Joseph J. Tyson

The Most Reverend Joseph Jude Tyson
Bishop of Yakima
Province	Seattle
See	Yakima
Appointed	April 12, 2011
Installed	May 31, 2011
Predecessor	Carlos Arthur Sevilla, S.J.
Other posts	Auxiliary Bishop of Seattle (2005–2011)
Orders
Ordination	June 10, 1989 by Raymond Hunthausen
Consecration	June 6, 2005 by Alexander Joseph Brunett
Personal details
Born	(1957-10-16) October 16, 1957 Moses Lake, Washington
Motto	"Christo Lumen ad Gentes"

Styles of Joseph Jude Tyson
Reference style	The Most Reverend
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Religious style	Monsignor
Posthumous style	not applicable

Joseph Jude Tyson (born October 16, 1957) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who is currently the Bishop (Catholic Church) of the Diocese of Yakima, Washington. He served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Seattle from 2005–2011.

Early life and priesthood

Joseph Tyson was born in Moses Lake, Washington, and attended Blessed Sacrament School. He graduated from St. Alphonsus Elementary School in 1971 and from Bishop Blanchet High School in 1975. He then studied at Shoreline Community College and the University of Washington, from where he obtained Bachelor's degrees in Russian and Eastern European Area Studies and editorial journalism in 1980. He earned a Master's degree in international relations from the Jackson School of International Studies in 1984, and a Master of Divinity from the Theological College of the Catholic University of America in 1989.

Tyson was ordained to the priesthood on June 10, 1989 by Archbishop Raymond Hunthausen. He then served as parochial vicar at St. James Cathedral (1991–93), pastor of St. Mary of the Valley Parish in Monroe (1993–96), and pastor of St. Edward, St. George, and St. Paul Parishes in South Seattle (1996–2005). In addition, he has assisted chancery offices in the area of permanent deacon formation, parish experiences for seminarians, vocations, and communications.

Episcopal career

On May 12, 2005, Tyson was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Seattle and Titular Bishop of Migirpa by Pope Benedict XVI. He received his episcopal consecration on the following June 6 from Archbishop Alexander Brunett, with Bishops George Thomas and Gustavo Garcia-Siller, M.Sp.S., serving as co-consecrators. He selected as his episcopal motto: "Christo Lumen ad Gentes."

In 2007, Tyson testified at a state legislative hearing on a proposed Washington initiative to offer domestic partnership benefits to same-sex couples; he promoted broadening its provisions, a controversial strategy used elsewhere by the Catholic Church, extending the definition of partnership to relationships beyond that of unmarried couples, to prevent discrimination against an elderly parent, a sibling, housemate or another in residence thus limiting its potential affirmative impact for gay rights, consistent with the Catholic Church's long-standing position.

He became interim superintendent of Seattle Catholic schools on July 1, 2008. He is a devoted cyclist, even receiving news of his episcopal appointment while riding his bike. In addition to his native English, he speaks Spanish, German, Vietnamese, and Serbo-Croatian.

On April 12, 2011, Tyson was appointed the seventh bishop of the Diocese of Yakima in Washington State, replacing Carlos Arthur Sevilla, S.J., who served as bishop from 1996 until his retirement in 2011. Tyson was installed as bishop of the Diocese of Yakima on May 31, 2011, at Holy Family Parish in Yakima.