Mario Torres, a seminarian of the Diocese of Tyler, was ordained to the transitional diaconate on September 30, 2021. Torres is a student at the Pontifical North American College in Rome. Torres and 19 of his classmates were ordained to the diaconate by Cardinal Wilton Gregory, Archbishop of Washington, D.C.
Photo: PNAC Photo Service via Flickr.
In his homily, Cardinal Gregory reminded the new deacons that charity is a key component of the office of deacon.
The archbishop of Washington said, “To be a deacon must first of all be an indication that you are a man of charity. Real and heartfelt compassion and concern for the poor, the neglected and the marginalized members of the world.”
He continued, “A deacon without a heart for charity will be a hollow and worthless sign.”
Torres will complete one more year of theological studies and formation before being ordained a priest in the Diocese of Tyler. Torres and the other 19 new deacons now join 11 members of their class who were ordained to the transitional diaconate earlier this year.
