"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.

"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.

"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.

"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."