Early life

Wendelin Nold was born in Bonham, Texas, to Wendelin Joseph and Mary Elizabeth (née Charles) Nold.^[1] After attending parochial schools in Cleburne and Fort Worth, he studied at St. Mary's Seminary in La Porte, from where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1921.^[1] He then furthered his studies at the Pontifical North American College in Rome, and there earned a doctorate in sacred theology in 1925.^[1]

Priesthood

While in Rome, Nold was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Dallas on April 11, 1925.^[2] Upon his return to Texas, Nold served as a curate at Sacred Heart Cathedral Parish in Dallas, and became the first pastor of Christ the King Parish in Dallas in 1941.^[1] In addition to his pastoral duties, he also served in the chancery as a consultor, synodal judge, synodal examiner, director of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, and director of Catholic Action.^[1] He was raised to the ranks of papal chamberlain in 1936, domestic prelate in 1942, and prothonotary apostolic in 1946.^[1]

Coadjutor Bishop and Bishop of Galveston-Houston

On November 29, 1947, Nold was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of what was then the Diocese of Galveston and titular bishop of Sasima by Pope Pius XII.^[2] He received his episcopal consecration on February 25, 1948, from Bishop Joseph Lynch, with Bishops Christopher Byrne and Augustine Danglmayr serving as co-consecrators.^[2] After the death of Bishop Byrne on April 1, 1950, Nold automatically became the fifth bishop of Galveston.^[2] He was the first native Texan to hold that office.^[3]

Due to the tremendous growth in the City of Houston, the Vatican allowed Nold in 1959 to designate Sacred Heart Church in Houston as a co-cathedral. The diocese now had two cathedrals: Sacred Heart Cathedral in Houston and St. Mary's Cathedral Basilica in Galveston.^[4] The Vatican renamed the diocese as the Diocese of Galveston-Houston on July 25, 1959.^[5]

In 1959, Nold suffered a heart attack. Around that same time, he started suffering from kidney disease. In September 1961, Nold ordered that all Catholic schools in the diocese be racially integrated.^[1] During a hospitalization in 1963, he went blind. Later that year the Vatican appointed Bishop John Morkovsky in 1963 as coadjutor bishop, in charge of administering the diocese.^[3] Nold attended the Second Vatican Council from 1962 to 1965. During his tenure he established forty-seven parishes and fourteen missions, as well as several schools.^[1]

Retirement and legacy

On April 22, 1975, Pope Paul VI accepted Nold's resignation as bishop of the Diocese of Galveston-Houston.^[2] Nold died in Houston on October 1, 1981, at age 81.