From the Desk of
Bishop Henry J. Mansell

July 1, 2001

Dear Friends in Christ,

Christmas arrived in the month of May this year for the Diocese of Buffalo. To be precise, on Saturday evening, May 19, Father Ariel Cortés arrived from Bogotá, Columbia, to begin service as a priest in our Diocese.

The story began four years ago, when Archbishop Pedro Rubiano Sáenz of Bogotá and three other bishops from Columbia visited Buffalo and Niagara Falls at my invitation. They concelebrated Mass at St. Joseph's Cathedral on April 6, 1997, to the special delight of large numbers of Hispanic people in our Diocese. In conversation over breakfast after the Mass, I mentioned to the Bishops that we had heard there were a number of men in Colombia, not in seminaries, who might be interested in studying for the priesthood in the United States.

I stated that in no way did I wish to "pirate" seminarians from Columbia to Buffalo, but that I was interested in the Bishops' thoughts on the matter. They were very encouraging. They reported that vocation recruitment was going well in Colombia and they felt there was a certain responsibility to send potential clergy to the United States to follow the immigration here of Latin American people.

Archbishop Sáenz added that he might even be able to send a priest to us eventually. Archbishop Sáenz, by the way, is now Pedro Cardinal Sáenz, having been elevated to the College of Cardinals by our Holy Father this past February. I met Cardinal Sáenz at a meeting in Washington this winter and he told me he had not forgotten our conversation of four years ago and that he had a priest in mind for us. After an exchange of letters and the process of paper work with the American Embassy, the way was clear for the arrival of Father Ariel Cortés, whose full name is Father Ariel Oswaldo Cortés Mojica.

Father Ariel is a terrific priest, 29 years old, who comes highly recommended by Cardinal Sáenz after four years as pastor of a parish in Bogotá. As far as I am concerned, the word of Cardinal Sáenz is golden, and I am enormously grateful to him. In the short time he has been here, Father Ariel has impressed everyone, clergy, religious, and lay, with his strong pastoral skills, his tremendous dedication, and his delightful personality.

The plan is for Father Ariel to serve the Hispanic communities in the Dunkirk and Jamestown areas. During these weeks, however, he is becoming oriented to Western New York by meetings with various people and visits around the Diocese. I am very grateful to Monsignor David Gallivan, Diocesan Director of the Hispanic Apostolate and Pastor of Holy Cross Church, Buffalo, for hosting Father Ariel during this time, as I am to all who have provided such a warm Western New York welcome to Father Ariel.

On the fourth evening he was here, May 22, Father Ariel participated in a Confirmation we celebrated at Immaculate Conception Church, Buffalo, to which candidates were invited also from Coronation, Holy Angels, Holy Cross, Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Our Lady of Loretto Parishes. It was a wonderful introduction for him. While most of the candidates were Hispanic from various Latin American cultures, there was strong representation as well of African, Asian, and European ancestries. It was an experience of the universal Church in microcosm.

Father Ariel continues to visit the Hispanic communities in Buffalo, Lackawanna, Dunkirk, Jamestown, and the Hispanic migrant communities in Niagara, Orleans, and Genesee Counties. This experience provides an orientation for him prior to assuming his assignment to Dunkirk and Jamestown.

Seminarians

The story continues, but we return to four years ago. Following the encouragement of the Colombian Bishops, a series of screening interviews was conducted with Columbian men interested in studying for the priesthood in Buffalo. As you may know, many of them have been accepted for Christ the King Seminary during these years. They have impressive credentials. Some, even though they were not seminarians, had already achieved graduate degrees in theology at the Pontifical University in Bogotá.

On May 5 of this year, we celebrated the ordination to the Diaconate of Jorge Budez, who is the first of the Colombian seminarians to be so ordained. We pray to God that he will be ordained a priest for our Diocese next year and that each year thereafter will witness similar ordinations. The Colombian men bring distinguished abilities and inspiring commitment to our Diocese.

Gratitude

Once again, we are profoundly grateful to Cardinal Sáenz for his impressive vision of Church and edifying generosity. Obviously we have deep sentiments of appreciation for Father Ariel Cortés. I have indicated many times to Deacon Jorge Budez and the Colombian seminarians how much we value their presence and commitment to our Diocese.

In a singular way, I would like to mention Father Juan Pablo Rodriguez, a priest of Colombia who prepared for the priesthood at Christ the King Seminary in the 1960's. He returned to Christ the King for a sabbatical during the academic year 1996-97. He was the one who facilitated arrangements with the Colombian hierarchy, and it was he who was especially helpful in screening candidates in Colombia. Father Joseph Gatto, current Director of the Pope John Paul II Residence, was directly involved in the interviews in Colombia and continues his excellent work in the preparation of men for the priesthood of Buffalo.

Father Patrick Fernandes has been serving the Hispanic community in Jamestown as Parochial Vicar of Saint James Parish. He will be receiving another assignment, but we continue to be grateful for all his work. We are appreciative of the care Father Stanislaw Dudek has been providing for the Hispanic community in Dunkirk. While being relieved of this responsibility, he will continue to provide pastoral services at Saint John Fisher Parish, South Dayton, and Saint Joan of Arc Parish, Perrysburg.

Christmas did arrive for us in May this year, but in a real sense it began in April, 1997. It may be July, but we harbor strong gratitude in our hearts for the pastoral gifts of these men from Colombia, who reinforce the presence of Jesus Christ in our midst. Feliz Navidad!

Sincerely yours in Christ,
+ Henry J. Mansell
Most Rev. Henry J. Mansell
Bishop of Buffalo