“I will sing forever of the mercies of the Lord” (Ps 88)

My life is a story of salvation where the kind, patient, merciful action of God the Father has been vividly evident.

One of the blessings I am most grateful for and proud of is my family. A family of ten, literally. I am the eighth of ten children, five boys and five girls. My mom, an extraordinary woman, with a very big heart, dedicated and devoted to others, whose priority has always been family. My dad, the man I admire most and who has influenced my life the most, an authentic man like few others, generous, joyful, with firm Christian convictions.

I grew up in a healthy environment where faith was palpable. From childhood, I was very spiritually sensitive and had good examples in my family, especially in my parents and grandparents. I remember with great affection my First Communion day, which marked a very special moment in my close and personal relationship with Jesus. I was a very calm and happy boy, with unconditional friends and always enjoyed good plans with brothers or friends.

At 15, I spent a year studying and learning English at an international academy in Dublin, Ireland. It was a period of significant human and spiritual maturity, and I had my first encounter with the Legionaries of Christ. I lived with great priests and seminarians whose joy and passion for life impressed me. I never thought about becoming one of them, but I believe that was when God prepared the ground where He would later sow the seed of my priestly vocation.

I returned to Mexico and faced high school. At that time, I was very clear that I wanted to study law; I was very determined and independent. But gradually, eager to belong, I immersed myself fully in an environment and friendships that led me away from God and my faith. I started neglecting my grades and responsibilities, and my life ideals began to fade… however, that was the year God would knock on my door.

In April 2007, we took a family trip to Rome and other Italian cities. On Palm Sunday, we attended Mass at the International College of the Legionaries of Christ. I remember noticing something in the faces of the seminarians that made me think: what do they have that I don’t? During Mass, the thought came to me: what if God is calling me to be a priest? I got scared and tried to forget it, thinking about something else. I was very afraid of what that entailed and it was not at all in my plans. But that thought returned gently and subtly to my mind. Then began a struggle within me that lasted throughout the Mass. In the end, by God’s grace, I “surrendered” and, facing the crucifix, I said: Come on! If You want it, I will become a Legionary priest. I left that chapel knowing there had been a definitive turning point in my life and feeling a deep peace and joy that I knew did not come from this world. Before returning to Mexico, I spoke with a Legionary priest who told me: If God is calling you, you’ll see—it’s like winning the lottery.

That summer, with all the hope in the world, I would enter the seminary and begin the adventure of following Christ and preparing to be His priest in service to others. These have been 16 years of formation, prayer, encounters, study, discernment, experiences, work, growth, trials, etc. Throughout these years, I have dreamed of this moment of priestly ordination, even when the star has hidden behind clouds many times. God has worked greatly in my heart along this journey. He has revealed His face as Father

and has taught me to live and trust as His child. I am very aware that I do not take this step by my own strength or merits but, despite myself, by pure grace and mercy of the Father.

I feel excited, grateful, and even a bit confused by this gift of God’s predilection. In my experience, I have seen that you cannot outgive God in giving. I have already received much more than the hundredfold Jesus speaks of in the gospel, and I know that the best is yet to come.

God has chosen a fragile clay vessel to deposit the great treasure of His grace. I want to be a faithful priest of Christ who reflects the paternal face of God to others, who is a sign and sacrament of His mercy, and whose ministry serves to feed men hungry for God. I hope my entire life will be a Mass, an offering for the glory of God and the salvation of men.