WASHINGTON (OSV News) — Pope Leo XIV has named a new bishop for the Diocese of Laredo, Texas, marking the first episcopal succession in a diocese created by St. John Paul II.
On May 1 the pope accepted the resignation of Bishop James A. Tamayo, who has led the diocese from its 2000 inception, and named as his successor Father John Jairo Gomez, vicar general of the Diocese of Tyler, Texas.
The resignation and appointment were publicized in Washington May 1 by Cardinal Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States.
The 76-year-old Bishop Tamayo had submitted his resignation upon turning 75 as required by canon law.
Bishop-designate born in Colombia
Bishop-designate Gomez was born in Colombia and ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Tyler on May 23, 2009. He served as vicar general and moderator of the curia for the Diocese of Tyler from 2015 to 2023 and has also been serving in the role again since 2025.
Founded on July 3, 2000, the Diocese of Laredo combined portions of the Diocese of Corpus Christi and the Archdiocese of San Antonio.
Bishop J. Gregory Kelly of Tyler expressed gratitude to Pope Leo for his appointment of Bishop-designate Gomez, who “will be a devoted and joyful shepherd for the priests and people of Laredo.
Commitment to Hispanic ministry
He said the newly named bishop’s experience — as a judicial vicar and vicar general and in parish ministry — and his commitment to Hispanic ministry will serve him well as the second bishop of Laredo.
Bishop Kelly also said that Bishop-designate Gomez had helped him immensely “over this last year” as Tyler’s new bishop, and he “will miss his presence and ministry.”
John Jairo Gomez, born Dec. 15, 1975, received his master’s of divinity from the University of St. Thomas in Houston in 2009 and a licentiate in canon law from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome 2012. He was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Tyler on May 23, 2009.
Parish and diocesan assignments
After ordination, he was pastor at Holy Cross Parish in Pittsburgh, Texas (2012-2017); at Christ the King Parish in Kilgore (2017-2018); and at St. Charles Parish in Frankston (2018-2020). His diocesan assignments have included judicial vicar (2014-2015); member of the diocesan presbyteral council (2014 to present); member of the diocesan college of consultors (2015 to present); member of the diocesan review board (2017 to present); and diocesan director of the Pontifical Mission Societies (2017 to present).
He served as vicar general and moderator of the curia for the Diocese of Tyler from 2015 to 2023 and has also been serving in the role again from 2025 to the present.
The Diocese of Laredo covers nearly 11,000 square miles and has a Catholic population of nearly 345,000.
UPDATED on May 1, 2026, at 4:10 p.m. ET
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