Pope Leo XIV has appointed James Misko, a priest of the clergy of the Diocese of Austin, as bishop of Tucson (United States), where until now he served as vicar general and moderator of the Curia. The appointment places at the head of this southwestern U.S. diocese a presbyter with extensive pastoral and governance experience in the diocesan sphere.
Msgr. James Misko was born on June 18, 1970, in Los Angeles, California. He pursued university studies in Communication at St. Edward’s University in Austin and later obtained a Master of Divinity at St. Mary’s Seminary in Houston. He was ordained a priest on June 9, 2007, for the Diocese of Austin.
After his ordination, he developed his ministry in various parishes of the diocese. He was parochial vicar of St. Elizabeth of Hungary in Pflugerville from 2007 to 2010. Subsequently, he was administrator and, later, pastor of Christ the King in Belton from 2010 to 2014. From 2014 to 2019, he served as pastor of St. Louis King of France in Austin, one of the most significant parishes in the diocese.
In 2019, he was appointed vicar general and moderator of the Curia of the Diocese of Austin, from which position he assumed direct responsibilities in the pastoral, administrative, and disciplinary coordination of the diocese. In 2025, he was designated diocesan administrator, assuming the interim government of the diocese during the period of sede vacante.
Relationship with Traditionis Custodes
Throughout his career, Misko has been considered a priest with an institutional profile, close to the pastoral line marked by the U.S. episcopate in recent years, with special attention to diocesan organization, ecclesial communion, and the application of guidelines from the Holy See. His experience as moderator of the Curia has placed him at the center of relevant decisions for the liturgical and pastoral life of the diocese.
In this context, his action regarding the Traditional Latin Mass after the promulgation of the motu proprio Traditionis Custodes by Pope Francis is framed. During his time as vicar general in Austin, Msgr. Misko was part of the government team that implemented the provisions of the pontifical document, restricting the celebration of the 1962 Missal to places expressly authorized by the diocesan bishop.
The Diocese of Austin initially allowed, temporarily and with dispensation, the continuation of the traditional Mass in the cathedral, while seeking guidance from the Holy See. However, after Rome’s response, said dispensation was withdrawn, and the celebration of the ancient rite was suppressed in that temple, being replaced by Latin celebrations according to the current Missal. Msgr. Misko participated in the practical application of this decision, in line with Vatican guidelines.
Prohibition on Receiving Communion Kneeling
In the broader liturgical sphere, Msgr. Misko also signed guidelines directed to pastors regarding the manner of receiving communion. In an official communication sent to the clergy, he asked to remove the kneelers placed expressly for communion and requested that the practice of receiving it kneeling be discouraged.
In said directive, Misko argued that, in the United States, the norm established by the episcopal conference is to receive communion standing, and warned that the presence of kneelers could generate confusion among the faithful by suggesting that kneeling is a “more appropriate” way to receive communion. Likewise, he pointed out that this practice could exert undue pressure on other faithful.
Although he recognized that receiving communion kneeling is not prohibited, he insisted that any pastoral or liturgical incentive that promoted this posture should be avoided, emphasizing that the reverence due to the sacrament can also be expressed by receiving communion standing. This indication was interpreted as part of a pastoral line aimed at reinforcing liturgical uniformity in the ordinary form of the Roman rite.