My new home diocese welcomed new deacons last Saturday, when Bishop John Noonan ordained 18 men at the Basilica Shrine of Mary Queen of the Universe.
One of them is going to be serving at my new parish, St. Francis of Assisi in Apopka — bringing the number of deacons on staff to four (two Spanish-speaking, two English-speaking).
George Torres is one of seven children. He was born in the Dominican Republic to parents Jorge and Yolanda. Educated in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, he received a medical degree from the Universidad Autonoma de Santo Domingo in 1986. He met his future wife, Angie, in the Dominican Republic and they married in 1990. They have two sons. Torres has been practicing pulmonary and internal medicine for almost 40 years.
After serving in the U.S. Air Force, and retiring as a lieutenant colonel, Torres arrived in the Diocese of Orlando because of a job offer. He was already three years into his diaconate studies in the Diocese of Knoxville, Tennessee, when he arrived.
As a parishioner at St. Francis of Assisi in Apopka, he has been involved in several ministries for the last five years, including lector, Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, choir member, and catechesis instructor.
Regarding his experience in the diaconal formation process, he acknowledged significant challenges – specifically the amount of time available to devote to the program while trying to balance the demands of work and patient care obligations, sometimes without help from physician colleagues.
“I am convinced of having obtained grace every day of my formation process, growing in faith, love, patience, and humility, and becoming a servant because of that same grace,” said Torres. “As a future deacon, and if it is God’s will, I expect to retire from the sacred practice of medicine in the next few years to devote all of my time to the Church and my family. May the Lord allow me to do so.”
Check out the video of the ordination below from YouTube.
Ad multos annos! Congratulations and welcome, brothers!
