Bishop-designate Michael Mulvey addresses those gathered at the Jan. 18 press conference where it was announced that he will become the eighth bishop of the Diocese of Corpus Christi. His episcopal motto is "Your attitude should be that of Christ," from Paul's letter to the Philippians.

The world stopped for Msgr. Michael Mulvey on Dec. 11, but not for long. A phone call that day from Archbishop Pietro Sambi, apostolic nuncio to the United States, informed him of his appointment by Pope Benedict XVI as the eighth bishop of the Diocese of Corpus Christi.

"Needless to say the nuncio's call was a shock and caused time to stand still," said Bishop-designate Mulvey at a Jan. 18 press conference at Corpus Christi Cathedral, where he was introduced by his predecessor, Bishop Edmond Carmody.

After the initial surprise of the appointment, Bishop-designate Mulvey said he was humbled, grateful and joyful.

"I first want to say how happy I am to be here today in Corpus Christi and to have been given the privilege of being the next bishop of this diocese," he said. "I am very aware that I have a lot to learn — first of all about being a bishop and about the diocese itself and the various communities that make up the diocese. Nevertheless, I come to my new diocese in the name of Jesus Christ to offer my life in service to all the people of our diocese.

"I am humbled and grateful to Pope Benedict XVI for his confidence in choosing me for this indispensable ministry in the Church."

The pope accepted the resignation of Bishop Carmody, 76, who has been head of the Corpus Christi Diocese since 2000.

Bishop-designate Mulvey, 60, has administered the Austin Diocese since Bishop Gregory M. Aymond left the diocese in August to become archbishop of New Orleans. The newly-appointed bishop will be ordained and installed for the Diocese of Corpus Christi on March 25 in Corpus Christi Cathedral.

A native of Houston, the bishop-designate has administrative and pastoral experience and a long-standing connection with Focolare, an international movement which aims for world unity through the living witness of Christian love and holiness in the family and small community.

Bishop-designate Mulvey spoke in Spanish and English during the press conference, with special greetings for the priests, deacons, seminarians and young people of the diocese.

"No person can work in isolation and much less a bishop," he told the priests. "Your collaboration will be essential to me in announcing God's love and the Gospel of Jesus Christ."

The bishop-designate told young people that they are "essential to the vitality of the church" and said he looked forward "to sitting down with you and your pastors to reinforce our commitment to you and your faith."

William Michael Mulvey was born on Aug. 23, 1949, in Houston, and is the second of six children born to Daniel H. Mulvey Jr. and Marjorie Jane Patterson Mulvey. He has 12 nieces and nephews.

All of his education was completed at Catholic schools including St. Theresa and St. Cecilia in Houston and St. Thomas High School in Houston (1963-1966). He was confirmed by Bishop Wendelin J. Nold at St. Cecilia Parish in Houston. He attended St. Edward's Catholic High School in Austin (1967) and St. Edward's University, where he graduated in 1971 with a BBA.

He attended seminary at the North American College in Rome from 1971-1976. From 1971-1974 he earned his bachelor's degree of Sacred Theology from St. Thomas University (Angelicum) and from 1974-1976, he earned his licentiate (master's degree) in Sacred Theology from Gregorian University.

He was one of 359 priests ordained by Pope Paul VI in 1975 in St. Peter's Square. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Austin, where he has served in many capacities.

In addition to a number of parish posts, Bishop-designate Mulvey served as a high school chaplain; director of spiritual formation at St. Mary's Seminary in Houston; associate director of the Center for Spirituality for Diocesan Priests of the Focolare Movement in Florence, Italy, and director of a similar center in Hyde Park, N.Y.; and chancellor and vicar general of the Austin Diocese.

The bishop-designate said that he became involved in the Focolare movement shortly after his ordination as he was personally searching for a deeper spiritual life, a spirituality that had a "personal application in my life."

He found this in the Focolare community which he said draws from "a spirituality that speaks of communion."

This sense of communion and community has also been lived out in his own family, which he described as being "very close-knit."

He added that "family life needs to be the center of all that we do."

Two of his great aunts were members of religious orders. One was a Poor Clare Sister, who lived in Flour Bluff. His visits to see her and take in some fishing, brought him to the Corpus Christi area often, and long before he knew he would be returning as a spiritual leader.

Elected administrator of the Austin Diocese Aug. 24, he will continue to hold the post until a new bishop is appointed for Austin.

He had returned to St. Mary's last year as vice rector, but left after three weeks when called back to Austin as administrator.

Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, who will ordain Bishop-designate Mulvey and install him as Bishop of Corpus Christi, said the Houston native "will bring great leadership and a wealth of pastoral wisdom to his work as the shepherd of the Corpus Christi diocese."

He added that "His faith took root through a strong Catholic education here in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, and he will now bring his deep love of the Church and Her teachings to the people of Corpus Christi. I look forward to collaborating with him as a Texas bishop."

Bishop-designate Mulvey has chosen the verse, "Your attitude must be that of Christ." from St. Paul's letter to the Philippians, chapter 2, verse 5, as his Episcopal motto. He said it has been a philosophy he has strived to live by throughout his life and priesthood. "It reflects service," he said. "To serve you must be empty of self."

At the press conference, Bishop Carmody told his successor that "you have come to a place where people will love you." Bishop-designate Mulvey thanked Bishop Carmody for his 10 years of service to the Diocese of Corpus Christi and for his ministry to the people of south Texas.

Before coming to Corpus Christi in 2000, Bishop Carmody served as the second bishop of the Diocese of Tyler, Texas, where he was installed on May 25, 1992.

Bishop Carmody, the second of 13 children, was born in Moyvane, County Kerry, Ireland, and was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of San Antonio on June 8, 1957, following studies at St. Patrick Seminary in Carlow.

When he arrived in San Antonio in mid-September of 1957, he was assigned to a succession of parish posts. An interest in Scouting led to his appointment as assistant archdiocesan chaplain of Scouts in 1965.

In 1966, he was named secretary to the archdiocesan tribunal and, at the same time, chaplain of Incarnate Word High School in San Antonio, continuing both posts for the next 17 years. He also served as chaplain of the Texas Army National Guard for six years.

He became secretary to then-Archbishop Francis Furey in 1967 and archdiocesan moderator of the Catholic Youth Organization in 1968. He was named director of the Family Life Program in 1974 and director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith and of the Holy Childhood Association in the archdiocese.

During his years in San Antonio, Bishop Carmody earned master's degrees in education and in social work, as well as his teacher's and counselor's certificates from the state of Texas.

In 1983, then-Msgr. Carmody went as a missionary to Guayaquil, Ecuador, with the Society of St. James the Apostle. Only a few days before completing his five-year assignment, Pope John Paul II appointed him auxiliary bishop of San Antonio; he was ordained a bishop on Dec. 15, 1988.

On the national level he was active in many committees and was both a member and chairman of the bishops' Committee for the Church in Latin America and the Marriage and Family Life Committee.

Following his March 17, 2000, installation as the seventh bishop of the Diocese of Corpus Christi, Bishop Carmody had seven goals which derived from the diocesan synod of 1988 and diocesan self-study of 1998 — evangelization, catechesis, worship, vocations, family life, youth, and stewardship.

After months of informal meetings with local civic and religious leaders he also took on three top community concerns — homelessness, the fight against a high local incidence of diabetes and a rising number of high school drop-outs.

His leadership efforts resulted working closely with the American Diabetes Association in their annual awareness and fundraising walk as well as a benefit racquetball match for diabetes awareness. He challenged and won seven consecutive matches against community leaders. He also opened the Mother Teresa Day Shelter for the Homeless in 2003 and John Paul II High School in 2006. The diocesan school will graduate it first senor class this May.