Bishop Mario Dorsonville of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux in southeastern Louisiana, whose ecclesial career spanned nearly four decades, died unexpectedly Jan. 19 after serving as bishop of the diocese for less than a year. He was 63.
In a statement on Facebook, the vicar general of the diocese, Father Simon Peter Engurait, wrote that the bishop died Jan. 19 at 6:50 p.m. CST “after he gave in to complications arising from recent health problems.”
Bishop Dorsonville was appointed bishop of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux Feb. 1, 2023, and was installed March 29, succeeding Bishop Shelton J. Fabre.
Father Engurait said it was “with great sadness and deep shock” that he made the announcement of Bishop Dorsonville’s passing. “My heart is broken as I make this news to you as this is not the kind of message any one of us would expect to receive.” Father Engurait asked for patience from the flock “as we begin to navigate through these uncertain moments” and called for prayers for the bishop.
Bishop Dorsonville was born in Bogotá, Colombia, and studied for the seminary and was ordained there in 1985.
He earned a doctorate in ministry at The Catholic University of America in Washington in 1995, and served in various roles in Arlington, including as parochial vicar of Good Shepherd Church in Alexandria and Christ the Redeemer Church in Sterling, and as a professor at the Hispanic Apostolate of Arlington 1993–94. He was also a lecturer at the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington.
Bishop Dorsonville decided to permanently reside in the United States and was incardinated into the Archdiocese of Washington in 1999.
Pope Francis named Father Dorsonville as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Washington March 20, 2015. He was ordained to the episcopate a month later at the Cathedral of St. Matthew by the former archbishop of the diocese, Cardinal Donald Wuerl.
Bishop Dorsonville was a tireless advocate for migrants and immigration reform.
