On Wednesday, June 29, during the solemnity of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Father Carlos Ángel Martínez LC was ordained a priest at the Parish of Our Lady Queen of Angels, in San Pedro Garza García, Nuevo León.
The ceremony was presided over by Mons. Juan Armando Pérez Talamantes, auxiliary bishop of Monterrey, and was attended by the communities of the Legionaries of Christ from the same city.
The hymns of the Mass were led by the choir of the Novitiate of the Legionaries of Christ in Monterrey, and some of Father Carlos’s family members from Colombia, members of Regnum Christi, and friends were present.
In his homily, Mons. Juan Armando Pérez Talamantes urged the new priest to live fully dedicated to the service of God and the Church, recognizing his calling to live strongly and in a very special way the gift of faith, hope, and charity; as a faithful and committed priest, proclaiming the faith of the Lord Jesus wherever he is.
At the end of the celebration, Father Carlos Ángel asked God to renew in him His spirit of holiness, offering himself to the Holy Spirit so that He may be present in a very special way with His gifts, hoping to bring God’s presence and consolation to the lives of others.
Period of trials, struggle, and prayer
The young priest has gone through a series of tough trials on his path to ordination. During a surgical procedure, he contracted an infection in his lumbar discs that has limited his mobility, risking complete paralysis.
He is currently undergoing extensive treatment with specialized doctors in Monterrey who offered their help. With this and the unconditional support of his fellow Legionaries from his community, he has been able to move forward.
Just after his diaconal ordination in May 2021, Father Carlos Ángel faced another trial that put his health at risk. The young priest described that time in two words: struggle and prayer.
Struggle to recover from the effects of COVID-19, which kept him hospitalized and required several months of recovery.
Prayer, because amid his limitations, he found in the Word of God the meaning of living service through intercessory prayer, thinking and praying for the suffering of others and many other intentions that he daily entrusted to the Lord through his own illness.
Father Carlos Ángel shares that, on the vocational path, different stages are traversed with moments of trial, and from personal experience, he recommends fighting to adapt and trying to live with the best attitude, making the most of what God is allowing, with or without limitations.
“I believe it is very important to keep alive the attitude of following Christ; after all, priesthood is based on making Christ’s life present in the world, and when the priest loses that attitude of life, other ideals begin to replace it and become more attractive. I would say that we need to focus on cultivating the attitude of following Christ.” P. Carlos Ángel Martínez, L.C.
With trust in God, move forward
The father wishes to make a call to all young people who are experiencing vocational discernment: trust in God by placing all your confidence in Him. A strong trust to overcome difficulties with the help of the sacraments, to grow in strength and in the knowledge of Him who calls you to serve.
The new Legionary priest expresses his desire for Christ to fulfill all the plans He has for him, asking for constant renewal and perseverance in the face of difficulties, without losing sight of the attitude of seeking to imitate Him in His priestly ministry and to serve the Church in the best way.
