FRISCO — Four men processed into St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church as deacons on the eve of Pentecost Sunday. They processed out as new priests for the Diocese of Dallas.
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church was packed with family, friends, clergy, and the faithful as Bishop Edward J. Burns and Auxiliary Bishop Greg Kelly celebrated a Mass May 18 for the ordination to the priesthood of Father Juan Mendez, Father William Henry Mobley, Father Samuel Rendon, and Father Parker Joseph Thompson at the Frisco parish.
In his homily to the estimated 1,800 gathered at the Mass, Bishop Burns urged the newly ordained priests to remember that God chose them for their vocation.
“You did not choose Him, He chose you,” Bishop Burns said. “Be at peace with that and let the grace of God permeate you — your mind, your heart, your soul, your words, and your actions.”
The bishop reminded the new priests of the importance of finding themselves in God’s presence.
“Always recall the grace given to you on this day,” he said. “Always recall the way you have laid down your life for Jesus Christ and His people, and for the Church. Recall how you are committing yourselves now with your own lives to give yourself to the Gospel of Jesus and to go out to all the world and proclaim it.”
Bishop Burns added that Christ called “these four men to be a bright light” for the Diocese of Dallas and all its faith communities.
The journey to the priesthood is not one these four men took on their own, Bishop Burns said, expressing his gratitude to family members who helped the new priests grow in their faith and answer God’s call.
“We offer our gratitude to the parents, brothers, sisters, grandparents, and family members who all created in the domestic Church the very atmosphere where the Word of God is planted, rooted, and takes shape,” he said. “Truly, it is out of your home that these men developed their priestly vocation, their relationship with God, and their love for others. Thank you for all the good work you have done.”
Each new priest has already received his first assignment. Father Mendez will serve as a parochial vicar for St. Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Parish in McKinney. Father Mobley will be completing further studies. Father Rendon, who will reside at the National Shrine Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe, has been appointed diocesan master of ceremonies and personal priest secretary to the bishop as he continues further studies. Father Thompson will serve as a parochial vicar at St. Monica Catholic Parish in Dallas.
Cutline for featured image: Newly ordained priests, from left, Father Samuel Rendon, Father Juan Mendez, Father Parker Joseph Thompson, and Father Stephen Henry Mobley offer a final blessing at the end of a Mass where the four men were ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Edward J. Burns on May 18 at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church with an estimated 1,800 people on hand to witness. (Ben Torres/Special Contributor)
