Leo XIV Promotes Bishop Who Advised Priest on Latin Mass: “Just Be Obedient”
Born in 1969 in Mexico City, he was ordained a priest in 1998 for the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri. Over the years he has served in various pastoral and educational roles in Texas, including parish ministry, leadership within the Oratory’s schools, and a term as Procurator General of the Oratory.
He was consecrated Auxiliary Bishop of Brownsville, Texas, in 2018.
Advice on Latin Mass: “Sólo sé obediente, hijo”
AciPrensa.com reported in July 2025 about a two-year exemption granted for the celebration of the Mass in the Roman Rite in the parish St. Margaret of Scotland in San Angelo, Texas.
Before the decision, the parish priest Freddy Pérez sought counsel from Auxiliary Bishop Mario Avilés.
The priest recounted: “The advice he gave me was very simple: ‘Just be obedient, son.’”
Immigration Activism in the Francis Style
Furthermore, Monsignor Avilés has appeared regularly in border-bishops’ initiatives from 2018 through 2025. Together with other bishops, he visited migrants at the U.S.–Mexico border, observed detention facilities and coordinated humanitarian aid.
A joint message from February 2025, that was signed by several bishops including Mons. Avilés, called the Church “a reliable partner of our governments” in assisting immigrants.
#newsGytfejnnwh