Basilica of Guadalupe rector visits Utah

Intermountain Catholic

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Monsignor Diego Monroy Ponce, vicar general for the Archdiocese of Mexico City and rector of the Basilica de Guadalupe, will celebrate Mass in the Cathedral of the Madeleine on Aug. 29.

Laura V. Sausedo

Intermountain Catholic

SALT LAKE CITY — The Cathedral of the Madeleine’s 3 p.m. Mass on Aug. 29 will have a distinguished guest. Msgr Diego Monroy Ponce, vicar general for the Archdiocese of Mexico City and Rector of the Basilica de Guadalupe, will be giving a special message to the Utah community.

Msgr. Monroy Ponce will arrive in Utah because of a promise that he made six years ago to Mary Jose De Alba, who at the time worked in the Basilica. He told her that when she had her first child he would be present for the baptism. With the upcoming weekend visit, his promise will come true.

"I’m very happy; he has been like a father to me," De Alba said. "I met him more than 20 years ago, and him coming to Utah means a lot."

After the baptism, Msgr. Monroy Ponce will be in the Mass at the Cathedral of the Madeleine at 3 p.m.

"I know he is coming to give the community a message from the house of our Mother in the basilica," De Alba said.

Also on the monsignor’s schedule is a visit to the Skaggs Catholic Center in Draper on Monday.

Msgr. Monroy Ponce was born in Quiroga, Michoacán , México. In 1962 he entered the seminary. He was ordained a deacon in 1973.

From 1970 to 1974 he studied liturgy at the Instituto Cardenal Darío Miranda. After graduating he was a teacher for several years. He was ordained a priest on June 29, 1975 by Cardinal Miguel Darío Miranda y Gómez.

In 2001 Pope John Paul II presented him with the monsignorial title of Apostolic Protonotary Supranumerary.

Msgr. Monroy Ponce has held positions such as vicar general of Divina Providencia and Sagrado Corazón, both in México City and liturgical pastor of the Basilica de Guadalupe. In 1980 he founded Santa María de Tecuatlesupe evangelical community, in which approximately 20,000 people have been evangelized.

Presently he is vicar general of the Archdiocese of Mexico City and Rector of the Basilica de Guadalupe.