The West Texas Catholic: Welcome to the Diocese of Amarillo, Father Luis René López. Please tell us your vocation story. Father Luis René López: “When I was a child, my grandmother took me to Mass every day. She did not want to leave me at home because she was afraid that I might burn down the house. She made me go to church, but I soon became interested in being there. I told her I wanted to be like the altar servers at the altar. This is the hook my grandmother used and she spoke to the Capuchin priests. So, during my early life I was formed by the Capuchins to be an altar server and continued to grow in Faith. I completed high school and went to the university to study geography. I completed my degree and worked for 25 years, teaching geography at University. I seemed to forget my vocation and I had a girlfriend to whom I became engaged.
“She helped me rediscover my vocation. She told me that I loved God more than I loved her. I told her she was crazy that I loved her. She said: ‘No! You love God and the Church more than you love me.’ She is a psychiatrist and she helped me to rediscover my vocation using psychological testing. I went to Mass every day—Sunday through Saturday. I went to teach class and afterwards went to Mass before returning home. And so, I began to rethink my decision; I became a catechist and was very involved in the Church. I did not grow away from the Church even though my vocation fell asleep, was dormant. I came to believe in my vocation and went to talk to the bishop. I told him I wanted to attend the seminary but was afraid that I had lost 20 years because I didn’t start classes before then. I did not want to give up the university.
“The bishop suggested that I continue teaching geography but attend the seminary to study theology. I had already completed my study of philosophy. So I went to the seminary, studied only theology, and continued teaching. I was ordained deacon by the current Secretary of State of the Vatican, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, former Apostolic Nuncio of Venezuela. After six months I was ordained a priest. I began my priestly ministry and continued working at the university. I worked in the university as a priest and then as a parish priest and rector of my seminary. Then because of the political life in Venezuela, I came to Las Cruces, then Spain, and now am here in Amarillo.”
WTC: You spent time in higher education. Why did you teach geography? Father López: “My geography teacher in high school taught with such passion and was pretty and I fell in love with geography. When one goes to the university one choses a major. I chose geography, social communication and history. I enjoy and really love the study of the land (terrain), the elements—rivers, mountains, the reality of our earth, flat or mountainous and earthly phenomena. Durango, Mexico is very different from Caracas, Venezuela or Amarillo, Texas. Every region has something different which makes it unique. Using my knowledge, I could help solve physical problems of living in our world, including using this knowledge in my homilies, where my teaching joins my love of humanity.”
WTC: Tell us about your family… Father López: “We are a family of six children. My father is a farmer and my mom worked many years in public service. We all went to the university. My older sister is a teacher and principal of a school. One brother is a male nurse and two work like veterinarians. My younger sister is a dentist in the United States. My parents do not want to leave Venezuela and still live there. My brothers live in Spain, Colombia and Chile.
WTC: What brings you the greatest joy as a priest? Father López: “That would be service to others—helping others, supporting parishioners in any way possible, not being indifferent to others, but feeling useful to others. Also, I really enjoy teaching; I have always enjoyed it, even as a child. For my entire life, I have liked to teach whether at a mission, a conference, or as a guest speaker at a workshop.”
WTC: What are some of your hobbies? Father López: “My favorite hobby is cooking, especially dishes native to Venezuela. I like cooking fish, my pizza is good, Spanish paella with seafood, arepas filled with pulled meat and fresh cheese, some types of vinagrettes and some pies and cakes such as pineapple and some desserts from my country of Venezuela, such as coconut kisses. I also like to play ping pong.”
WTC: What is your favorite Bible verse and why? Father Lopez: “My favorite Bible verse is, ‘I have become all things to all.’ (1 Cor. 9:22) I like this biblical verse by St. Paul because it defines my priestly ministry. I was ordained a priest for all without distinction of race or culture.”
WTC: Who is your favorite Saint and why? Father Lopez: “My favorite saint is the Apostle Paul. He is my favorite because I identify with him in the priestly ministry. I feel like a missionary such as he because he took the Gospel to many places in the world. I have served as a priest in Venezuela, Spain, the United States and on some occasions in México and in Colombia. I am a missionary of Christ and His Church.”
WTC: What were your first impressions of the Diocese of Amarillo? Father López: “My first impression of Amarillo was interesting because I was able to see two cultures working together: the American culture and the Latino culture, especially the Mexican culture. Both cultures have a richness that, if we take advantage of it, we could do things of great benefit to society. Furthermore, Amarillo is a small city, I like the tranquility of small cities and small towns. I believe Amarillo retains those town-like features, and I like that.”
WTC: Anything else you’d like to add? Father López: “I am very happy and thankful to be here in the Diocese of Amarillo with Bishop Patrick J. Zurek to be able to work and collaborate with my fellow priests. My main hobby is cooking. The bishop and I have contests. He is a great chef, improvising dishes; I like to taste his creations. I also am a good cook because my mom and grandmother taught us to cook. When I was young, my mom gathered her sons and told us: ‘You have to learn at a young age how to clean house, to cook and to wash and iron clothes. It will help you in your life. If you marry and your wife doesn’t know how, you will have to do it and teach her. But the most important thing is to learn to dance.’ Mom said if you don’t dance and your wife dances, she will dance with someone else. So, you need to learn how to dance! I am a very good dancer. I make excellent pizza, great paella Española, anything made with seafood and I dance very well.”