New bishop for Houma-Thibodaux introduced

Pope Francis has appointed Auxiliary Bishop Mario E. Dorsonville, S.T.L., D.Min., of the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., as the Fifth Bishop of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux. The appointment was announced Wednesday, Feb. 1, by Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States.
 
Bishop Dorsonville, who was ordained to the episcopate April 20, 2015, will be installed as Fifth Bishop of Houma-Thibodaux, by Archbishop Gregory Aymond of New Orleans, in the presence of Archbishop Christophe Pierre, Wednesday, March 29, at 2 p.m. at the Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales in Houma.

“I am deeply humbled and thankful to our Holy Father for his acceptance of me as the next Bishop of Houma-Thibodaux,” says Bishop Dorsonville. “I have a deep love for the Lord and his church, and a keen interest in learning more about Houma-Thibodaux, listening to her needs and dreams, and discerning where the Holy Spirit will lead us.”

Bishop Dorsonville will succeed Bishop Shelton J. Fabre, who was installed as Archbishop of Louisville, KY, March 30, 2022.

Very Rev. Patrick (P.J.) Madden, who has been serving Houma-Thibodaux as the diocesan administrator since April 1, 2022, during the sede vacante, says, “With great gratitude to the Holy Spirit and to our diocesan family for their prayers, I am delighted by the appointment of Bishop Mario Dorsonville to pastor our diocese into the future for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.”

Reacting to the appointment, Washington Cardinal Wilton Gregory says, “The Archdiocese of Washington now presents a great gift to the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux through the appointment of Bishop Mario E. Dorsonville as the new shepherd of that local church. We thank Pope Francis for appointing Bishop Dorsonville first to serve us as an auxiliary bishop and now to bring his many talents in service to the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux. May the Lord abundantly bless him and his new family of faith.”

At a press conference at the diocesan Pastoral Center in Schriever Feb. 1, Bishop Dorsonville addressed priests, religious, deacons, seminarians, diocesan staff and members of the local media, touching on the topics of Hurricane Ida recovery, the Synod, Eucharistic Revival, growing Hispanic Ministry, and the diocesan strategic plan.

Bishop Dorsonville began by thanking his predecessor Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre, Archbishop Gregory Aymond and Very Rev. Patrick J. (P.J.) Madden, for their guidance and support regarding his appointment. He then told those present that he was “super excited” to be here in the diocese. “I am humble and very happy and disposed to say to his holiness Pope Francis, I am here, as you wish, to serve you.”

Bishop Dorsonville says one of the main reasons he came to the United States was to begin his doctoral studies at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. He explains that being there was a process where he recognized that his Colombian, French background was a bridge for the multicultural spectrum that is Washington, D.C. “There are so many accents, so many faces, but just one faith. We are one family and that’s the motivation I come here with today. I am delighted to see how Houma-Thibodaux is the spectrum of so many cultures, and many talents and gifts.”

He pledged his ongoing support to Hurricane Ida recovery … “to continuing the process of rebuilding, the process of being better and the process of being there as instruments of Jesus Christ in the life of those who are suffering.”

He spoke about the simple yet powerful mission statement that was developed for the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, as a result of the strategic planning process: “Go, and make disciples.”

“Where are the disciples?” asked the bishop. “Those who are away … those who need to return to our churches … those who really need to be re-engaged … and from there we will go the peripheries trying to find out where we can serve, when can we call on our brothers and sisters to walk together.”

He reminded those present about the USCCB’s Eucharistic Revival, saying, “the holy presence of the Blessed Sacrament is a gift because of the celebration of the Eucharist. Right there we are a community, right there we express all our music, our prayers, our experience of the living Christ, and that’s powerful! So let us continue to be open to the voices of the Holy Spirit.”

In closing, he thanked everyone for their warm welcome and asked for prayers for himself during his transition.

Bishop 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, and served in various capacities there following his ordination. 

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 1996.

He began serving in the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., in 1997, and served as parochial vicar of two church parishes. He was a member of the Board of Directors for Carroll Publishing Company from 2001-2004, vice president of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington and director of the Spanish Catholic Center from 2005 to 2015, adjunct spiritual director of St. John Paul II Seminary in Washington, D.C., as well as a mentor for newly ordained priests from 2011-2015.

He has been serving as vicar general for the Archdiocese of Washington since 2015, is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Maryland Catholic Conference and was a member of the Board of Directors of Catholic Charities from 2015 to 2021. He has been a member of the Council of Priests for the Archdiocese of Washington since 2006, and a member of the College of Consultors for the Archdiocese of Washington since 2011.

Bishop Dorsonville was the chairman for the Migration and Refugee services committee for the USCCB from 2019 to 2022. He currently serves as a member of the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, Committee on Migration and Refugees, Committee on Religious Liberty and the Adhoc Committee Against Racism.

Following the diocesan press conference, Bishop Dorsonville greeted those present and then celebrated Mass for the staff, with priests of the diocese concelebrating.

Bishop Dorsonville will begin working in the diocese in an official capacity once he is seated on his cathedra (episcopal chair), March 29.