The Diocese of Laredo neighbors the Dioceses of Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico and Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico. Bishop Tamayo meets regularly with the Texas-Mexico Border Bishops and, as such, was instrumental with this group in promoting the joint pastoral letter “Strangers No Longer: Together on the Journey of Hope” which was issued jointly by the Episcopal Conferences of the United States and Mexico. On March 20, 2023, Bishop Tamayo hosted in Laredo the Tex-Mex Border Bishops for a three-day meeting discussing pastoral and social justice issues along the Texas and Mexico border.
Bishop Tamayo’s academic background includes graduating Magna Cum Laude from the University of St. Thomas in Houston with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theology as well as a Master of Arts Degree in Theology from said university. While earning these degrees, Bishop Tamayo was enrolled at St. Mary’s Seminary, Houston, Texas.
In addition, Bishop Tamayo served honorably in the United States Air Force Reserve with the rank of Major. Currently he is a Life Member of the U.S. Air Force Association as well as a Life Member of the U.S. Reserve Officers Association.
Bishop Tamayo’s distinguished clerical career includes service, past and present, on various local, state, regional and national committees, some of which are listed below:
- National Episcopal Advisor, Cursillo de Cristiandad Movement
- Texas State Chaplain, Catholic Daughters of the Americas
- Chairman, USCCB Bishops’ Committee on Hispanic Affairs.
- Vice President, Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc.
- Member, USCCB Liturgy Subcommittee on Spanish Language Text
- Board of Directors, Texas Catholic Conference
- Board of Director, Texas Conference of Churches
As a servant leader in the Church and in society, Bishop Tamayo has also earned prestigious awards, some of which are listed below:
• The Distinguished Citizen Award by the Boy Scouts of America
• The Hispanic of the Year by LULAC Council 7
• The Community Spirit of Excellence Award by the American Red Cross
• The Man of the Year by the Notre Dame Club of Laredo
• The Paul Harris Fellow by the Seven Flags Rotary Club
• The Tejano Achievers Award by LULAC Council 12
Bishop Tamayo is a strong promoter and advocate for the Hispanic people on the issues of leadership, evangelization, social justice, education, and immigration reform at the local, state, national and international levels.
Bishop Tamayo fulfills his episcopal ministry through the grace of God following in the footsteps of Christ The Good Shepherd… Todo Con Amor.
