Pope Francis has appointed Father Jorge Rodriguez as an Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Denver. The Holy See made the announcement today at noon Rome time.
Auxiliary Bishop-elect Rodriguez, 61, has served as the pastor of Holy Cross in Thornton since 2014. Before that he was the Vice-Rector at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver.
“I join with the clergy, religious, and faithful of the Archdiocese of Denver in celebrating this appointment of Father Rodriguez, and extending to him our warmest congratulations,” Denver Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila said. “Father Rodriguez is a passionate pastor and teacher of the faith, and he will serve this archdiocese well in the role of auxiliary bishop.”
“I would like the Catholic community of the Archdiocese of Denver to know that my only wish is to serve the cause of Our Lord Jesus Christ and to serve them according to this new mission and grace I am about to receive,” Bishop-elect Rodriguez told the Denver Catholic. “It is the Lord’s work and not ours, even less mine. So the best support—and this is what I beg from them—is to keep me in their prayers.”
He added, “I would like to add also—paraphrasing Pope Francis words in his interview to the Corriere della Sera newspaper in 2014—that Father Jorge Rodriguez, the Auxiliary Bishop-elect for the Archdiocese of Denver, is nothing else than ‘a man who laughs, cries, sleeps tranquilly and has friends like everyone else, a normal person,’ but that is about to receive a grace from our Lord Jesus Christ that is for you! I just want to give you this grace for your sanctification and eternal life!”
A press conference was held \Aug. 25 at 10:30 a.m. to introduce the new Auxiliary Bishop. His episcopal ordination will take place Friday, Nov. 4.
For full details, visit archden.org/bishop
