Meet Our Vocation Director- Friar Mario Serrano

Friar Mario Luevano Serrano, OFM Conv., has been a Conventual Franciscan Friar, for over a decade and is originally from the small town of Dexter in New Mexico. Friar Mario first experience of God was through his family. He is the 2nd of 5, 3 brothers and his youngest sibling being his sister. Friar Mario’s sense of call was planted in his heart as a 3rd Grader, when he experienced education in a bilingual setting and received his First Communion. Since then many encounters and ministerial experiences have shaped and formed Mario.

Friar Mario is part of the first generation of his Mexican-American family to pursue higher education. He is the first and only to have a graduate degree. As a Franciscan priest, he is currently a University Minister in El Paso at the University of Texas at El Paso. He enjoys reading books, watching movies, listening to podcast, and sharing fellowship with his community. He loves Dr. Pepper, Mexican, and Italian food.

Prior to being moved to El Paso, Friar Mario was in Terre Haute, Indiana as University Minister through St. Joseph University Parish for Indiana State University, Rose Hulman Institute of Technology, and St. Mary of the Woods College.

A few years back, he attended OLLU for his first two years of undergraduate studies in bilingual education before moving to Washington, DC to complete his BA at Catholic University of America. Friar Mario has a Masters of Divinity degree from Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, TX.

Friar Mario was Director of University Ministry and adjunct faculty at Our Lady of the Lake University prior to being asked by the Conventual Franciscans to initiate and develop the University Ministry outreach in Terre Haute. He brings a wealth of ministerial experience. Friar Mario has done field experience working with RCIA (Sacramental Preparation), the ACTS Retreats, ACTS HOPE retreats, World Youth Day, and ministry to and with children with special need and the terminally ill (hospice and AIDS Foundation), and prison ministry. Friar Mario has been privileged to have mission experiences in Mexico, Honduras, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Zambia and Kenya.

Friar Mario believes in service, not only giving voice to the voiceless, but also building structures of empowerment and a process where all people can reclaim their voice. “We are all called to dig deep to see divinity in all people and experiences,” Friar Mario will respond when getting involved in local faith convening groups. Friar Mario is quite attuned to how God works within and through people to bring about transformation in the world. He is currently Vocation Director to all men who live in West Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma.