by Jimmy Patterson
April 20, 2016

Father Emilio Sosa, pastor of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in San Angelo, has been named a Missionary of Mercy by Pope Francis. The designation is the second in the diocese by the Holy Father. Fr. Sam Matthiesen, of Holy Family Parish in Abilene, was named a Missionary of Mercy earlier this year.

The designations were made in dioceses throughout the world in 2016, proclaimed by Pope Francis as the Jubilee Year of Mercy.

“It is a great experience to have something that has come directly from the pope,” Fr. Emilio said. “After my ordination this is the biggest thing I have experienced. Every priest should be merciful and we don’t really need a title, but this is a great thing for me. Out of love and obedience to our Holy Father I receive it."

Fr. Emilio was ordained as a priest in the Diocese of San Angelo in 2006. He was raised by nuns in a Mexican convent and orphanage from the age of two, until he entered the seminary.

For the Holy Year, which runs until Nov. 20, 2016, Pope Francis said he would designate Missionaries of Mercy to be unique signs of God's mercy. Pope Francis is giving the Missionaries of Mercy special authority during the Jubilee Year of Mercy to pardon sins that carry penalties that only the Holy See can lift.

“There are more than 2,000 Catholic priests in Texas. Pope Francis designated only four of them as Missionaries of Mercy. Two of those four are from our own diocese – Father Emilio and Father Sam,” Bishop Michael Sis said. “We are blessed to have a presbyterate that is so well represented in this historic endeavor.”

More than 700 of the 1,000 missionaries were blessed at a Mass in Rome on Ash Wednesday. Fr. Sosa was unable to attend.