Father Hernando Diaz 50th Anniversary of Ordination
MIDVALE – A blessing from the pope marked the 50th anniversary of priesthood ordination of Father Hernando Diaz.
Father Diaz, who was born in Cairo, Colombia, was ordained a priest on April 17, 1971 by Monsignor Jose Gabriel Calderon, Bishop of the Diocese of Cartago, Colombia. He was invited to Utah by the Most Rev. William K. Weigand, seventh Bishop of Salt Lake City. With the authorization from his bishop in Colombia, Fr. Diaz arrived in Utah in 1984.
His first assignment was as a parochial vicar of St. Therese of the Child Jesus Parish in Midvale. Then he was assigned as administrator of Sacred Heart Parish in Salt Lake City, where he stayed for seven years. This was followed by six-year terms at various assignments throughout Utah: St. Joseph Catholic parish (Ogden), Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, Sacred Heart Mission, St. Marguerite Parish, St. Bridget Parish, St. John Bosco Mission, Holy Family Parish and San Felipe Parish, totaling 37 years of service at the Diocese of Salt Lake City.
When he retired in 2016, he was pastor of St. Bridget Parish in Milford. At the retirement celebration, former parishioners filled the social hall of the Territorial Statehouse in Fillmore to overflowing, coming from Wendover, Tooele, Fillmore, Richfield, Beaver and Ephraim, Salt Lake City, Midvale and Kearns.
With retirement he returned to where he had begun in Utah, taking up permanent residency at St. Therese of the Child Jesus Parish, where he helps minister side by side with Fr. Jose A. Barrera, administrator.
With the social distancing requirements in place because of the pandemic, the celebration of the golden anniversary of his ordination was a much smaller affair than his retirement. On April 15, after an anniversary Mass, the parish hosted a small celebration.
“We congratulate Fr. Hernando Diaz today as he celebrates 50 years of priesthood,” Fr. Barrera said at the beginning of the celebration.
“We give thanks to God for his faithful ministry and service to our parish and our diocese,” said Fr. Barrera as he presented Fr. Diaz with an apostolic blessing.
Fr. Diaz has made good friends everywhere he has served, and he has grown with them, said Griselda Bedolla, parish secretary.
“At the very beginning I had a big language barrier communicating with the people in a new country,” said Fr. Diaz in a special reflection about his ministry. Now, after living in Utah for more than 35 years, he officiates Mass and preaches in both English and in Spanish.
“Bishop William K. Weigand sent me to take an English class at Westminster College. When I was assigned as administrator of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, I went to the University of Utah for the whole year and that was it; the rest was my daily practice and writing,” he said.
He is happy to continue his priestly ministry even in retirement.
“The day that we stop moving, that day we start dying,” Fr. Diaz said.
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