USCCB - (Office of Media Relations) - Auxiliary Bishops Named for San Antonio Archdiocese

Auxiliary Bishops Named for San Antonio Archdiocese

WASHINGTON (January 5, 1998) -- Pope John Paul II has named as Auxiliary Bishops of the Archdiocese of San Antonio, Texas, the Reverend Monsignor Thomas J. Flanagan, assigning him to the Titular See of Bavagaliana and the Reverend Father Patrick J. Zurek, assigning him to the Titular See of Tamugadi.

Archbishop Agostino Cacciavillan, Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to the United States, announced the appointments.

Bishop-elect Flanagan is currently pastor of St. Brigid's Church, San Antonio, and archdiocesan director of the Charismatic Renewal. Bishop-elect Zurek is pastor of St. John Neumann Church, Austin, as well as vocations director for the Austin diocese.

Thomas Joseph Flanagan was born in Rathmore, Ireland, on October 23, 1930. He attended local elementary and secondary schools there and also St. Patrick's College in Thurles. He was ordained a priest in Ireland on June 10, 1956, for the San Antonio archdiocese.

Bishop-elect Flanagan served in several pastoral assignments before becoming pastor of St. Agnes Church, Edna, and then serving successively as pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Church, San Antonio, and in his current pastorate. He has also served on the archdiocesan personnel board and presbyteral council (including terms as president of both groups), on the college of consultors, as spiritual director of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, and as chaplain of the Knights of Columbus, as well as director of the archdiocesan Center for Charismatic Renewal.

Patrick J. Zurek was born in Wallis, Texas, on August 17, 1948. He attended local elementary and secondary schools and received a bachelor's degree in mathematics and chemistry from the University of Houston. He also attended the Seminary of St. Mary, studying philosophy at the University of St. Thomas, Houston, and the North American College, Rome, studying theology at the Angelicum University. Subsequently, he earned a licentiate in moral theology at the Alphonsian Academy, Rome. He was ordained a priest in Rome for the Diocese of Austin on June 29, 1975, by Pope Paul VI.

After several parochial assignments, Bishop-elect Zurek served as pastor of St. Thomas Church, College Station, and as diocesan director of permanent formation of clergy and as diocesan director of vocations. He has also served as vice president and president of the National Conference of Directors of Vocations.

The Archdiocese of San Antonio serves a Catholic population of over 650,000 in a total population of 1.8 million. It is comprised of 21 Texas counties and parts of two others in the southwestern portion of the state.