An Invitation and a Word of Thanks

by The Reverend Dr. Roman D. Roldan on April 15, 2026

I have been very busy packing for my sabbatical. What exactly does one bring for 12 weeks in a Latin American country? Ironically, the siblings recommend Tylenol, Motrin, sunscreen, bathing suit, and good sneakers as basics. The reason is simple. These items are quite expensive there and the local options “are not good!”

Clothing must be comfortable, with jeans and khakis preferred. Polo shirts and shorts are a must. No suits, clergy shirts, ostentatious jackets, or expensive designer clothing. This is not a problem for me. The only ostentatious item I own is an old Bible I was given for my ordination. I doubt anyone would want to steal it, or would feel offended if I have it. Nonetheless, the Bible too will be left behind.

To say that I am excited would be no exaggeration. This will be a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with old friends, visit clergy classmates in their respective towns, travel, read a lot of books in Spanish (which I don’t always get to do here) and spend some time with family. I have two sisters and a brother who reside in Colombia for half of the year and all three will be there until October.

I feel so grateful to the diocese for a small grant they gave me to pay for a portion of this time away. I am also overwhelmed by the generosity of Saint Dunstan’s parishioners who have contributed towards this project, after receiving an invitation from our Senior Warden to join me on this journey. I hope many of you will come to a coffee hour on Sunday, April 19 at 10:15 in the Mace room. I will be available to answer questions or just visit with you before I leave on Tuesday.

I am also very grateful to Fr. Steve Ferguson, Fr. Naty Menjivar, and Jaime Munoz for covering for me while I am away. Please direct all administrative questions to Dede Johnson and to our Senior Warden, Jodie Leach. All pastoral questions can be directed to Cathy Sullivan or one of the clergy.

Please know that I will keep all of you in my prayers until I return on August 3rd. I ask for your prayers for protection, rejuvenation, and peace while I am away. May our Lord continue to bless you,

Fr. Roman+

About the Author

The Reverend Dr. Roman D. Roldan

The Rev. Dr. Roman D. Roldan is originally from Colombia, South America, where he lived until he migrated to the United States for College in Southwest Miami in the late 1980s. He attended the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium for graduate school in theology, followed by a master’s degree in social work at Rutgers University in New Jersey in the early 1990s. From 1995 to 2005, he worked as a bilingual psychotherapist, administrator, and Chief Deputy Officer for a national behavioral healthcare company in Florida. He became an Episcopalian in the year 2000 at Grace Episcopal Church, Ocala, Florida. In 2005, he attended Trinity School for Ministry, graduating in 2007 with his master’s degree in divinity and in 2016 with his doctorate in divinity with a concentration in preaching.

Fr. Roldan has been an Associate Dean at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Davenport, Iowa, the Rector of Grace Church of West Feliciana Parish in Saint Francisville, Louisiana, for eleven years, and the Rector of Saint Dunstan’s Episcopal Church in Houston, Texas, for nearly five years. From 2017 to 2020, Fr. Roldan served as a seminary professor at Trinity School for Ministry’s Spanish online program. He also served from 2015-2019 as the Episcopal Chaplain at Louisiana State Penitentiary, commonly known as “Angola Prison.” He was the Dean of the Baton Rouge Deanery in the Dioceses of Louisiana from 2016-2020. From 2010 to 2020, Fr. Roldan served as a short-term missionary in the Episcopal Diocese of Honduras and built the Episcopal Church in El Carmen, San Nicolas. He has served on the Board of Trustees of the Seminary of the Southwest since 2021. He has been a chaplain to 3 Cursillo and two Happening teams since his ordination. He is passionate about the supervision of curates and raising vocations to the diaconate and the priesthood.

Fr. Roldan has been married to Chris Anna Roldan for 31 years and has four children ages 30, 27, 22, and 20. He is an avid reader, traveler, and amateur writer. He is the author of A Blind Man and his Monkey and is currently working on his second novel, The Ghost and his Baby.

Email: frroman@saintdunstans.org

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