About Diocese of Corpus Christi
The Diocese of Corpus Christi (Latin: Dioecesis Corporis Christi) is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in southern Texas, established on March 23, 1912, by Pope Pius X from the former Vicariate Apostolic of Brownsville. It serves the Coastal Bend region, covering 29,277 square kilometers across twelve full counties and parts of two others, and is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston in the Ecclesiastical Province of Galveston-Houston. As of 2022 the diocese counted 356,500 Catholics (about 60.9% of a total population of 585,266) served by 69 parishes and 28 missions, with Our Lady of Guadalupe as its patron.
- Bishop
- Mario Alberto Avilés
- Established
- 1912
- Cathedral
- Corpus Christi Cathedral (505 North Upper Broadway, Corpus Christi, Texas)
- Territory
- Counties of Aransas, Bee, Brooks, Duval, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, Kenedy, Kleberg, Live Oak, Nueces, Refugio, San Patricio, Webb, Zapata, and parts of La Salle and McMullen in South Texas (about 29,277 sq km / 11,308 sq mi)
- Parishes
- 69 parishes and 28 missions (2022 figures; 97 parishes listed on aggregator sites)
- Province
- Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston (Ecclesiastical Province of Galveston-Houston)
History of the Diocese of Corpus Christi
Catholic life in the Coastal Bend began with Spanish Franciscan missions such as Nuestra Señora del Refugio (1793) and grew through Irish colonization of Refugio and San Patricio. The region was first organized as the Vicariate Apostolic of Brownsville in 1874, and on March 23, 1912 Pope Pius X erected the Diocese of Corpus Christi from that vicariate. Successive bishops — Nussbaum, Ledvina, Garriga, Drury, Gracida, González Nieves, Carmody, Mulvey, and now Avilés — built parishes, schools, and a chancery infrastructure that has served a tri-cultural population of Anglo, Mexican-American, and Irish heritage.
- 1793 – Founding of Mission Nuestra Señora del Refugio
- 1874 – Vicariate Apostolic of Brownsville erected
- 1912 – Diocese of Corpus Christi erected (March 23)
- 1940 – Present Corpus Christi Cathedral completed
- 1965 – Diocese of Brownsville split off; Catholic Charities founded
- 1982 – Goliad County ceded to the Diocese of Victoria
- 2000 – Counties of Webb, Zapata, Jim Hogg and half of La Salle removed to form the Diocese of Laredo
- 2026 – Bishop Mario Alberto Avilés installed as ninth bishop
Bishops of Corpus Christi
The See of Corpus Christi has had nine bishops since 1913, including several figures of national note. Bishop Roberto O. González Nieves went on to become Archbishop of San Juan, Puerto Rico and was later created a cardinal. Bishop Mariano Simón Garriga was the first Texas-born bishop of a Texas diocese. The current shepherd, Bishop Mario Alberto Avilés, C.O., an Oratorian, was installed January 28, 2026 after eight years as Auxiliary Bishop of Brownsville.
- Paul Joseph Nussbaum (1913–1920)
- Emmanuel Boleslaus Ledvina (1921–1949)
- Mariano Simón Garriga (1949–1965)
- Thomas Joseph Drury (1965–1983)
- René Henry Gracida (1983–1997)
- Roberto O. González Nieves, OFM (1997–1999)
- Edmond Carmody (2000–2010)
- William Michael Mulvey (2010–2025)
- Mario Alberto Avilés, C.O. (2026–present)
Corpus Christi Cathedral
The mother church of the diocese is Corpus Christi Cathedral, a Spanish Colonial Revival landmark designed by architect Charles Monot and completed in 1940 under Bishop Ledvina at a cost of $425,000. The stucco cathedral measures 176 feet long, 90 feet wide, and 133 feet tall, and sits at 505 North Upper Broadway in Corpus Christi. A parish church has stood on or near the site since 1853; the present building replaced earlier structures as the diocese's principal seat. Bishop Mario Alberto Avilés is the current bishop and Very Rev. Pete Elizardo serves as rector.
- Address: 505 North Upper Broadway, Corpus Christi, TX
- Architect: Charles Monot
- Style: Spanish Colonial Revival
- Completed: 1940
- Construction cost: $425,000
- Dimensions: 176 ft long × 90 ft wide × 133 ft tall
Catholic Schools
The Office of Catholic Schools oversees 13 Catholic schools across the diocese, serving students from the Coastal Bend to the Rio Grande Valley. The flagship secondary institution is St. John Paul II Academy, which operates separate middle school and high school campuses on Saratoga Boulevard in Corpus Christi. Elementary campuses extend from Rockport (Sacred Heart) and Alice (St. Elizabeth) to Robstown (St. Anthony) and Corpus Christi (Most Precious Blood, OLPH Academy, St. Patrick, St. Pius X, and Saints Cyril & Methodius).
- Most Precious Blood Catholic School – 3502 Saratoga Blvd, Corpus Christi
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help Academy – 5814 Williams Dr, Corpus Christi
- Sacred Heart Catholic School – 111 N Church St, Rockport
- St. Anthony Catholic School – 203 Dunne St, Robstown
- St. Elizabeth Catholic School – 615 E 5th St, Alice
- St. John Paul II Academy – Middle School, 3114 Saratoga Blvd, Corpus Christi
- St. John Paul II Academy – High School, 3036 Saratoga Blvd, Corpus Christi
- St. Patrick Catholic School – 3340 S Alameda St, Corpus Christi
- St. Pius X Catholic School – 737 Saint Pius Dr, Corpus Christi
- Saints Cyril & Methodius Catholic School – 5002 Kostoryz Rd, Corpus Christi
Catholic Charities of Corpus Christi
Catholic Charities was established on September 2, 1965, when Monsignor William Kinlough began developing programs to serve the poor of the diocese. A director was first appointed in 1971, and today the agency operates a portfolio of human-services programs that include a transitional shelter for men, immigration legal services, disaster response, mental-health counseling, an emergency aid program, the Parents as Teachers early-childhood program, the Representative Payee Program, and Circles of the Coastal Bend — a poverty-reduction initiative. Special annual events such as the Coastal Bend Day of Giving, the Celebration of Charity, and Community Christmas sustain the ministry. Catholic Charities' offices are at 615 Oliver Court, Corpus Christi, TX 78408 (phone 361-884-0651).
- Mother Teresa Shelter – 513 Sam Rankin Ave, Corpus Christi (361-883-7372)
- Counseling Services
- Immigration Services
- Disaster Response Services
- Emergency Aid Program
- Parents as Teachers
- Representative Payee Program
- Ministry & Life Enrichment for Persons with Special Abilities
- Circles of the Coastal Bend
- Coastal Bend Day of Giving, Celebration of Charity, Community Christmas
Offices, Departments, and Diocesan Staff
The chancery coordinates the life of the diocese through a network of offices, each led by clergy, religious, or lay professionals reporting to the bishop and his chancellor. Among the principal departments are the Office of the Bishop, the Chancellor/General Counsel, the Tribunal (Judicial Vicar), the Fiscal Office, Stewardship & Development, Property Management, Human Resources, Safe Environment & Family Resources, the Office of Catholic Schools, Catholic Charities, Cemeteries, and the Archives. Marc Cervantes currently serves as Chancellor/General Counsel, and the diocesan newspaper South Texas Catholic is managed by Susanne Janssen.
- Office of the Bishop
- Chancellor / General Counsel – Marc Cervantes
- Tribunal / Judicial Vicar
- Fiscal Office
- Stewardship & Development
- Property Management
- Human Resources
- Safe Environment & Family Resources
- Cemeteries
- Archives
- South Texas Catholic (diocesan newspaper)
South Texas Catholic & Communications
The diocese publishes the South Texas Catholic newspaper, the modern descendant of the Texas Gulf Coast Register that Bishop Thomas Drury founded in 1966. Housed at the chancery offices, it is the official voice of the diocese and welcomes freelance writers, photographers, and translators. News tips, photos, and calendar items can be submitted through southtexascatholic.com. The diocese also maintains a presence on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Vimeo for the digital evangelization of the Coastal Bend faithful.
- Mailing address: P.O. Box 2620, Corpus Christi, TX 78403
- Office: 555 N. Carancahua St, Ste 750, Corpus Christi, TX 78401
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: (361) 882-6191
- Managing Editor: Susanne Janssen
Territory and Statistics
Today the Diocese of Corpus Christi covers 29,277 square kilometers (11,308 square miles) of South Texas, comprising the counties of Aransas, Bee, Brooks, Duval, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, Kenedy, Kleberg, Live Oak, Nueces, Refugio, San Patricio, Webb, Zapata, and parts of La Salle and McMullen. It is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston in the Ecclesiastical Province of Galveston-Houston. According to the diocese's most recent published figures (2022/2023), the total population of the region is 585,266, of whom 356,500 (60.9%) are Catholic, served by 69 parishes and 28 missions.
- Area: 29,277 sq km (11,308 sq mi)
- 12 full counties + parts of 2 others
- Total population: 585,266 (2023)
- Catholics: 356,500 (60.9%)
- 69 parishes, 28 missions
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston (Archbishop Joe S. Vásquez)
Visiting the Diocese
Pilgrims and visitors to the diocese are drawn especially to the historic Mission Nuestra Señora del Refugio in Refugio, Texas — the last Spanish Franciscan mission in Texas (est. 1793) and a parish church still in use — and to Corpus Christi Cathedral, the seat of the diocese since 1940. The Mother Teresa Shelter, Catholic Charities headquarters, and the 13 diocesan schools welcome those wishing to volunteer, donate, or simply learn about the Church's work in the Coastal Bend.
- Mission Nuestra Señora del Refugio – Refugio, TX
- Corpus Christi Cathedral – 505 N Upper Broadway, Corpus Christi
- Mother Teresa Shelter – 513 Sam Rankin Ave, Corpus Christi
- Chancery / South Texas Catholic – 555 N Carancahua St, Ste 750
