Dorick M. Wright
| The Most Reverend Dorick M. Wright, DD |
|
|---|---|
| Bishop of Belize | |
| Church | Catholic Church |
| See | Titular Bishop of Thimida Regia |
| Appointed | November 18, 2006 |
| In office | January 23, 2007 – |
| Predecessor | Osmond P. Martin |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | June 27, 1975 |
| Consecration | April 4, 2002 by Bishop Osmond P. Martin |
| Rank | Auxiliary Bishop of Belize |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 15, 1945 Belize City, Belize |
Dorick McGowan Wright, DD, was born on November 15, 1945, in Belize City, Belize, Central America. From 2006 he has served as the fourth bishop of the Catholic Church for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Belize City-Belmopan.[1]
Early life
Dorick M. Wright grew up in Holy Redeemer Cathedral parish. His first cousin is Anglican Bishop Philip Wright and his uncle is Pastor Lloyd Wright from Bethel Assembly of God Church.[2] In 1961, while in his mid-teens, he lost his mother, two sisters, and a brother in hurricane Hattie. The tree image on Bishop Wright’s coat of arms is symbolic of the mango tree that saved his life. He attended St. John’s College and then taught for three years at Holy Redeemer Primary School. He then entered Conception Seminary, run by the Order of St. Benedict in north-west Missouri, where he completed his education for the priesthood.[3]
Episcopacy
Wright was ordained at Holy Redeemer Cathedral, Belize City, on June 27, 1975. He then assisted at St. Joseph Parish, Holy Redeemer Cathedral parish, and Inmaculada Parish in Orange Walk. He returned to St. Joseph Parish as pastor and then to Holy Redeemer Cathedral. On April 4, 2002, Wright was consecrated at St. John’s College as Auxiliary to Bishop Osmond P. Martin, with Martin the principal consecrator. He was appointed bishop of the diocese on November 18, 2006, and installed on January 23, 2007, with Archbishop Luigi Pezzuto, nuncio for Belize and El Salvador, presiding.[3]
Bishop Wright founded St. Benedict Diocesan Seminary, a minor seminary offering two years of college training to those studying for the priesthood. It opened on August 27, 2013, on the grounds of the former Santa Familia Benedictine Monastery outside Santa Elena, Belize. Four young men comprised its first class.[4]
Wright outspokenly opposed some aspects of the government’s 2013 promotion of same-sex-orientation rights.[5] His position was supported by the Belize Evangelical Council, and later also by the Belize Council of Churches that included the Catholic church as a member. With Bishop Wright’s eyesight failing, he requested help to carry out his mission and in 2012 Viatorian Fr. Christopher Glancy was consecrated Auxiliary Bishop and Vicar General for the Diocese of Belize City-Belmopan.[1]
References
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- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Woods, Charles M. Sr., et al. Years of Grace: The History of Roman Catholic Evangelization in Belize: 1524-2014. (Belize: Roman Catholic Diocese of Belize City-Belmopan, 2015), pp. 305f.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
