August 5

2023

Chicago (originally from Piñicuaro, Gto., Mexico)

St. Francis de Sales (Chicago)

University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) (Teaching of History)

Teacher

English & Spanish

Running, visiting churches

Collect Holy cards

St. Francis de Sales

Devotion of the Two Hearts and Our Lady of San Juan de los Lagos

I am the oldest of three children in my family.  I was born in Mexico, but have lived in Chicago for most of my life now.  I attended University of Illinois at Chicago and was the first person to ever graduate from a 4-year institution.  I received a degree in Teaching.  About four years ago, and having started my professional career in teaching, I began to realize that our Lord was been calling me  and I needed to respond.  It is then that I began to seriously discern a vocation to the priesthood.

The idea of being a priesthood had been on my back-burner as some people say, but I kept pushing it aside. The Lord was calling me, pulling me, but I resisted.  The calling was there in my childhood, in my teenage years, and college, but I looked for excuses to say no, convincing myself that the priesthood was not for me, but did not really understood why the idea of the priesthood had been roaming in my head. All of these experiences and thoughts were kept in my heart; it was only about 3 years ago that I began to respond to the calling and voicing those thoughts and experiences.  I attended a retreat at the Seminary and I gave in to the Lord; I could resist Him no longer.  And, after  3 years of formal discernment, I am finally here at Mundelein.

Celebrating the Holy Mass, preaching the Gospel, and administering the Sacraments

One my favorite experiences has been the silent retreat at the beginning of the semester; one most memorable experiences has been the CAM retreat off campus; and one of my most surprising stories has been serving as a waiter for the Golf Outing and Dinner.

Thank you for all your prayers and sacrifices.  Please say a Hail Mary daily or offer Holy Communion for seminarians.