Daniel E. Flores

Daniel Ernesto Flores (born August 28, 1961) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He has been the Bishop of Brownsville since December 2009. He had previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Detroit.

Daniel Flores was born in Palacios, Texas, to Fernando and Lydia Flores. He has two brothers, Billie and Javier, and one sister, Teresa. Shortly after his birth, he and his family moved to Corpus Christi. He graduated from Flour Bluff High School in 1979, and then studied at the University of Texas at Austin for two years before entering Holy Trinity Seminary in 1981. He obtained a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy (1983) and a Master's in Divinity (1987) from the University of Dallas.

Flores was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop René Gracida on January 30, 1988, and then served as parochial vicar at Corpus Christi Cathedral. He was also private secretary and master of ceremonies to Bishop Gracida, vice-chancellor of the Diocese, rector of the St. John Vianney House of Studies, and Episcopal Vicar for Vocations (1992-1997). He was raised to the rank of Chaplain to His Holiness in September 1995.

In 1997, Flores was sent to Rome by Bishop Roberto González Nieves, O.F.M., to further his studies. He is an alumnus of the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum), from which he earned a doctorate in theology in 2000. Upon his return to the United States, Flores served as chancellor of the Corpus Christi diocese until August 2001, when he was assigned to the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. He there served as professor of theology at the University of St. Thomas, and Formation Director at St. Mary's Seminary, where he was also vice-rector (2002-2006). Returning to his former diocese, he became rector of Corpus Christi Cathedral in September 2005, assuming full duties in June 2006.

On October 28, 2006, Flores was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit and Titular Bishop of Cozyla by Pope Benedict XVI. He received his episcopal consecration on the following November 29 from Adam Cardinal Maida, with Bishops Edmond Carmody and René Gracida serving as co-consecrators, at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament. His episcopal motto, taken from the Summa Theologica, is: "Verbum Mittitur Spirans Amorem" (Latin: "The Word Is Sent Breathing Forth Love").

Flores is the first Latino bishop to serve the Archdiocese of Detroit and, at the time of his episcopal appointment, was the youngest Catholic bishop in the United States. He speaks English, Spanish, Italian, and Latin.

On December 9, 2009 Pope Benedict appointed Bishop Flores as the bishop of Brownsville succeeding Bishop Raymundo Joseph Peña. Bishop Flores was installed as bishop on Candlemas, February 2nd, 2010.