Louisiana diocese announces death of Bishop Dorsonville
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January 20, 2024Catholic Standard's Article on the Passing of Bishop Dorsonville
Louisiana diocese announces death of Bishop Dorsonville
JAN 20, 2024 US & WORLD
BY CATHOLIC STANDARD STAFF
The Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, Louisiana, announced on Jan. 19 that Bishop Mario Dorsonville died that day from complications arising from recent health problems. Bishop Dorsonville, 63, was a native of Colombia who served as a priest and auxiliary bishop in Washington before being named by Pope Francis as the bishop of Houma-Thibodaux on Feb. 1, 2023. He was installed as the bishop there on March 29 last year.
In a Jan. 19 statement posted on the diocese’s social media and its website, Father Simon Peter Engurait, the vicar general of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, said: “It is with great sadness and deep shock that I announce to you that our beloved shepherd, Bishop Mario Dorsonville, passed away at 6:50 p.m. this evening after he gave in to complications arising from recent health problems.”
That diocese’s vicar general in his statement also noted, “My heart is broken as I make this news to you as this is not the kind of message any one of us would expect to receive. I am aware that you will have a lot of questions on your mind. I ask that you be patient with us as we begin to navigate through these uncertain moments. In the meantime, I ask that you keep him in your prayers. Eternal rest be granted unto Bishop Dorsonville and may God’s perpetual light be upon him. Amen.”
Mario E. Dorsonville was born Oct. 31, 1960 in Bogotá, Colombia, the only child of Leonor M. Rodríguez and Carlos J. Dorsonville. He attended the Major Seminary of the Archdiocese of Bogotá, receiving a bachelor’s degree in philosophy in 1981 and a bachelor’s degree in sacred theology in 1985. He was ordained to the priesthood on Nov. 23, 1985 in Bogotá.
Following ordination, he served as parochial vicar of Immaculate Heart of Mary parish, Bogotá (1986), pastor of San Jose de Calasanz parish, Bogotá (1987-1991), associate chaplain (1988-1991) and professor of business ethics (1990-1991) at the National University of Colombia, Bogotá.
Bishop Dorsonville received a licentiate in sacred theology from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana de Bogotá in 1991 and a doctorate in ministry from The Catholic University of America in 1996.
From 1992-1994, while studying at Catholic University, he assisted the Hispanic community on weekends at Good Shepherd and Christ the Redeemer parishes in Arlington, Virginia, and served as a lecturer at the Inter-American Development Bank headquarters in Washington, D.C. He served as professor of theology and catechesis at the Institute for Hispanic Pastoral Studies of Arlington from 1993-1994.
He returned briefly to Colombia to serve as chaplain and professor of business ethics to the National University of Colombia and professor of pastoral counseling and catechesis at the Major Seminary of the Archdiocese of Bogotá from 1995-1996.
His first appointment within the Archdiocese of Washington was as parochial vicar of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Bethesda, Maryland from 1997-2004. He also served as parochial vicar of St. Mark the Evangelist Parish in Hyattsville, Maryland from 2004-2005 and he was a member of the Board of Directors for Carroll Publishing Company from 2001-2004.
Bishop Dorsonville served as vice president of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington and director of the Spanish Catholic Center from 2005 to 2015. He completed an executive certificate in non-profit management at Georgetown University in 2009. From 2011-15, he served as an adjunct spiritual director of St. John Paul II Seminary in Washington, D.C., as well as a mentor for newly ordained priests.
He was named an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Washington by Pope Francis on March 20, 2015 and ordained to the episcopate on April 20, 2015. He then served as a vicar general for the Archdiocese of Washington.
While serving as an auxiliary bishop in Washington, Bishop Dorsonville was also a member of the Board of Directors of the Maryland Catholic Conference and a member of the Board of Directors of Catholic Charities. He served on the Council of Priests for the Archdiocese of Washington and was a member of its College of Consultors.
Bishop Dorsonville was the chairman for the Migration and Refugee Services Committee for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops from 2019-2022 and was a member of their Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, Committee for Religious Liberty, and the Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism.
https://cathstan.org/news/us-world/louisiana-diocese-announces-death-of-bishop-dorsonville
