Archbishop Vásquez’s statement on receiving the Pallium

Deacons hold palliums -- woolen bands worn by metropolitan archbishops to symbolize their authority and unity with the pope -- during Mass for the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican June 29, 2024. Archbishop Joe S. Vásquez will attend the June 29, 2025, Pallium Mass set to be celebrated by Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican, where Archbishop Vásquez will receive his pallium from the pope. (CNS photo/Lola Gomez)

On June 16, Archbishop Joe S. Vásquez shared the following statement ahead of receiving his pallium from Pope Leo XIV on June 29, 2025.

In recent days, I was informed that Pope Leo XIV will both bless and impose the pallium upon me and the other newly appointed Archbishops from around the world on June 29, 2025, during the Solemn Mass of Saints Peter and Paul in Rome, Italy.

My original intention was to celebrate a Mass within the Archdiocese at which the pallium would be imposed. However, given this new development, I will now receive the pallium directly from the Holy Father in Rome.

I ask you to pray for me and all the Archbishops who will share in this joyful moment with the Successor of Peter.

Please be assured of my prayers for all the faithful here in our local Church.

Fraternally yours in Christ,

The Most Reverend Joe S. Vásquez
Archbishop of Galveston-Houston

En días recientes, fui informado de que el Papa León XIV me impondrá el palio y otorgará su bendición, junto con los demás Arzobispos recién nombrados de todo el mundo, el 29 de junio de 2025, durante la Misa Solemne de los Santos Pedro y Pablo en Roma, Italia.

Mi intención original era celebrar una Misa dentro de la Arquidiócesis en la que se me impusiera el palio. Sin embargo, dado este nuevo acontecimiento, recibiré el palio directamente del Santo Padre en Roma.

Les pido que recen por mí y por todos los Arzobispos que compartirán este momento de alegría con el Sucesor de Pedro.

Por favor, tengan la seguridad de mis oraciones por todos los fieles de nuestra Iglesia local.

Fraternalmente suyo en Cristo,

El Reverendo Joe S. Vásquez
Arzobispo de Galveston-Houston

Pope Leo to return to practice of ‘imposing’ pallium on new archbishops

By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Leo XIV will revive a tradition begun by St. John Paul II in 1983 by personally placing a pallium around the shoulders of recently named archbishops. 

The pallium, a 3-inch-wide woolen band with 14-inch strips hanging down the front and the back, is a liturgical vestment that symbolizes both unity with the pope and service to the people of God. Metropolitan archbishops -- residential archbishops who preside over an ecclesiastical province -- wear the pallium when celebrating Mass in their province. 

The Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff issued a formal notification June 11 that on the June 29 feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, Pope Leo "will preside over the Eucharistic celebration, bless the palliums and impose them on the new metropolitan archbishops." 

In 2015, Pope Francis had changed the ceremony, inviting new archbishops to concelebrate Mass with him and be present for the blessing of the palliums as a way of underlining their bond of unity and communion with him. 

However, Pope Francis decided that the actual imposition of the pallium would take place in the archbishop's archdiocese in the presence of his faithful and bishops from neighboring dioceses. The nuncio, his representative to a country, would place the pallium over the archbishop's shoulders. 

The Code of Canon Law stipulates that within three months of their appointment or consecration all metropolitan archbishops must request a pallium from the pope. "The pallium signifies the power which the metropolitan, in communion with the Roman church, has by law in his own province," it says. 

The strips hanging down the front and back of the pallium are tipped with black silk to recall the dark hooves of the sheep that the archbishop is symbolically carrying over his shoulders.

Pope Francis' change was designed to "better highlight the relationship of the metropolitan archbishops with their local churches, giving more faithful the possibility of being present for this significant rite," said Msgr. Guido Marini, who was the master of papal liturgical ceremonies at the time.

Archbishop Diego Ravelli, the current master of ceremonies, did not explain why Pope Leo has decided to impose the palliums himself.

The heads of U.S. archdioceses who are due to receive palliums this year include: Archbishop Joe S. Vásquez of Galveston-Houston; Robert Cardinal McElroy of Washington; Archbishop W. Shawn McKnight of Kansas City, Kansas; Archbishop Michael G. McGovern of Omaha, Nebraska; Archbishop Robert G. Casey of Cincinnati; Archbishop Jeffrey S. Grob of Milwaukee; Archbishop Richard G. Henning of Boston; and Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger of Detroit. 

In 1983, when St. John Paul placed palliums on the shoulders of five archbishops from Italy, Wales and Chile, he told them that it "is a symbol of privileged communion with the successor of Peter, principle and visible foundation of unity in the field of doctrine, discipline and pastoral work." 

At the same time, he said, the pallium should signify "a greater commitment to love for Christ and for souls. Such love for the flock of Christ, shepherd and guardian of our souls, will help you carry out your ministry of service," he said. "The doctrine you offer will be fruitful if nourished with love."