By Michael Gresham
The Texas Catholic

For Father Juan Mendez, no defining moment set him on the path to priesthood. Instead, it was a gradual journey inspired by a vibrant faith community at San Juan Diego Catholic Parish in Dallas.

“It is a big and thriving parish community that not only focuses on the faith of Christ and His Church, but also on the love that God has for each and every one of us,” Father Mendez said. “To this day, I reflect and still see how important it was for me to belong to such a beautiful church family.”

Father Mendez was ordained to the priesthood May 18 at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Frisco along with three other men—Father William Mobley, Father Samuel Rendon, and Father Parker Thompson.

Born in San Antonio, Father Mendez grew up primarily in Dallas, graduating from Skyline High School and then earning a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of North Texas in Denton. He did, however, spend a year in Guanajuato, Mexico as a child, attending fourth grade there.

“That’s where I learned to really speak Spanish,” he said. “It was very different than here, but I was always interested in experiencing Mexico and its culture because of the stories my parents would tell.”

A community of faith
While the Catholic faith was always present in his life, Father Mendez said his parents’ and then his own busy work schedules kept him from truly connecting to any parish life. They attended Masses at different parishes and sometimes at the National Shrine Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe in downtown Dallas. It wasn’t until he was in his 20s that he started to build that fellowship and sense of community.

“I started noticing that I wanted to be more and more a part of this church community at San Juan Diego,” he said. “That’s when I started to have this deeper interest in my faith, this deeper connection with our Lord.”

Father Mendez credited the celebration of cultural heritage combined with the strong devotion to the Catholic faith at the parish for drawing him to San Juan Diego.

“There is such an amazing community there. It just really takes us back to our ancestors, the roots of our culture, and how all of it plays such a big role in our faith,” he said. “It really reminds you of where your parents or grandparents came from. When you see something like that, it makes you want to continue worshiping even more and just pave the way for those others—those younger generations—who will come after you.”

Father Mendez eventually found himself at the parish more and more often, not only attending Masses and fellowship events, but volunteering and becoming involved in ministries. Even then, however, he didn’t realize he was being called by God to do more.

“I couldn’t discern it at the time. I just knew that I wanted to be involved more in my faith, to be active in my church,” he said.

Preparing to serve as a leader at a parish ministry retreat, Father Mendez said he finally began to feel the pull towards a priestly vocation, finding clarity and hearing God’s call during prayerful reflection at a holy hour.

“I was in prayer, and I remember that I was like, ‘Lord, what is that you want? I’m happy with where I am in life, but I know something is missing,’” he said, recalling he was then inspired by the Biblical passage from the Gospel of Mark, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

“That’s when I knew what the Lord wanted, and it was a beautiful moment in my life,” Father Mendez said.

Shortly after, he began exploring what opportunities lie ahead for him, eventually connecting with the Office of Vocations at the Diocese of Dallas. Father Mendez also visited with Father Jesús Belmontes, who was his parish priest at San Juan Diego and now serves as rector at the National Shrine Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe. He credited the popular priest with helping inspire him to discern the priesthood.

“From his homilies to the way he built such a community of faith, Father Belmontes was just amazing as a priest. I would rejoice seeing him celebrate the Mass,” Father Mendez said. “I would just imagine myself being able to do that, and those were just graceful moments for me.”

Father Belmontes recalled how the seminary experience changed Father Mendez, forming his faith and developing his mission.
“I was able to see the priest developing in him,” he said. “I can see now he is going to be a gift for our diocese and somebody that knows the needs of our community and how to minister them. I think he has a special charisma and has grown to become a true reflection of God’s love for his people.”

Father Mendez first entered Holy Trinity Seminary in Irving, spending two years there before attending Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans, La. He spent his pastoral year at St. Patrick Catholic Church. While he admitted to initially being a bit nervous to step outside the familiar confines of his home parish of San Juan Diego, Father Mendez said he cherished his time at the other Dallas parish.

“It’s a very beautiful community, a very diverse community, and a community filled with such faith,” he said. “They were so welcoming, and, for me, it was truly like an affirmation of my vocation, because I was able to connect with most everybody I met. I thank God for that opportunity to be a part of that community.”

‘Happy and humble’
Mendez has three sisters, all of whom live in Dallas and have supported him on his journey of faith. He said his parents, Juan Mendez Rosas and Marial Luisa Estrella, also have been “supporting him from the get-go.” Estrella, a native of Tarimoro, Mexico, who now lives in Dallas, said she felt overjoyed seeing her son become a priest.

“I feel very happy and humble because God gave us a son that loves people, his family, and who always wants everyone to know he is there for them,” Estrella said.

“We don’t come from a rich family,” she added. “We had our struggles, but we were always united and strong in our faith.”

Estrella shared that she and her son have always enjoyed hours of long conversations, sometimes talking into the early morning hours, discussing faith and God.

“I look forward to doing it again now that he is ordained,” she said.

As a priest, Father Mendez looks forward to fully investing himself into and embracing the community of St. Gabriel the Archangel where he’s been assigned. However, he admits, he’ll always hold a special place in his heart for his home parish.

“I always like to go home to San Juan Diego,” he said. “Even though they always put me to work, it is a true privilege for me. I enjoy the time I spend with the community and will forever be grateful to God for them.”

Now ordained a priest, Father Mendez said he is excited to proclaim the Gospel, celebrate Mass, hear confessions, baptize babies, and share the joy of couples looking to get married in the Church. The new priest said he also has grown even more grateful for the graces he has received and the call he has answered.

“The way I’m feeling is probably the way new couples feel as they are preparing for the sacrament of marriage: nervous but, above all, very happy, excited, and thankful,” Father Mendez said. “I just want to be the best priest possible for the people. I know that the Lord is guiding me, and I have come to trust and believe that in Christ, ‘I can do all things in Him who strengthens me.’”

Cutline for featured image: Father Juan Mendez makes a blessing for a family on May 18 at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Frisco after Bishop Edward J. Burns celebrated a Mass ordaining Father Mendez and three other men to the priesthood. Father Mendez has been assigned as a parochial vicar at St. Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Church in McKinney. (Ben Torres/Special Contributor)