Pope Leo XIV has appointed Very Rev. John J. Gomez, JCL, Vicar General of the Diocese of Tyler, as the second bishop of the Diocese of Laredo. The appointment was announced in Washington, D.C., on May 1, 2026, by Cardinal Christophe Pierre, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States.
“I am grateful to our Holy Father for his appointment of Bishop-elect Gomez. He will be a devoted and joyful shepherd for the priests and people of Laredo,” Bishop Gregory Kelly said.
“His experience in diocesan administration as Judicial Vicar and Vicar General, his experience in parish ministry, and his commitment to Hispanic Ministry will serve well in his new ministry as the second Bishop of Laredo. I am also grateful to Bishop-elect Gomez for his help to me over this last year as a new bishop in Tyler and will miss his presence and ministry.”
Bishop‑elect Gomez was born on December 15, 1975, in Santa Rosa del Cabal, in the Department of Risaralda, Colombia, to José Jairo Gomez (deceased) and Martha Lucía Cardona. He is the second of three brothers, with one older brother, Roberto de Jesús, and one younger brother, Carlos Alberto.
He was raised in Cali and after completing his secondary education Bishop‑elect Gomez fulfilled his mandatory national service in the Colombian Army. Following his military service, he worked while pursuing philosophical studies in Colombia. In 2002, he emigrated to the United States and entered formation as a seminarian for the Diocese of Tyler, Texas.
He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from St. John Vianney College Seminary in Miami, Florida, in 2004. He then completed his theological studies at the University of St. Thomas and St. Mary’s Seminary in Houston, Texas, receiving a Master of Arts in Theological Studies, a Master of Divinity, and a Bachelor of Sacred Theology in 2009.
Bishop‑elect Gomez was ordained to the diaconate on May 24, 2008, and to priesthood for the Diocese of Tyler on May 23, 2009, by Bishop Álvaro Corrada del Río. He was assigned to canonical studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, where he earned a Licentiate in Canon Law (J.C.L.) in 2012.
Following his return from Rome, Bishop‑elect Gomez served as Parochial Administrator and later Pastor of Holy Cross Parish in Pittsburg, Texas, from 2012 to 2017. He subsequently served as Pastor of Christ the King Parish in Kilgore, Texas (2017–2018), and Pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Frankston, Texas (2018–2020).
In addition to his pastoral assignments, Bishop‑elect Gomez has held numerous diocesan leadership roles. He served as Judge of the Diocesan Tribunal, Adjunct Judicial Vicar, and was appointed Judicial Vicar of the Diocese of Tyler in 2013. He served as Promoter of Justice from 2018 to 2023.
In 2015, Bishop‑elect Gomez was appointed Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia for the Diocese of Tyler, a role he held until 2023, when he was named Delegate of the Apostolic Administrator. Since February 24, 2025, he has again served as Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia.
Bishop‑elect Gomez is a member of the College of Consultors, Presbyteral Council, Diocesan Review Board, Diocesan Finance Council, Catholic Charities – Diocese of Tyler Board, and the East Texas Catholic Foundation Board. He also serves as Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies for the Diocese of Tyler and is a member of the Catholic Association of Diocesan Directors of Hispanic Ministry. He is a member of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem and a Knight of Columbus.
Bishop‑elect Gomez is fluent in Spanish, English, and Italian. He became a citizen of the United States in 2021.
Bishop-elect Gomez’s episcopal ordination and installation as the Bishop of Laredo will be on Tuesday, June 30, 2026. Farewell celebrations in Tyler will be announced soon.
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