This past weekend Bishop Oscar Cantú made a pastoral visit to the “Three C’s”—Carrizozo, Capitán, and Corona. Fr. Emmanuel Ezenneh, parish administrator, delivered beautiful welcoming comments which touched the hearts of all present. Here, we share these eloquent, profound, and humbling words.

Bishop, on behalf of the good people of St. Rita Parish Carrizozo, I welcome you and thank you for coming. We thank God for this wonderful day and we glorify his most holy name for granting you a safe trip to our Parish.

Indeed, we are highly excited to welcome you in our midst—to pray with us and bless us. And more importantly, to celebrate the Holy Eucharist with us, which is the source and summit-of our life. Your Pastoral visit, this day will ever remain fresh and green in our grateful hearts.

It is praiseworthy to note here that within a few years of your episcopacy in the diocese of Las Cruces, a lot of achievements were recorded; especially in the areas of organization, administration, unity, peace, justice, and pastoral apostolate. You love reaching out to those in the furthest end of the diocese; hence, today we become beneficiaries of your thoughtfulness.

I would like to take this opportunity and thank God for your life of selfless service and tremendous sacrifice to the diocese of Las Cruces during these five years.

Bishop, you are a special gift to our generation, a seasoned administrator, a humble and simple chief shepherd, source of inspiration and encouragement to many who have come your way. In a nutshell, you are a man of integrity, and like John the Baptist, pointing not to yourself but beyond yourself to our Lord Jesus Christ in your teachings and homilies. There is so much more we can say to describe what a wonderful bishop you are, but there is no words to describe the love we have for you.

We are so blessed to have you in our midst today. We pray that your apostolate here in Las Cruces and in your new place of assignment will continue to bear fruit for eternal life. We also pray God to grant you good health of mind and body to bear further, meaningful, and effective witness to God’s divine love at all times and in all places.

Enjoy this hospitality of your good people in this parish of three cities. Once more, welcome bishop and have a wonderful day!