[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 61 (Monday, April 3, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E762]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


   TRIBUTE IN HONOR OF THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF ARCHBISHOP PATRICK F. 
                            FLORES' SERVICE

                                 ______


                           HON. FRANK TEJEDA

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, April 3, 1995
  Mr. TEJEDA. Mr. Speaker, in the rush of our congressional lives, it 
is fitting that we take a moment to reflect on the work and 
accomplishment of the Most Reverend Patrick F. Flores, archbishop of 
San Antonio. His life represents devotion to community, respect for his 
fellow man, and tireless work to assist the less fortunate. In just a 
few weeks, we will gather in San Antonio, within the historic walls of 
Mission San Jose, to pay a most deserved tribute to Archbishop Flores 
on the 25th anniversary of his Episcopal ordination. It is my privilege 
to highlight this special event for my colleagues in the House of 
Representatives.
  I should begin with some of the basics. He was born in Ganado, TX, a 
small town between Victoria and Houston on what is now Highway 59. He 
entered the priesthood on May 26, 1956, with his ordination at St. 
Mary's Cathedral in Houston. On March 18, 1970, Pope VI appointed him 
to serve as auxiliary to the archbishop in San Antonio. After a brief 
period as bishop of the diocese of El Paso, TX, Bishop Flores was 
elevated to archbishop of San Antonio on October 13, 1979. Pope John 
Paul II, on May 25, 1982, conferred the pallium on Archbishop Flores.
  Archbishop Flores, upon his 1970 installation as bishop, was the 
first Mexican-American elevated to the hierarchy of the Catholic Church 
in the United States. I cannot emphasize the importance of this 
accomplishment to the hundreds of thousands of Catholic Americans of 
Mexican descent. It is fitting that we will mark this special occasion 
at Mission San Jose, one of the early outposts of Spanish Catholicism 
in the New World. And now one of the students of those early 
missionaries celebrates 25 years as a bishop.
  But more important than the honor is what Archbishop Flores has 
accomplished. In the early 1970's, he broke new ground in his efforts 
to establish the Mexican-American Cultural Center in San Antonio, the 
National Foundation for Mexican-American Vocations, and the National 
Hispanic Scholarship Fund. He served as chairman of the Texas Advisory 
Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, was recognized by the 
American Jewish Committee for his humanitarianism, and received the 
Medal of Freedom in conjunction with the Statue of Liberty's 100th 
anniversary. To serve his community, he established an annual December 
telethon to help the needy cope with temporary housing and medical 
emergencies. In this same vein, he sponsors an annual breakfast for a 
battered women's shelter, and raises money to fight diabetes and help 
handicapped children.
  His dedication speaks for itself. His commitment to the less 
fortunate is evident. His work for the community is legion. The 
benefits of his work extend beyond the immediate recipients--we benefit 
from the repaired lives in our communities and the example he sets for 
us and our children. Now it is fitting that we express our gratitude.


                          ____________________