Pope Leo XIV accepted the resignation of Bishop Patrick J. Zurek of Amarillo, Texas, on February 14, 2026, and named Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo, 76-year-old archbishop emeritus of Galveston-Houston, as apostolic administrator until a successor is chosen. Zurek, who served 19 years as Amarillo’s eighth bishop, submitted his resignation in accordance with canon law. The Diocese of Amarillo spans 25,800 square miles across the Texas Panhandle. Cardinal Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States, announced the changes, which provide temporary leadership continuity while the Vatican conducts its search.
On February 14, 2026, Pope Leo XIV accepted the resignation of Bishop Patrick J. Zurek from the Diocese of Amarillo and appointed Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo as apostolic administrator until a new bishop is installed. The announcement was publicized by Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the apostolic nuncio to the United States, according to OSV News reporting from Washington.
Zurek, a native of Sealy, Texas, was 77 at the time of his resignation. He was ordained a priest in the Diocese of Austin in 1975 and served as an auxiliary bishop in San Antonio starting in 1998. He was installed as the eighth bishop of Amarillo on January 3, 2008, making his tenure of 19 years, one month, and 10 days the longest in the diocese’s history. The Diocese of Amarillo covers 25,800 square miles in Texas and now awaits the appointment and installation of a new bishop. Zurek earned a licentiate in moral theology at the Alphonsian Academy in Rome. The situation underscores ongoing pastoral considerations about how bishops address pastoral care in diverse dioceses.
Cardinal DiNardo, aged 76, is the retired archbishop of Galveston-Houston. He headed that archdiocese from 2006 until his resignation in January 2025, having submitted his resignation when he turned 75 on May 23, 2024, as required by canon law. Pope Benedict XVI elevated him to the College of Cardinals in 2007, and he previously served as president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. As archbishop emeritus of Galveston-Houston, DiNardo brings extensive administrative experience to his interim role in Amarillo.
A native of Ohio, DiNardo was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Pittsburgh before being named coadjutor bishop of Galveston-Houston in January 2004. He succeeded Archbishop Joseph A. Fiorenza on February 28, 2006. He has planned to retire in the Houston area and will retain his cardinal status until age 80.
The apostolic administrator role is temporary, providing continuity in diocesan leadership while the Vatican conducts its search for Amarillo’s next bishop. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops confirmed the pope’s actions, with coverage appearing in KVII local news in Amarillo, National Today, Catholic Virginian, and NCR Online. The coordinated announcement through Washington reflects standard procedure for such leadership shifts in the American church.
