Reverend Deacon Miguel ‘Michael’ Sifuentes
Reverend Deacon Michael is a native El Pasoan and raised in the Mexican Baptist church. On May 18, 1980, The Very Rev. Archpriest Fr. John Elias received him into the Orthodox faith at St. George church and sponsored by Gloria Farah Armistead. May their Memory be Eternal!
After receiving a B.A. in Sociology with a Social Work Sequence from The University of Texas at El Paso (May 10, 1980), he relocated to Houston, Texas, where he worked as the Assistant Director and then Director of Student Affairs with The University of Texas Health Science Center/School of Nursing. He attended St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church and had the opportunity to sing in the church choir and with the St. Romano’s Chorale (composed of singers from Orthodox Christian churches in the greater Houston area), both under the direction of Dr. William Attra.
In 1986, he relocated to El Paso where he served as Associate Registrar and then Registrar with The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). He retired from the UT
System/UTEP on December 31, 2013. He received an M.Ed. in Guidance and Counseling (Community Counseling focus) from UTEP (December 16, 2000).
On October 19, 2003, His Grace Bishop BASIL elevated him to Subdeacon, which coincided with the consecration of the new St. George church building dedicated to the Glory of God at 120 N. Festival Dr. Priest in attendance were the Very Rev. Archpriest Fr. Jehad Michael and the Very Rev. Archpriest Fr. John Elias. He too completed and received the required St. Stephen’s Course of Studies Certificate in Orthodox Theology (September 2016) through the Antiochian House of Studies (AHOS).
He currently works part-time with the El Paso Independent School District. He too is a volunteer member on the UTEP Heritage Commission whose role is to oversee the Heritage House, which preserves the history of UTEP from its origin as the Texas College of Mines in 1914 to the present.
With the blessing of both Emeritus the Very Rev. Archpriest Fr. Jehad Michael and Rev. Fr. Joseph Abouid, His Grace Bishop BASIL ordained Subdeacon Michael to Reverend Deacon on June 16, 2018, at the DOWAMA Parish Life Conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He serves as the Rev. Deacon of St. George church under the guidance and direction of The Rt. Rev. Archimandrite Fr. Fadi Rabbat.
Prior to his ordination to Rev. Deacon, he served as chanter and choir director of St. George church and continues to help when needed.
