Pope Names Father Mario Dorsonville-Rodríguez Auxiliary Bishop of Washington
WASHINGTON—Pope Francis named Father Mario E. Dorsonville-Rodríguez, 54, a priest of the Archdiocese of Washington, as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Washington. Bishop-elect Dorsonville-Rodríguez serves as vice president for mission of Catholic Charities and director of the Spanish Catho
WASHINGTON—Pope Francis named Father Mario E. Dorsonville-Rodríguez, 54, a priest of the Archdiocese of Washington, as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Washington. Bishop-elect Dorsonville-Rodríguez serves as vice president for mission of Catholic Charities and director of the Spanish Catholic Center of the Archdiocese of Washington.
The appointment was publicized in Washington, March 20, by Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, apostolic nuncio to the United States.
Mario Eduardo Dorsonville-Rodríguez was born October 31, 1960 in Bogotá, Colombia, the only child of Leonor Rodríguez Hogar and the late Carlos Dorsonville Zarate. He attended the major seminary of the Archdiocese of Bogotá, receiving a bachelor’s degree in philosophy in 1981 and a bachelor’s in sacred theology in 1985. He was ordained to the priesthood on November 23, 1985 in Bogotá. Following ordination, he served as parochial vicar of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Bogotá (1986), chaplain of the National University of Colombia, Bogotá (1987), pastor of San Jose de Calasanz Parish, Bogotá (1987-1991), and associate chaplain (1988-1991) and professor of ethics (1990-1991) at the National University of Colombia.
He 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 1995. From 1992-1994, he served as parochial vicar of Good Shepherd and Christ the Redeemer Parishes in Arlington, Virginia, and as a lecturer at the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington. He served as a professor at the Hispanic Apostolate of Arlington from 1993-1994. He returned to Colombia to serve as chaplain and professor of 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.
He served parochial vicar of St. Joseph Parish in Arlington (1996), Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Bethesda, Maryland (1997-2004) and St. Mark the Evangelist Parish in Hyattsville, Maryland (2004-2005). He has served as vice president for mission of Catholic Charities of Washington and director of the Spanish Catholic Center since 2005 and as adjunct spiritual director for St. John Paul II Seminary in Washington since 2011.
He has served as a member of the priest council of the Archdiocese of Washington since 2000 and a member of the College of Consultors of the archdiocese since 2011. He was a member of the board of directors for Carroll Publishing Company from 2000-2003. He completed an executive certificate in non-profit management course at Georgetown University in 2009 and served as a mentor for newly ordained priests from 2010-2011.
The Archdiocese of Washington is comprised of 2,104 square miles encompassing the District of Columbia and parts of the state of Maryland and has a total population of 2,867,377 people, of whom 630,823, or 22 percent, are Catholic. The archdiocese currently has two active auxiliary bishops, Bishop Martin D. Holley and Bishop Barry C. Knestout, and one retired auxiliary bishop, Bishop Francisco Gonzáles Valer. S.F., who retired in 2014.
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Keywords: bishop appointment, Pope Francis, Bishop-elect Mario E. Dorsonville-Rodríguez, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, apostolic nuncio, auxiliary, Archdiocese of Washington
MEDIA CONTACT
Don Clemmer
O: 202-541-3206
The appointment was publicized in Washington, March 20, by Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, apostolic nuncio to the United States.
Mario Eduardo Dorsonville-Rodríguez was born October 31, 1960 in Bogotá, Colombia, the only child of Leonor Rodríguez Hogar and the late Carlos Dorsonville Zarate. He attended the major seminary of the Archdiocese of Bogotá, receiving a bachelor’s degree in philosophy in 1981 and a bachelor’s in sacred theology in 1985. He was ordained to the priesthood on November 23, 1985 in Bogotá. Following ordination, he served as parochial vicar of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Bogotá (1986), chaplain of the National University of Colombia, Bogotá (1987), pastor of San Jose de Calasanz Parish, Bogotá (1987-1991), and associate chaplain (1988-1991) and professor of ethics (1990-1991) at the National University of Colombia.
He 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 1995. From 1992-1994, he served as parochial vicar of Good Shepherd and Christ the Redeemer Parishes in Arlington, Virginia, and as a lecturer at the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington. He served as a professor at the Hispanic Apostolate of Arlington from 1993-1994. He returned to Colombia to serve as chaplain and professor of 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.
He served parochial vicar of St. Joseph Parish in Arlington (1996), Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Bethesda, Maryland (1997-2004) and St. Mark the Evangelist Parish in Hyattsville, Maryland (2004-2005). He has served as vice president for mission of Catholic Charities of Washington and director of the Spanish Catholic Center since 2005 and as adjunct spiritual director for St. John Paul II Seminary in Washington since 2011.
He has served as a member of the priest council of the Archdiocese of Washington since 2000 and a member of the College of Consultors of the archdiocese since 2011. He was a member of the board of directors for Carroll Publishing Company from 2000-2003. He completed an executive certificate in non-profit management course at Georgetown University in 2009 and served as a mentor for newly ordained priests from 2010-2011.
The Archdiocese of Washington is comprised of 2,104 square miles encompassing the District of Columbia and parts of the state of Maryland and has a total population of 2,867,377 people, of whom 630,823, or 22 percent, are Catholic. The archdiocese currently has two active auxiliary bishops, Bishop Martin D. Holley and Bishop Barry C. Knestout, and one retired auxiliary bishop, Bishop Francisco Gonzáles Valer. S.F., who retired in 2014.
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Keywords: bishop appointment, Pope Francis, Bishop-elect Mario E. Dorsonville-Rodríguez, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, apostolic nuncio, auxiliary, Archdiocese of Washington
MEDIA CONTACT
Don Clemmer
O: 202-541-3206
