Pope Francis reaches to Catholic Charities to tap new DC bishop

Last updated on: March 20, 2015 at 11:48 pm by CNA Daily News

Pope Francis reaches to Catholic Charities to tap new DC bishop 2015-03-20T23:48:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Washington D.C., Mar 20, 2015 / 05:48 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- With a background in Hispanic ministry and service at Catholic Charities, the newly announced auxiliary bishop of Washington, D.C. hopes to help people turn their faith into action.

Fr. Mario Dorsonville, the vice president for Catholic Charities D.C. and now the bishop-designate of the Archdiocese of Washington, stated his commitment to “living the faith in action” after he was tapped by Pope Francis for the episcopacy at Roman noon on Friday.

“We cannot, in any moment, allow ourselves to close our doors. Open doors to listen, open doors to refer sometimes, open doors to pray, open doors to walk with the immigrant family,” he said at his introductory press conference.

Selflessness is part of the vocation of priest and bishop, he continued. “What a great experience if we can be faithful from what we have been called so many years ago, since the moment of our ordination, to give up our own life and our own face that people might recognize the presence of Jesus Christ in what we say and we do.”

Bishop-designate Dorsonville hails from Bogotá, Columbia, where he was ordained for the archdiocese there in 1985. A doctorate in ministry from The Catholic University of America brought him to Washington, D.C.

After a brief stint back in Columbia, he returned to D.C. and in 1999 was incardinated as a priest for the archdiocese. Since 2005, he has served as vice president of Catholic Charities in D.C. as well as director of the Spanish Catholic Center for the archdiocese, which has a Hispanic population of nearly 270,000.

He has also been a spiritual director for seminarians at the John Paul II Seminary in Washington, D.C., something he described as one of his “greatest joys” as a priest.

The seminary lacks the bureaucracy and “human resources” that one might find in the working world, he said. “It’s just love, dedication, and commitment for young men,” who strive to “follow Jesus Christ with all their heart, with all their strength.”

Formation of future priests “is like planting a seed knowing that you will never see the shadows of the tree that you are planting,” he acknowledged. “But I guess that’s what the Catholic Church is about.”

Bishop-designate Dorsonville’s boss at Catholic Charities agreed that his best work is when he gets to leave the desk and office for pastoral ministry.

“This is a man who is going to say ‘yes’ to people. He’s going to say ‘yes,’ whatever’s best for the Church, whatever’s best for people in need,” Monsignor John Enzler, president and CEO of Catholic Charities for the archdiocese, told CNA.

“This is a pastor. This is a priest who does ministry,” Msgr. Enzler said. “We don’t want him spending his time behind a desk,” he added, “you want to get him away from that stuff.”

Bishop-designate Dorsonville stated that one of his chief missions will be fighting the “globalization of indifference” that Pope Francis has preached against.

“The Holy Spirit uses people to awake people from indifference and to make the real transformation, the metanoia, from indifference to transformation, from transformation to reality, from reality to service, from service to love,” he explained.

“Life is about sometimes joys, but sometimes crosses. And carrying out the crosses of those who need.”

Previous Post

March 20, 2015

Pope Francis: No matter what the crime, 'the death penalty is inadmissible'

Next Post

March 21, 2015 'It's time to surrender,' Pope tells crime-ridden Naples

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What does "Absalom" mean in Hebrew?

Select your answer to see how you score.

God is My Strength Son of Righteousness Mighty Warrior Father of Peace