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Former BishopsEstablished as a diocese in 1926, the Diocese of Amarillo celebrates the influential bishops of our history. -
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Most Rev. Patrick J. Zurek
2008 - 2026"I will give you shepherds after my own heart"
Born into a Czech Texas family, Bishop Patrick James Zurek was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of San Antonio and later served as auxiliary bishop to Archbishop Patrick Flores. He spent 22 years as a priest in the Diocese of Austin, including 10 years as founding pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in College Station, and also led the National Conference of Diocesan Vocation Directors. Appointed bishop of Amarillo on Jan. 3, 2008, he oversaw the planning and construction of the new Diocesan Pastoral Center (2017), as well as numerous parish and diocesan construction projects, the elevation of St. Mary’s Church (Amarillo) to cathedral status on March 25, 2011 and the Diocesan Assembly in 2009 and 2010, which led to a number of changes that strengthened the diocese during his episcopacy. Bishop Zurek is also the longest-serving bishop of the diocese to-date, having served 18 years, one month and 11 days.
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Most Rev. John W. Yanta
1997-2007"Bear Witness to the Truth"
Born into a Polish Texas family, Bishop John Walter Yanta was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of San Antonio and an auxiliary bishop to Archbishop Patrick Flores in 1994. He launched Catholic Television of San Antonio. After his installation as Bishop of Amarillo, he initiated an aggressive pro-life campaign, welcomed the Priests for Life into the diocese, and sponsored the Missionaries of the Gospel of Life, an association of the faithful seeking recognition as a religious community
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Most Rev. Leroy T. Matthiesen
1980-1997"Thy Will Be Done"
Born into a German family, Bishop Leroy Theodore Matthiesen was ordained for the Diocese of Amarillo. He was a long-time member of the Catholic Press Association and was presented with the Bishop Arthur J. O'Neal Award by the CPA in 1996. In 1996, Bishop Matthiesen was instrumental in the creation of the Catholic Foundation of the Texas Panhandle. During his 17 years as bishop, he was outspoken on a wide range of social justice issues, including the death penalty, nuclear disarmament, conscientious objection, racial justice, the neutron bomb, and just war. Bishop Matthiesen retired as Bishop of Amarillo on January 21, 1997. In 2002, he was presented with the Ketteler Award from Social Justice. In 2009, he was awarded The Pax Christi Award.
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Most Rev. Lawrence M. DeFalco
1963-1979"Guide My Steps"
Born into an Italian Pennsylvania family, Bishop Lawrence Michael DeFalco was ordained for the Diocese of Dallas and was pastor of St. Patrick's Church in Fort Worth when he was appointed Bishop of Amarillo. His arrival in Amarillo in an old Ford Falcon car proved to be the hallmark of his life as Bishop of Amarillo. A humble man, he became the most beloved of the bishops of the Diocese of Amarillo. It fell to his lot that in the wake of the Second Vatican Council, a quarter of priests of the diocese requested and were granted laicization, a phenomenon for which he blamed himself.
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Most Rev. John L. Morkovsky
1956-1963"Peace to Those Who Love the Law"
Born into a Czech Texas family and a priest of the Archdiocese of San Antonio, Bishop John Louis Morkovsky had been ordained Bishop FitzSimon's auxiliary in 1956. Unusually energetic, he became known as "the bouncing Czech," his unofficial motto as "Have Crozier, will travel." He opened St. Lucian's Preparatory Seminary on the campus of Price College in 1962 and oversaw the establishment of the new Diocese of San Angelo the same year. In 1963 he was transferred to Houston to serve as the Bishop of the Diocese of Galveston-Houston.
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Most Rev. Laurence J. FitzSimon
1941-1958"May the Prince of Peace Reign"
Born into a Scots-Irish Texas family, Bishop Laurence Julius FitzSimon was a priest of the Archdiocese of San Antonio when he was named third bishop of Amarillo. During the post-World War II years, he oversaw the creation of new parishes and the construction of churches, schools, and social service institutions. He was a right-to-work advocate. Above all, he was responsible for promoting the discovery, assembly, and preservation of the historical records of the Catholic Church in Texas.
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Most REv. Robert Emmet Lucey
1934-1941"Lord Our King"
Born into an Irish urban California family, Bishop Robert Emmet Lucey brought in the Brothers of Christian Schools to staff Price Memorial College, oversaw the construction of beautiful St. Lucian's Chapel in honor of Lucien (French spelling) Price, and became an advocate of social justice, strongly supporting the right of workers to form labor unions, even while seen by many as a "Prince of the Church."
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Most Rev. Rudolph A. Gerken
1927-1933"Not me but you, O Lord"
Born into a German family, Bishop Rudolph Aloysius Gerken was ordained for the Diocese of Dallas. Gerken was appointed the First Bishop of the Diocese of Amarillo. During his tenure in Amarillo, Gerken oversaw the construction of thirty-five churches and founded Price Memorial College, of which he was also president. He was named the seventh archbishop of Santa Fe, New Mexico on June 2, 1933. As Archbishop Gerken established another diocese and several parishes, he sought to provide relief to American prisoners of war in Japan during World War II.
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