Vincent M. Rizzotto

American Catholic bishop (1931–2021)

His Excellency, The Most Reverend Vincent Michael Rizzotto
Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of Galveston-Houston Titular Bishop of Lamasba
Archdiocese	Galveston-Houston
Appointed	June 22, 2001
Installed	July 31, 2001
Term ended	November 6, 2006
Other post(s)	Titular Bishop of Lamasba
Orders
Ordination	May 26, 1956
Consecration	July 31, 2001 by Joseph Anthony Fiorenza, Patrick Flores, and John E. McCarthy
Personal details
Born	(1931-09-09)September 9, 1931 Houston, Texas
Died	January 17, 2021(2021-01-17) (aged 89) Houston, Texas
Alma mater	Catholic University of America
Motto	Make us one in Christ

Styles of Vincent Michael Rizzotto

Reference style	His Excellency The Most Reverend
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Religious style	Bishop

Vincent Michael Rizzotto (September 9, 1931 – January 17, 2021) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston from 2001 to 2006.

Biography

Early life

Born in Houston, Texas, Vincent Rizzotto graduated from St. Thomas High School in Houston in 1949, and then studied at St. Mary Seminary in Houston.^[1]

Priesthood

Rizzotto was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston on May 26, 1956.^[2] After his ordination, Rizzotto went to Washington, D.C. to study at the Catholic University of America, obtaining a Licentiate of Canon Law in 1963.^[1] He served as an official of the diocesan marriage tribunal from 1967 to 1972, and as pastor of All Saints Parish in Houston from 1969 to 1972.^[1]

Rizzotto was appointed pastor of St. Francis de Sales Parish in Houston in 1972, serving there for the next ten years. He was raised to the rank of Monsignor on September 14, 1978. Rizzotto left St. Francis in 1982 to become pastor of St. Cecilia Parish in Hedwig Village, Texas, remaining there until 2002. He also became a protonotary apostolic on February 16, 2000^[1] and served as vicar general of the archdiocese.

Auxiliary Bishop of Galveston-Houston

On June 22, 2001, Rizzotto was appointed as auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Galveston-Houston and Titular Bishop of Lamasba by Pope John Paul II.^[2] He received his episcopal consecration on July 31 2001 at Saint Michael's Church in Houston from Archbishop Joseph Fiorenza, with Archbishop Patrick Flores and Bishop John McCarthy serving as co-consecrators.^[2] Rizzotto selected as his episcopal motto: "Make Us One In Christ."^[1]^[2]

Upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75, Rizzotto sent his letter of resignation as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Galvaston-Houston to Pope Benedict XVI. The pope accepted it on November 6, 2006.^[2] Rizzotto founded the Bishop Rizzotto Golf Classic, which benefits the elderly residents of the archdiocese senior care community.

Rizzotto died on January 17, 2021, at the age of 89, in Houston.^[3]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e "Curriculum Vitae". Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e "Bishop Vincent Michael Rizzotto". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.
^ Daniel Cardinal DiNardo (January 17, 2021). "Cardinal DiNardo on the death of Retired Aux. Bishop Rizzotto". Retrieved January 18, 2021.

External links

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston–Houston Official Site

Episcopal succession

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by -	Auxiliary Bishop of Galveston-Houston 2001-2006	Succeeded by -

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston–Houston

Ordinaries

Prefect Apostolic of Texas: John Timon

Vicar Apostolic of Texas: Jean-Marie Odin

Bishops of Galveston: Jean-Marie Odin; Claude Marie Dubuis; Nicolaus Aloysius Gallagher; Christopher Edward Byrne; Wendelin Joseph Nold

Coadjutor bishop (did not succeed to the See): Pierre Dufal

Bishops of Galveston–Houston: Wendelin Joseph Nold; John Louis Morkovsky

Archbishops of Galveston–Houston: Joseph Fiorenza; Daniel DiNardo

Auxiliaries: John E. McCarthy; Enrique San Pedro; Curtis J. Guillory; James Anthony Tamayo; Vincent M. Rizzotto; Joe S. Vásquez; George Sheltz; Italo Dell’Oro

Priests who became bishops: John E. McCarthy

Priests: Ryan Stawaisz; David Michael Moses

Churches

Co-cathedrals: St. Mary Cathedral Basilica, Galveston (Bishop's Palace, Galveston); Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Houston

Historic parishes: All Saints Church, Houston; Annunciation Church, Houston; Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Houston; Our Mother of Mercy Church, Houston; St. Joseph's Church, Galveston

Education

Universities: Our Lady of the Lake University, Houston; University of St. Thomas, Houston

High schools, K-12: Duchesne Academy, Houston

High schools, 9-12: Cristo Rey Jesuit College Preparatory of Houston; Frassati Catholic High School, Harris County (Spring area); Incarnate Word Academy, Houston; O'Connell College Preparatory School, Galveston; Pope John XXIII High School, Harris County (Katy area); Saint Agnes Academy, Houston; St. Pius X High School, Houston; St. Thomas High School, Houston; Strake Jesuit College Preparatory, Houston