James Anthony Tamayo (born October 23, 1949) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He has been serving as bishop of the Diocese of Laredo in Texas since 2000. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Galveston-Houston in Texas from 1993 to 2000.
Tamayo was named assistant chancellor in 1980. In 1981, the diocese transferred Tamayo from St. Patrick to the Corpus Christi Cathedral Parish to serve as associate pastor there. He was named associate pastor of St. Pius X Parish in Corpus Christi in 1982.[2]
In 1986, the diocese appointed Tamayo as pastor of St. Andrew by the Sea Parish in Corpus Christi. He was moved again to Blessed Sacrament Parish in Laredo, Texas, in 1990 and was named episcopal vicar of the Western Vicariate of the diocese.[2]
Auxiliary Bishop of Galveston-Houston
Pope John Paul II appointed Tamayo as an auxiliary bishop for the Diocese of Galveston-Houston on January 26, 1993. He was consecrated by Archbishop Joseph Fiorenza on March 10, 1993. He also became the titular bishop of Ita.[3]
As auxiliary bishop, Tamayo served as vicar general of the diocese and episcopal vicar for the Hispanic ministry.[2]
Bishop of Laredo
On July 3, 2000, John Paul II appointed Tamayo as bishop of the newly-founded Diocese of Laredo. On August 9, 2000, he was installed as its first bishop.[4][3]
In 2002, a priest from New York City was arrested in Laredo on rape charges out of New York. The district attorney of Kings County in New York said that the Diocese of Laredo was "less than satisfactory" in cooperating with their investigation. Tamayo did not explain the circumstances under which the priest had left his diocese.[5]
In March 2016, Tamayo halted the construction of a Catholic student center at Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) in Laredo. The Brothers of St. John, key sponsors of the $4 million-plus project, held a groundbreaking ceremony in November 2013. Tamayo did not attend the groundbreaking; nor did he offer an explanation for his opposition to the project, even to TAMIU President Ray Keck. Hundreds of thousands of preliminary funds have already been spent on the project, which has been on the drawing board for a decade.[6]
Glen S. Jackson of Alexandria questioned Tamayo's opposition to the student center, which he said has caused a "hostile atmosphere" in the Laredo diocese. No other college or university has faced such a denial. Jackson claims that 99 percent of the clergy in the Laredo diocese favors the project.[7] Meanwhile, Father Robert L. Kincl, a former judicial vicar for the diocese, announced that he would mail thirty letters opposing Tamayo's position to The Vatican.[8]
