Jose Garrido Is First Latino Deacon In The Diocese Of Evansville.
When Bishop Charles C. Thompson did the greeting at the diaconate ordination Mass last Saturday at St. Benedict Cathedral in Evansville, he slipped easily from the English language into Spanish – in recognition of Jose Garrido, who became the first Latino deacon in the Diocese of Evansville.
As the bishop spoke in Spanish, Pilar Tirado's head nodded slightly in recognition, and when he mentioned the importance of the Latino community in the diocese, she smiled broadly and put a thumb up in the air signifying her approval.
She's a native of Venezuela who has long been involved in Spanish ministry in the diocese. She currently serves as the pastoral associate for Hispanic ministry at Evansville’s Nativity Parish.
"We cherish our Latino brothers and sisters as members of our Church, local and universal,” Bishop Thompson said, of his decision to include Spanish in the ordination Liturgy. “The multicultural face and beauty of the Catholic Church is like a fabric woven of many materials and designs. To ordain our first Latino member is a very historic occasion in our diocese.
"May he be the first of many more Latinos to embrace ordained and religious life in the Church,” Bishop Thompson added. “We are blessed to have the richness of Latino spirituality, as with all the various ethnic and cultural spiritualities, in our diocese."
A day after the celebration, Tirado was still smiling. "I thought it was wonderful," she said, noting that she told friends she thought it was so thoughtful of the bishop to use Spanish, "starting with the welcoming of the Hispanics who were in the church. Each time he spoke to Jose he used Spanish. That really touched me. It brought me to tears."
Tirado applauds the bishop for his effort, noting, "for anyone to speak another language is an effort. It's difficult, and it's remarkable that he did it, that he made the effort in Spanish. It was wonderful."
To be welcomed in her native language -- for every Latino to be welcomed in their native language -- at the Mass was wonderful, she said. "I was so impressed. I'm so happy the bishop did that."
