In the News ... "Unaccompanied minors a challenge"

OA Photo by Eli Hartman

• Rev. Perez took opportunity to encourage hope

By Bob Campbell, Reporter
• Odessa American

MIDLAND, TEXAS - The Rev. Freddy Perez joined the priesthood to dedicate his life to serving others, which took on new meaning when he was the only clergyman ministering to 500 unaccompanied minors detained last spring and summer at a former man camp on the south side of town.

Parochial vicar of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish and Shrine at 1401 Garden Lane, the Rev. Perez says it was a profound experience to meet and try to help the children and teenagers who’d been taken into custody for illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border.

“I learned that preaching hope to children who had been separated from their families was a daunting task,” he said. “I was able to witness to them that we should never cave in to fears but instead live in the joy of Christ. I reminded them that we were all family and that they were never alone.”

Perez grew up in San Angelo working in his family’s restaurant and after graduating from Lakeview High School he earned a degree in philosophy at Mexican-American Catholic College in San Antonio, a master’s in divinity at the Oblate School of Theology there and a master’s in ecclesiastical administration and management at the Cameron School of Business at the University of St. Thomas in Houston.

Perez first became interested in the priesthood at age 13 when he was inspired by his parish priest, the Rev. Joe Vasquez. “Seeing that a priest was a man like Christ solidified my calling,” he said.

His parents Martin and Teresa now own a restaurant in Sweetwater. He has a brother.

“I preach about the Christ who is with us and is the one we give witness through, living out our baptism and learning about the kingdom of Christ in the here and now,” said Perez, 35, who serves with Our Lady of Guadalupe’s pastor and rector, the Rev. David Herrera. “I also preach about social justice and human dignity because we have an inherent dignity that is brought about by being a creation of God.”

Along with his traditional priestly duties, Perez is using social media to market the church and bolster its outreach. “I’m a hard-working millennial with a good understanding of what it is to live in this day and age and of how to better ourselves as a church through technology,” he said.

Perez said the church’s shrine, the only one in the San Angelo Diocese, has been rebranded and turned into a pilgrimage center that “can be a place of peace and refuge on your journey.

“It is also a place for the daily devotees who come and pray,” he said.

Bishop Michael Sis said Perez, who previously served at St. Stephen’s Catholic Church in Midland, is hard-working and dedicated priest whose ministry has a great positive impact on people ...

• Read the rest of this OA report ...