Growing up Catholic in his native, Spanish-speaking Venezuela, Fr. Dempsey Rosales, Professor of Theology at University of St. Thomas – Houston, knew there was a Bible at home. But, like millions of faithful worldwide, the family Bible simply sat on the bookshelf. It was never read. Perhaps that's why Fr. Dempsey now says God has the ultimate sense of humor. Because today, few things captivate his attention like the Scriptures.

"Even in the seminary, my interests were in topics other than the Bible. But when it was time to do my specialization, my bishop asked me to do it in Sacred Scriptures. So, slowly, I started learning about the world of the Scriptures, the languages of the Scriptures, and that's when I literally fell in love with the Scriptures," says Fr. Dempsey.

A Passion for the Scriptures Leads to Deep Knowledge

It is his deep knowledge of the Bible, his academic experience, his fluency in Spanish, but above all his passion for the Scriptures that have given Fr. Dempsey an essential role in an internationally known podcast called La Biblia en un Año, or The Bible in a Year.

Ascension Press, which created the successful English-version podcast in 2021, involved Fr. Dempsey so they could offer the project in our nation’s second most-spoken language, Spanish.

Fr. Dempsey quickly earned his spot at the top of the list of scholars, clergy and theologians who were considered.

Ascension Press Representative Alejandra Garcia said, "His scholarly credentials were staggering, and his enthusiasm for the Word of God was infectious! More specifically, Fr. Dempsey's academic background in Biblical theology and experience teaching the Bible to different groups of learners stood out to us."

The Well-Received Launch of La Biblia en un Año

The Spanish podcast was launched on January 1. Since then, La Biblia en un Año has guided listeners to enjoy the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, through 365 daily episodes with commentary, reflection and prayer. Each episode lasts approximately 30 minutes and is hosted by Father Sergio Serrano, a Dominican priest who resides in New Orleans. Fr. Dempsey serves as the scholar who presents and explains each period.

Fr. Dempsey Helping to Spread the Scriptures from Different Platform

"This podcast gives me the opportunity to help spread the mission of the Scripture to everybody. In practical terms, that is what I'm doing. It's just a different audience from my classroom students and a different platform," adds Fr. Dempsey.

So far, the podcast has been downloaded by over 1 million listeners[AR1] . And Fr. Dempsey sees it as an exciting continuation of his mission.

"It is like missionary work, but instead of traveling like they did in the Middle Ages or the Renaissance, traveling all over the world to preach the word of God, now we are using the new means of communication that we have. It is fantastic," says Fr. Dempsey.

La Biblia en un Año can be downloaded from anywhere you listen to podcasts. Additional content can be found on YouTube and Facebook where visitors can also meet one another. To download the reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/labiblia.