In an effort to reach out to more Hispanic Catholics across the world, the Vatican has selected Chicago's Rev. Manuel Dorantes as the spokesperson to the Holy See and Holy Father for the Spanish speaking media for major Vatican events.
He began his new position as the Spanish speaking voice on Vatican radio, serving as the interpreter worldwide, on Easter Sunday.
"To be someone else's voice requires you to empty yourself," Dorantes told NBC Chicago. "It's an incredible calling."
After Easter Mass, Dorantes met Pope Francis briefly, who asked him how Cardinal Francis George is feeling. George is unable to attend the canonization of Popes John Paul II and John XXIII because he's undergoing chemotherapy for kidney cancer.
Dorantes will carry out his new role again this weekend for the canonization. He will then return to Chicago. Just 30 years old, he's quite involved with social media, and his twitter feed: @TweetingPriest has both Spanish and English tweets.
Dorantes is the first American Immigrant priest to receive this position. He is currently is studying to receive his M.B.A from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Business. Before that, he had been an assistant pastor at St. Clement's Church.
Known as Father Manny, he emigrated from Mexico to Waukegan when he was 12 years old and later attended Loyola University. As a seminarian he worked as an intern for Chicago's Telemundo television station.
