Fr Dorado was a strong leader for Filipino priests

 The much-loved Auckland Filipino community chaplain Fr Mario Dorado, OFM Cap, passed away on March 14, 2023. He was 68 years old. 

The Capuchin priest was known for his larger-than-life personality, booming voice and huge smiles. He was a Capuchin friar for 46 years and a priest for 41 years. 

A series of Masses were held for Fr Dorado, finishing with a requiem Mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral on March 25. His body was repatriated to the Philippines the following day. 

Auckland Bishop Stephen Lowe, the main celebrant at the requiem Mass, said that he received word of Fr Dorado’s passing while he (Bishop Lowe) was on his Holy Land pilgrimage. 

“It was at Caesarea, Philippi, that Jesus asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say I am?’ And Peter said, ‘you are the Christ, the Son of the Living God’” Bishop Lowe said.  

“It was at Caesarea, Philippi, that I received the email that Fr Mario passed away to the Christ he knew as the Son of the Living God, the Christ he has given his life to. On Wednesday morning, I celebrated Mass in the tomb of Jesus Christ. And there in that Mass, I prayed for Fr Mario that he would know the fullness of the Resurrection and life that Jesus won for us.” 

Filipino Capuchin priest Fr Severino Bustamante, who knew Fr Dorado since their seminary days, said that Fr Dorado was a strong leader for the Filipino priests in Auckland. 

“[Fr Dorado] called old people ‘papa or mama’, younger people ‘brother or sister’ and Filipinos ‘kapatid’ (sibling). These were his simple ways of connecting with everyone, but he really meant them with sincerity and joy,” Fr Bustamante said. 

He said that, despite visitor restrictions at Mercy Hospice, many still tried to see the ailing priest. He said that Fr Dorado would tell him to direct the visitors to the chapel to pray for him (Fr Dorado). 

“During his stay at the hospice, he told me he was prepared and was just waiting for Sister Death to come, like St Francis of Assisi who welcomed Sister Death before he (St Francis) died,” Fr Bustamante said. 

Auckland Bishop Emeritus Patrick Dunn spoke of being struck by how young Fr Dorado was when he (Fr Dorado) answered God’s call to become a missionary. Fr Dorado was only 16 years old when he joined the Capuchins. 

“One of the great things about Fr Mario [is] . . . he was always cheerful. He was a cheerful missionary. He was reminding us about the Good News” he said.  

Bishop Dunn said that it was appropriate that Fr Dorado’s funeral was celebrated on the feast of the Annunciation, where our salvation history began. 

“And [our salvation history] also begins with a young person, Mary, at Nazareth” he said.  

Bishop Dunn said that Mary greeted her cousin Elizabeth with “my soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my soul rejoices in God, my Saviour”. 

“And I like to think that Mario, now, in God’s presence, is singing with that beautiful voice of his, a big smile on his face, ‘my soul rejoices in the Lord, my Saviour’” said Bishop Dunn. 

Fr Dorado came to New Zealand in 2006, and served in the parishes of St Patrick’s (Kilbirnie, Wellington, Holy Cross (Henderson, Auckland), Our Lady of Lourdes (Glen Eden, Auckland), St Mary’s (Mt Albert, Auckland), St Dominic’s (Blockhouse Bay, Auckland) and St Benedict’s (Newton, Auckland). 

He was the chaplain of the Auckland Filipino community from 2020 to 2023.