In his own words, Dorsonville’s ministry was “rooted in the recognition that every person is created in God’s image and must be valued, protected, and respected for the inherent dignity that he or she possesses.”
A bishop for the vulnerable
After being ordained a bishop by Pope Francis in 2015, Dorsonville used his new role and public platform to advocate not just for migrants but also for the homeless and those trapped in human trafficking.
With an eye to helping the young and vulnerable, Dorsonville led the U.S. bishops’ Migration and Refugee Services Committee from 2019 to 2022 during his time as auxiliary bishop of Washington.
Helping young migrants who were brought to the U.S. as children, often referred to as “Dreamers,” was a special priority for Dorsonville, according to Bowe.
“He was so personally offended that a Dreamer, through no action or fault or anything of their own, often would be maybe applying to college and to find out that they weren’t citizens, and they didn’t have that opportunity, and then they reached a dead end.”
So, he became their voice on Capitol Hill, often testifying at congressional hearings. An advocate for “comprehensive immigration reform,” Bowe said that Dorsonville’s political action helped to shape the U.S. bishops’ immigration policy in a very significant way.
In March 2023, the pope appointed Dorsonville head of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, Louisiana. But his mission of love was not over. In less than a year, he became known and loved as a shepherd who cared deeply for both those in and outside the pews. In a tribute video to Dorsonville, Maegan Martin, a representative for the diocese, said that he was a shepherd who “loved his people and loved them hard.”
“He was really passionate about letting these young people have a chance of a future and a voice,” Bowe said. “Over the years, he just acquired all of the skills and contacts and ways to be able to be their voice.”
“He just wanted to know that they were heard. It was a type of solidarity. He knew he couldn’t solve every single person’s problem, but he could accompany them.”
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The ‘five finger Gospel’
Dorsonville had a unique ability to make friends wherever he went, even while working to help the poor on the streets. Helping the homeless on the streets is where Rita Sporleder, a Catholic young adult in D.C., met Dorsonville.
“I’ll always remember him,” she told CNA. “He was kind, warm, and full of energy. I’ll never forget how he treated one person we ministered to with such tremendous respect, even giving the man a hug! He was a man of compassion!”
“He showed us an excellent example of loving our neighbors and helping those who are struggling. It was a blessing to serve alongside him,” she added.
The streets are where Steve and Courteney Simchak, a D.C. Catholic couple who, along with the bishop, led the archdiocese’s homeless outreach missions for several years, also met Dorsonville. The Simchacks said that Dorsonville truly loved his homeless friends and saw them “as his brothers and sisters.”
“Many of our homeless brothers and sisters adored Bishop Dorsonville — or, Father Mario, as some of them called him,” Steve Simchak explained. “The way he connected with them was remarkable, and he did it with such radiating joy and compassion.”
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