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| Diocese of Texcoco | |
|---|---|
| Name | Diocese of Texcoco |
| Latin | Dioecesis Texcocensis |
| Country | Mexico |
| Territory | Texcoco, State of Mexico |
| Province | Archdiocese of Tlalnepantla |
| Metropolitan | Archdiocese of Tlalnepantla |
| Area km2 | 706 |
| Population | 1,605,000 |
| Population as of | 2014 |
| Catholics | 1,442,000 |
| Catholics percent | 89.9 |
| Parishes | 60 |
| Denomination | Catholic Church |
| Sui iuris | Latin Church |
| Rite | Roman Rite |
| Established | 3 November 1960 |
| Cathedral | Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi |
| Bishop | vacant |
| Metro archbishop | Carlos Aguiar Retes |
Diocese of Texcoco is a Roman Catholic diocese in the State of Mexico, Mexico, erected on 3 November 1960 and suffragan to the Archdiocese of Tlalnepantla. The diocese encompasses the city of Texcoco and surrounding municipalities on the Valley of Mexico and forms part of the ecclesiastical province centered in Tlalnepantla de Baz. It has historically interacted with regional centers such as Mexico City, Toluca, Ecatepec de Morelos, Chalco, and Puebla de Zaragoza.
The territorial origins trace to colonial-era jurisdictions under the Archdiocese of Mexico and the missionary structures established by the Franciscans, Dominicans, and Augustinians during the 16th century, including missions linked to figures such as Fray Martín de Valencia and Juan de Zumárraga. The modern diocese was created by Pope John XXIII on 3 November 1960, carved from territory formerly administered by the Archdiocese of Mexico and later aligned within the province of Tlalnepantla after the erection of that metropolitan see in 1964 by Pope Paul VI. Successive ordinaries have included clerics implicated in national ecclesiastical developments under Popes Paul VI, John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis, and who engaged with Mexican episcopal bodies such as the Episcopal Conference of Mexico and regional synods. The diocese has been shaped by events like the Cristero War aftermath, the post-conciliar reforms of the Second Vatican Council, and late-20th-century urban expansion tied to the growth of Greater Mexico City.
The diocese covers municipalities in the eastern State of Mexico, including Texcoco, Atenco, Chalco de Díaz Covarrubias, and neighboring localities located on the Lerma River basin and the former basin of Lake Texcoco. Demographic changes reflect migration from rural states such as Puebla and Oaxaca into the Valley of Mexico, producing pastoral challenges similar to those faced in Ecatepec de Morelos and Nezahualcóyotl. The population is predominantly Catholic with significant devotion to devotions centered on Our Lady of Guadalupe, Saint Francis of Assisi, and local patronal festivals linked to indigenous syncretism from the Nahuas and Otomi communities. Socioeconomic ties connect the diocese to transportation corridors such as the Mexico City–Puebla highway and to institutions like the National Autonomous University of Mexico where clergy and laity often study.
The cathedral, the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi, occupies a central place in Texcoco and embodies baroque and neoclassical layers similar to ecclesiastical architecture found in Puebla de Zaragoza and Toluca Cathedral. The diocesan patrimony includes historic parish churches and chapels dating to the 16th and 17th centuries, some originally founded by the Order of Friars Minor and others by secular clergy under the Parish system of colonial New Spain. Notable sanctuaries host relics and altarpieces influenced by artists tied to the Mexican Baroque and regional ateliers active during the viceregal period, comparable to preserved works in Atlixco and Zacatlán.
Since its erection the diocese has been led by bishops appointed by the Holy See; early ordinaries include bishops who later held positions in metropolitan sees or national episcopal commissions. The ordinary exercises apostolic governance in communion with the Pope and coordinates with the Congregation for Bishops in Rome, while participating in the Episcopal Conference of Mexico. Clerical formation often occurred at seminaries connected to the National Seminary of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Mexico City) and regional theological institutes influenced by liberation theology debates and the pastoral orientations arising from Vatican II.
The diocesan curia administers pastoral, liturgical, and canonical matters through offices for Vocations, Catechesis, Family Ministry, and Caritas-style social outreach, coordinating with parish priests, deacons, and religious orders such as the Compañía de Jesús and the Sisters of Charity. Deaneries subdivide the territory for pastoral care, and tribunals handle matrimonial causes in accordance with the Code of Canon Law as interpreted by tribunals connected to the Metropolitan Tribunal of Tlalnepantla. The diocese participates in national programs promoted by the Mexican Bishops' Conference addressing migration, poverty, and pastoral youth ministry.
Educational initiatives include parochial schools, catechetical centers, and collaboration with higher education institutions like the Pontifical University of Mexico and regional colleges where clergy pursue studies in Canon Law and Theology. Social services operate through diocesan Caritas programs, parish food banks, health clinics, and shelters that coordinate with municipal authorities in Texcoco and non-governmental organizations such as Cáritas Mexicana and international Catholic relief entities. Pastoral outreach often addresses issues faced by migrants traveling along corridors toward United States–Mexico border regions and supports indigenous language ministry among Nahuatl speakers.
The diocese has been involved in public controversies over land and development projects in Texcoco, notably debates connected to the proposed New International Airport for Mexico City on the former Lake Texcoco site, which entangled local communities, environmental activists from groups like GRAIN and Friends of the Earth, and ecclesial responses regarding pastoral care and social justice. Other issues have included disputes over parish property, clerical misconduct addressed through canonical processes, and clashes between traditionalist liturgical groups and diocesan authorities amid wider conflicts seen elsewhere in Mexico, such as those involving Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera and debates within the Episcopal Conference of Mexico about pastoral approaches to contemporary social questions.
Category:Roman Catholic dioceses in Mexico Category:Religion in the State of Mexico