Pope Francis has named Bishop Greg Kelly to be bishop of the Diocese of Tyler. Bishop Kelly, 68, has served as an auxiliary bishop for the Diocese of Dallas since 2016. He will be installed as Tyler’s fifth bishop on Feb. 24, 2025.  

“I am grateful for this new responsibility and will do my best to serve the priests, deacons, religious and faithful of the Diocese of Tyler,” Bishop Kelly said.  

The appointment, first announced at the Vatican, was publicized in Washington, D.C. on Dec. 20, by Cardinal Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States. 

Bishop Kelly —a native of Le Mars, Iowa, who grew up in Colorado Springs, Colorado— is the second of five children of the late John Dennis and Marilean Kelly. He credits his family for his foundation of faith, praising his parents for “the manner of their lives,” including their devotion to the Church, the Eucharist, the Blessed Mother, and the Rosary.  

Bishop Kelly studied for the priesthood at Holy Trinity Seminary in Irving and was ordained as a priest of the Diocese of Dallas on May 15, 1982, by Bishop Thomas Tschoepe. He has served the diocese for more than four decades, including assignments as parochial vicar at All Saints Catholic Church in Dallas, chaplain at the University of Dallas in Irving; and the founding pastor of St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish in McKinney. From 2008-2016, he served as the diocese’s Vicar for Clergy, assisting priests, deacons and seminarians. He also was the diocesan vocations director (1995-1997) and interim rector for Holy Trinity Seminary (2014).   

In 2013, he was named monsignor by Pope Benedict XVI.  

Bishop Kelly was ordained as auxiliary bishop of Dallas Feb. 11, 2016, during a Mass at what is now the National Shrine Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Since his episcopal ordination, he also has been the diocese’s Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia. From 2016-2017, he also served as the apostolic administrator for the diocese following the elevation of Cardinal Kevin J. Farrell and prior to the installation of Bishop Edward J. Burns as the eighth bishop of the Diocese of Dallas.  

In a statement posted on dallascatholic.org, Bishop Burns said the faithful of the Diocese of Dallas “rejoice” with the priests and faithful of the Diocese of Tyler as they receive “a wonderful shepherd” to lead them.   

“While we acknowledge that Pope Francis has chosen a loyal and committed Bishop to serve in the Diocese of Tyler, our beloved brother will be missed here in the Diocese of Dallas,” the statement read. “We acknowledge that Pope Francis has chosen a man who possesses the heart of the Good Shepherd and will serve the people of God in the Diocese of Tyler well.”  

Bishop Burns, in the statement, also expressed his gratitude for Bishop Kelly’s faithful service to the people of the Diocese of Dallas.  

“With all the priests, deacons, religious, and faithful of the Diocese of Dallas, I give thanks to Almighty God for the wonderful ministry and dedication Bishop Kelly has provided in the Diocese of Dallas since his ordination to the priesthood in 1982 and especially as the Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese,” Bishop Burns said. “As Bishop Kelly takes on his new responsibilities in the Diocese of Tyler, he takes with him our prayers and affection. Through the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe, may God continue to bless his good work and this new chapter in his life.”  

The Diocese of Tyler is comprised of 23,443 square miles in the State of Texas and has a total population of 1,460,387, of which 121,212 are Catholic. Established in 1987, the Tyler diocese serves 33 counties and is home to 54 parishes and 14 missions.  

Bishop Kelly will hold a press announcement at 10 a.m. Dec. 20. We invite you to watch the announcement live at https://youtube.com/live/t5M082QvfWc?feature=share. Read the full transcript of Bishop Burns’ message at dallascatholic.org.