SAN ANTONIO – Pope Leo XIV accepted the resignation of Auxiliary Bishop Michael Joseph Boulette of San Antonio, who turned 75 earlier this year.
According to canon law, bishops are required to submit their resignation upon reaching that age. Bishop Boulette submitted his letter to the Holy Father on June 4.
In his retirement letter, Bishop Boulette reflected on a lifetime of ministry.
It has been a profound privilege to have officially served the Church since the age of 14, when I entered high school seminary. God’s abundant grace has been poured out without measure. Serving Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller as a pastor and then auxiliary bishop has been a tremendous honor.
He added that he intends to continue ministering, particularly through teaching and preaching: “My preeminent vocation as teacher and preacher is still very much alive, and I will continue to do these as ministry requires.”
Until September 30, Bishop Boulette will continue serving as vicar general and moderator of the curia, overseeing pastoral and administrative needs of the Archdiocese of San Antonio. Afterward, he will return to ministry at St. Peter upon the Water: A Center for Spiritual Direction and Formation, which he founded in 2004.
Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller praised Bishop Boulette’s ministry, describing him as a compassionate leader with deep pastoral gifts.
Bishop Boulette has a spirituality of joy and simplicity. He is a man with a marvelous pastoral heart for the needs of people and for the Church. He possesses a wide breadth of pastoral experience as a priest of the archdiocese; and we were blessed through his ministry in seminary formation and deep involvement in spiritual direction.
Bishop Boulette was appointed auxiliary bishop of San Antonio by Pope Francis on Jan. 23, 2017, and was ordained on March 20 of that year, the feast of St. Joseph. His ordination Mass was celebrated at St. Mark the Evangelist Church in San Antonio.
Born in Hudson Falls, N.Y., on June 4, 1950, Boulette moved with his family to Fredericksburg, Texas, at the age of nine. He attended St. Mary’s School, graduated from St. John Seminary High School in 1968, and went on to study psychology and theology before being ordained to the priesthood in 1976, also on the feast of St. Joseph.
Over nearly five decades of priesthood, Bishop Boulette served in parishes, seminaries, and retreat ministries across the archdiocese. He became widely known for his pastoral presence, teaching, and retreat work, as well as for helping guide the archdiocese during the coronavirus pandemic.
In 2005, he was appointed chaplain to Pope John Paul II with the title of monsignor. Twelve years later, he was called to the episcopacy.