Former Brownsville bishop dies; noted for defending immigrants

Published: 2006-07-19

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (CNS) -- Retired Bishop John J. Fitzpatrick of Brownsville, noted for his pastoral ministry to migrants and immigrants and his advocacy on their behalf, died in his home July 15 of natural causes. He was 87. His funeral Mass was to be celebrated July 19 at St. Mary, Mother of the Church Parish in Brownsville, where he continued ministering after his retirement, followed by burial at Buena Vista Cemetery. Bishop Fitzpatrick headed the Brownsville Diocese from 1971 to 1991 and administered the diocese again in 1994-95 after his first successor died. As a priest and bishop he was noted for his ministry to the poor, migrants and refugees -- first in Florida and then in the Rio Grande Valley. Casa Oscar Romero, which he opened in 1982 in San Benito, Texas, has sheltered about 130,000 refugees from Central America over the years and has served about 2.5 million meals. "Bishop John Fitzpatrick will long be remembered as a champion of the poor and underprivileged," said Brownsville's Bishop Raymundo J. Pena. "His outreach to farmworkers and refugees was noteworthy."

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