06/18/2026
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Greetings to all at St. Gabriel,
My name is Gabriel Mendoza, a seminarian from Redemptoris Mater, and I am delighted for the warm and gracious welcome to St. Gabriel. I am incredibly grateful to be assigned to your vibrant community for the summer. Even in these first few days, your kindness, hospitality, and deep faith have made me feel right at home. I am truly excited to learn from you, walk alongside you in faith, and serve this community this month.
I would like to briefly introduce myself and share how God has called me to discern the priesthood. Born and raised in Oak Cliff, a neighborhood in Dallas, I am 25 years old and grew up in a close-knit household as the oldest of two boys. At 20 years old, I attended a two-week retreat at my home parish, Nuestra SeΓ±ora del Pilar, where I first discovered my calling. At the time, I was studying at a community college and was close to earning my Associate of Science degree, with plans to transfer to UTA. However, God had a different path in store. After spending some time in propedeutic formation, I chose to walk away from my plans of becoming a construction manager so that I could wholeheartedly pursue the call to the priesthood. During my final prevocational meeting, I was asked a profound question: would I be willing to enter the seminary and be sent anywhere in the world to serve wherever the Church needs me most? I accepted, knowing that God was calling me to follow Him. This circumstance was unique. Normally, aspiring seminarians attend a one-week retreat in Porto San Giorgio, Italy, where they are assigned to international seminaries, with only a slim chance of being sent back home.
However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic the international retreat that year was cancelled, and so my sending happened locally. That is why I got assigned to stay in Redemptoris Mater Missionary-Diocesan Seminary where now I have 5 Β½ years. During my five years in the seminary, I have completed my philosophical studies, instituted into the ministry of lectorate & acolyte, and lastly I completed my second year of theology.
Please keep me in your prayers, as you will be in mine. I look forward to meeting and getting to know many of you after Mass and at upcoming parish events!
Yours in Christ,
Gabriel Mendoza Jr.
