Mark J Seitz

Early life and education

Mark Seitz was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on January 10, 1954, the eldest of ten siblings. In 1972, he entered Holy Trinity Seminary at the University of Dallas in Texas. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy in 1976 and a Master of Divinity degree in 1980.

Ordination and ministry

Seitz was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Thomas A. Tschoepe on May 17, 1980. He served as a parochial vicar at Good Shepherd Church in Garland from 1980 to 1985. He earned a M.A. in Theology from the University of Dallas in 1982 and an M.A. in Liturgical Studies from Saint John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota, in 1985. He also took summer courses at the University of Notre Dame and Duquesne University.

Seitz served as an adjunct professor at the University of Dallas from 1985 to 1994, teaching liturgy and sacramental theology. He also served as associate spiritual director (1986-1987), director of liturgy (1986-1993), and vice-rector (1987-1993) at Holy Trinity Seminary. From 1993 to 2003, he was pastor of St. Joseph Church in Waxahachie. He was an instructor at Christ the Servant Institute in Dallas in the fall of 2001 and interned at the National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during the fall of 2002. In 2003, he became pastor of St. Rita's Church in Dallas. He was named a Prelate of Honor by Pope John Paul II in December 2004. In 2009, he donated one of his kidneys to an ailing parishioner. In 2010, he became pastor of All Saints Church in Dallas.

Seitz was a member of the Presbyteral Council of the Diocese of Dallas (1988–1993, 1999–2006, 2007–2010), spiritual director of Dallas/Fort Worth Courage (1998–2010), a member of the Diocesan Honduras Solidarity Team (2002–2010), a member of the College of Consultors of the diocese (2007–2010), spiritual director of the White Rose Women's Center (2009–2010), and a member of the Board of Directors of the BirthChoice Catholic Crisis Pregnancy Center (2009-2010).

Auxiliary Bishop of Dallas

On March 11, 2010, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Seitz auxiliary bishop of Dallas with the titular see of Cozyla. He said: "I have learned through the years that following Christ is an adventure filled with totally unexpected dips and turns. When you give your life to His service you better learn to enjoy the ride." Along with J. Douglas Deshotel, he was be one of the first auxiliary bishops of the Dallas since the Diocese of Fort Worth was split from it in 1969.

He received his episcopal consecration on the April 27, 2010 from Bishop Kevin Farrell, with Charles V. Grahmann and Michael Duca serving as co-consecrators.

Bishop of El Paso

On May 6, 2013, Pope Francis appointed Seitz the Bishop of El Paso, Texas. He was installed there on July 9, 2013.

On July 18, 2017, he issued a pastoral letter on immigration in which he said that "elected leaders have not yet mustered the moral courage to enact permanent, comprehensive immigration reform" and praised the efforts of the "heroic individuals, families, pastors, religious, parishes and institutions that spend themselves in service to migrants and refugees" and campaign "against the militarization of our border". He expressed concern for immigrant families who fear separation and for law enforcement officers who "put their lives on the line to stem the flow of weapons and drugs" but are "troubled in conscience by divisive political rhetoric and new edicts coming from Washington, D.C." He condemned profit-based immigrant detention centers, the hostility shown to asylum seekers, and "the disparagement of our Muslim brothers and sisters".