LAREDO (TX)
KGNS [Laredo, TX]
November 29, 2025
By Yocelin Gallardo
The Diocese of Laredo announced on Friday that one of its priests was suspended in May after it was notified of accusations of sexual misconduct with a minor.
In a statement, the Diocese of Laredo shared that the accusation was made against Fr. Luis Mares in May of this year. The claim alleged the incident happened 18 years ago while Mares was a priest for the Diocese of Piedras Negras in Mexico.
The statement also shared that the Diocese of Piedras Negras promptly relayed the information about the accusation to Bishop James Tamayo of the Diocese of Laredo, where Fr. Mares had been incardinated as a priest in 2022.
The Diocese of Laredo stated that upon receiving notification of the accusation on May 19, 2025, Bishop James Tamayo, that same day, informed Fr. Mares that his faculties as a priest were temporarily suspended in the Diocese of Laredo pending a canonical investigation.
When a priest’s faculties are suspended, they no longer have permission to administer the sacraments and engage in priestly ministry.
According to the Diocese of Laredo, since the alleged incident happened in the Diocese of Piedras Negras while Fr. Luis Mares was a priest of that diocese, the Diocese of Piedras Negras has the responsibility for conducting the canonical investigation.
The statement mentioned that the Diocese of Laredo had not previously received any accusations of sexual misconduct of any kind against Fr. Mares. The Diocese of Laredo will wait for the outcome of the church investigation before taking any further action regarding Fr. Mares.
Read the full statement below:
In May of this year, the Diocese of Piedras Niegras in Mexico received an accusation of sexual misconduct against a minor, which was alleged to have been committed by a priest of that diocese, Fr. Luis Efrain Mares, 18 years earlier. The Diocese of Piedras Negras also promptly notified the civil authorities of the accusation. The Diocese of Piedras Negras has offered help to the accuser.
The Diocese of Piedras Negras promptly relayed the information about the accusation to Bishop James Tamayo of the Diocese of Laredo, Texas, where Fr. Mares had been incardinated as a priest in 2022. Upon receiving notification of the accusation from the Diocese of Piedras Negras on May 19, 2025, Bishop James Tamayo that same day informed Fr. Mares that his faculties as a priest (his permission to administer the sacraments and engage in priestly ministry) were temporarily suspended in the Diocese of Laredo pending a canonical investigation. Since the alleged incident occurred in the Diocese of Piedras Negras while Fr. Luis Mares was a priest of that diocese, the Diocese of Piedras Negras has the responsibility for conducting the canonical investigation.
The Diocese of Laredo, Texas had not previously received any accusations of sexual misconduct of any kind against Fr. Mares. The Diocese of Laredo awaits the outcome of the church investigation before taking any further action regarding Fr. Mares. The Diocese of Piedras Negras and the Diocese of Laredo, Texas have both been carefully following the procedure established by the Vatican for dealing with accusations of sexual misconduct of minors by members of the clergy.
We are keeping in our prayers those who have made the accusations, as well as all involved. The Diocese of Laredo will continue to work diligently to prevent any sexual misconduct by members of the Church, and to provide a safe environment for persons of all ages in our church institutions.