Parochial Vicar

Fr. Cristian Casado

ccasadostgabriel.org

I was born the 23 of February 1985, in a small town of 1500 inhabitants called Dílar, in the mountainous region of Sierra Nevada, near the city of Granada, Spain. I am the youngest of 3 brothers, and my parents are Antonio and Encarnación. They have been married now for 45 years. From my oldest brother, Antonio, I have 3 nephews, and from my second brother, Javier, I have a niece and a nephew. All my family lives in Spain.
A very important person for my spiritual growth was the priest that arrived in my hometown when I was 10 years old, Fr. Luis. His teachings about God and our Catholic faith and his tireless example of self-sacrifice to serve others have left a mark on my life that remains with me to this day. I am convinced that thanks to him and to his spiritual direction, I was able to feel for the first time God’s call to serve his people as a priest when I was a teenager.
I have lived in different countries before arriving to the United States, and I feel very blessed because of that. For about 4 years I lived in Israel, studying and working as a tour guide for pilgrimages. I loved that time so much because it allowed me to constantly teach -I love teaching- about the History of Salvation and the infinite love of God for every one of us, and how many things He has done in order to gain us for Himself. Then, I moved to Rome, where I studied Theology and Canon Law: living in the heart of Catholicism increased my desire to serve God more exclusively, and confirmed the priestly vocation that I received as a child.
While in Rome, I met a priest from Texas who invited me to come here to serve as a priest. After a visit to Texas during the summer, I fell in love with the Church here and felt that this was the place where I wanted to become a priest. So, in January of 2017, I moved to the United States and was sent to Notre Dame seminary for two years of formation. Then, I continued my formation to the priesthood in Dallas, serving at St. Monica, Mary Immaculate in Farmers Branch, Prince of Peace in Plano, and as a deacon at St. Cecilia in Oak Cliff.
I have a few hobbies. I like skiing, hiking, and cooking, and I enjoy spending time with friends. Something else that I enjoy is traveling and road-tripping. But above all, I like serving God’s people: I can say that the gospel is fulfilled in me when it says: "You have not chosen me, I have chosen you”. I want to be God’s instrument to announce and teach His Love, which is the priest’s main mission: to make present in the midst of the world the Love of God, his Mercy. The love and Mercy that He has given me since I was a child through my family, many blessings, and the priests I have found in my life.
I am looking forward to walking with you, and serving and love you, the beloved Spouse of Christ who pilgrims at St. Gabriel.