Bishop John Dolan celebrated a special Mass on Sunday (Aug. 16) at Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral in Phoenix, honoring the legacy of Fr. William Wasson. Sunday marked the 20th anniversary of Fr. Wasson’s death in 2006.
Born in Phoenix in 1923, Fr. Wasson founded Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos (NPH) and dedicated 50 years of his life to serve as a father-figure, provider and teacher to more than 18,300 orphaned, abandoned and poor children. Several of the men and women he and his colleagues raised attended Sunday’s Mass. NPH now offers homes in nine countries, including Mexico, Honduras, Haiti, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Peru and Bolivia.
During his 2025 visit to the Diocese of Cuernavaca, where Fr. Wasson was ordained a priest, Bishop Dolan spoke to Bishop Ramon Castro about beginning the process toward a cause for sainthood for Fr. Wasson.
Bishop Dolan was joined at Sunday’s Mass by Fr. Richard Frechette, who is the President of NPH Haiti’s Board of Directors, overseeing an extensive array of programs, and serves as the Ethical and Medical Consultant/Advisor for NPH International. Fr. Frechette was a personal friend and associate of Fr. Wasson.
To read more about Fr. Wasson, click here.
Bishop Dolan’s Homily:
Fr. Richard Frechette’s Remarks:
