The Father Jorge Fernández Tijerina, LC, territorial vicar of Mexico and Central America of the Legionaries of Christ, was the one who called Father Gustavo Cerros, LC, during the ordination rite to stand up and present himself, and he requested the grace of diaconal ordination from the celebrant.
For his part, Mons. Constantino Barrera Morales, bishop of the diocese of Sonsonate, expressed his joy at being able to celebrate the diaconal ordination rite, in the company of other present priests and friends of Father Gustavo Cerros, LC, “who have been an important part of his life,” he assured.
The ceremony took place on June 25 at the Immaculate Conception Parish in Santa Tecla, El Salvador, and was broadcast live from the Facebook pages Legionarios de Cristo Internacional, Legionarios de Cristo México y Centroamérica; and on the YouTube channel of Regnum Christi El Salvador.
Father Dennis Doren, LC, local director of Regnum Christi in El Salvador, addressed Father Gustavo Cerros, LC, “words that come from the heart.” In these, he recounted the twelve years of preparation and its stages, among which he mentioned candidacy, novitiate, and apostolic practices that he had to undertake to reach this moment of diaconal ordination. And he said that, “for those who have gone through all these stages, there is nothing left but to thank God for the gift we receive,” for moments of great dedication and love. And he added that during all these years “the Lord has manifested Himself in many ways and has done great things in Gustavo’s life.”
As a second thought, Father Dennis explained that the diaconate is a transitional state toward the priesthood, and highlighted that one of the “characteristics of the priestly ministry in all its cases is service, which must be supported by the words of the Gospel.” “We are servants of Jesus who carry a message of love, because He wants all men to go out and know the truth,” he said.
He invited him to live this first stage of the priesthood focused on his preparation and to carry it out with enthusiasm and confidence because He will always be faithful.
Father Gustavo Cerros, LC, was accompanied in the ceremony by his family, friends, members of Regnum Christi, members of the Catholic community El Salvador del Mundo, Salesian priests, and members of the locality of El Salvador.
During the ordination rite, after the Bishop of Sonsonate laid hands on Father Gustavo, he was vested with the help of his parents, with the diaconal ornaments. With the greeting of peace, given by Monsignor Constantino Barrera and other priests to Father Gustavo Cerros, the rite of diaconal ordination was concluded.
At the end of the celebration, Father Noel Quezada, LC, superior of the Legionaries of Christ community in El Salvador, thanked Monsignor Constantino for accepting to preside over the ordination. He quoted the words of Jesus: “the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few,” so he said that each worker who joins and dedicates his life to serve that vast harvest so in need of God’s word is a cause for great joy. He especially appreciated Father Gustavo’s generous “yes” and reminded that it is a “yes” that must be renewed every day of life.
After his ordination, Father Gustavo Cerros, LC, shared a life anecdote he used to explain that, no matter how much men believe they can do things, it is only so because God is always with them.
Present to concelebrate in the diaconal ordination were: Monsignor Constantino Barrera Morales, bishop of the diocese of Sonsonate, Father Jorge Fernández Tijerina, LC, territorial vicar of Mexico and Central America of the Legionaries of Christ, Father Noel Quezada, LC, superior of the Legionaries community in El Salvador, Father René Santos SDB, Father Rodolfo Domínguez MJ, Father Dennis Doren Lahr, LC, Father José Luis Richard, LC, and Father Roberto Villatoro, LC.
Profile of Father Gustavo Cerros, LC
José Gustavo has been a Legionary of Christ for 12 years. He is 33 years old and is currently finishing his theological studies at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum, in Rome. Before joining the Legion of Christ, he studied with the Salesians at Ricaldone, belonged to the Catholic community “El Salvador del mundo,” and it was there that he met the first two Legionaries of Christ: Father Dennis Doren, LC, and Father Hernán Jiménez, LC.
Soon after, he traveled to Monterrey to begin candidacy. He lived three years in Monterrey, where he completed the novitiate and made his first vows on August 19, 2012. The following year, he studied classical humanities, and after that period, he began his three-year philosophy studies in Rome. Upon completion, he did his apostolic practices for three years in Mexico City as a trainer of adolescents at the vocational center “Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary.”
On June 11, 2021, he made his perpetual profession, and on June 25, 2022, he was ordained deacon at the parish of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, Santa Tecla, El Salvador.
Father Gustavo is the third of five children; his siblings are: Mauxi, Geral, Gerardo, and Diego. His maternal family comes from Sensuntepeque, Cabañas; his paternal family from San Salvador. Father Gustavo was also accompanied by his relatives, friends, members of Regnum Christi Mexico, members of the Catholic community “El Salvador del mundo,” Salesian priests, and, of course, the Regnum Christi community of El Salvador.
