The leader the Catholic Diocese in Las Cruces, Bishop Ricardo Ramirez, said his final prayer as religious leader of southern New Mexico on Wednesday at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. 

It was his last official act as bishop. He's retiring after 46 years of serving the Catholic church, including 30 years as the church's first-ever Las Cruces Bishop.

He said integrating parts of El Paso and southern New Mexico's Catholic communities together is one of the harder tasks he's had to do.

"The people of southern New Mexico are people of deep faith, so that has made the transition easier. I haven't had to convince them of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I brought Jesus with me to Las Cruces, and yet Jesus was already here," said Ramirez.

The son of a migrant worker, Ramirez said it's been important to integrate Hispanic and American cultures together to make religion in the area bilingual, much like his own life 

He said he's grown to love the area, and after more than three decades of speaking out as the area's religious leader, he had one last thing to say.

"I thank you for your support, your love, and accepting the leadership I have provided. So I thank you from the bottom of my heart. And I'll be seeing you around, but as the bishop of the diocese, I say goodbye," Ramirez said.

The bishop said he will continue to live and offer support to Catholicism in Las Cruces, as needed.

Ramirez's replacement, the Rev. Oscar Cantu, will be installed as bishop of the Las Cruces diocese on Thursday. The service starts at 2 p.m. at the Las Cruces Convention Center.  The event is being broadcast live on the Global Catholic Television Network.