November 11, 2009

Retired priest dies in his homeland

 Father Adalberto DeGante, a retired priest of the Denver Archdiocese, died Oct. 31. He was 59.

The son of Domingo and Maria DeGante, he was born April 15, 1950, in Chiautla de Tapia, Puebla, Mexico.  He attended Ignacio Marquez y Toriz Junior High School, Palafoxian Conciliar Seminary High School and St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach, Fla.

Ordained on Aug. 28, 1979, at Chiaulta de Tapia, Puebla, Mexico, Father DeGante served as associate pastor first at St. Mary Parish in Farmington, N.M., Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Holbrook, Ariz., then Holy Infant of Prague Parish in Reserve, N.M.  Between 1981 and 1989, Father DeGante served as pastor at four parishes: San Mateo Church in San Mateo, N.M.; Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Holbrook, Ariz.; San Rafael Church in San Rafael, N.M. and Sacred Heart Church in Waterflow, N.M.

From 1987 to 1989, he served as vicar of Hispanic affairs for the Diocese of Gallup, N.M. In 1990, Father DeGante came to Colorado to become chaplain at the Federal Correction Institution in Englewood.  In his Colorado ministry, he served as parochial vicar at St. Anthony Parish in Sterling and St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Iliff.  Later, he served in the same capacity at St. Helena in Fort Morgan and Our Lady of Peace in Greeley.

Incardinated to the Archdiocese of Denver in 2002, Father DeGante was administrator, and later pastor at St. John the Evangelist in Yuma before moving to Denver where he was appointed parochial vicar at St. Anthony of Padua Parish. 
Father Daniel Norick, V.F., pastor of St. Anthony, remembers Father DeGante as a caring individual who enjoyed being involved in the parish community

“He was very active in his ministry,” Father Norick said.  “He was a great organizer—rosaries, prayer groups, he started our Legion of Mary chapter at the parish.  Whatever kind of community organizing needed to be done, he was there to help.

“He felt the calling to the priesthood from a young age,” Father Norick added, “and never tired in fulfilling that mission.”

A funeral for Father DeGante was held Nov. 2 in Puebla, Mexico. A memorial Mass for Father DeGante will be offered by Msgr. Jorge De los Santos at 7 p.m. today, Nov. 11, at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 3801 W. Ohio Ave. in Denver.