Suspension of Accused Laredo Priest Revealed 6 Months After the Fact

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 …