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.
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.