Episcopacy
On September 4, 1979, Fiorenza was appointed the fourth Bishop of San Angelo by Pope John Paul II. He received his episcopal consecration on the following October 25 from Archbishop Patrick Flores, with Bishops John Louis Morkovsky and John E. McCarthy serving as co-consecrators, at Sacred Heart Cathedral.
On December 18, 1984, Fiorenza was named Bishop of the Diocese of Galveston-Houston by Pope John Paul II. He was installed as Bishop of Galveston-Houston by Archbishop Patrick Flores in the presence of Archbishop Pio Laghi, the Apostolic Pro-Nuncio. The Diocese of Galveston-Houston was elevated to the status of Archdiocese by His Holiness Pope John Paul II on Dec. 29, 2004, at which point Fiorenza became an Archbishop. During his tenure, Fiorenza worked diligently to protect the reputation of the Church in light of the negative publicity surrounding the sexual abuses of priests targeting minors in the Galveston-Houston Diocese by stonewalling investigation efforts.
Archbishop Fiorenza submitted his letter of retirement to the Vatican in February 2006 at the customary age of 75 years. The response was received on February 28, 2006, officially granting Fiorenza his retirement and declaring former co-adjutor Archbishop Daniel DiNardo the presiding Archbishop of Galveston-Houston.
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