On October 17, Mons. Juan María Huerta Muro, bishop of the territorial prelature of El Salto, Durango, ordained Father Jorge de Jesús Herrera Álvarez del Castillo, LC, as a deacon at the Minor Basilica Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of Durango, Mexico.
At the beginning of the diaconal ordination rite, Father Paul Lara, LC, territorial director of the Legionaries of Christ in Monterrey, invited Jorge de Jesús to present himself before the assembly.
In his homily, Mons. Juan María said: «The priestly order is divided into three degrees: diaconate, presbyterate, and episcopate.
The diaconate is in service; Jesus shows us this by example. He kneels before the apostles to wash their feet; an important mission within service that we must provide for one another, being attentive to the needs of others and, precisely because of service, we are distinguished as followers of Master Jesus.»
Mons. Juan María continued: «Jorge, you are blessed; God has looked upon you. One of the phrases that appears in the Gospel text is: “Having loved his own, he loved them to the end,” and that love manifests itself in many ways, one of which is the choice Jesus makes of those He wants, nothing more. So Jorge, you have been chosen and you are an elect; always remember that what you receive is a gift from God. As a gift, it must be shared; the grace you receive is precisely for the good of others. The gifts received to truly bear fruit must be at the service of others.»
At the end of the homily, the bishop added: «The Church is built precisely on the communion of goods. If someone recognizes in himself or herself a good received, for that good to grow, it must be shared, and that is how the Church grows. You have much to do, Jorge. Give thanks to God because He is good; He has looked upon you.»
In the ordination rite, after the laying on of hands, Father Allan Carpenter, LC, and Jorge de Jesús’s parents vested him with the diaconal stole and the dalmatic.
His family members, friends, and lay members of Regnum Christi from the area attended the ceremony.
Some diocesan priests and Legionaries of Christ also participated in the celebration.
The complete gallery of photos from the diaconal ordination can be viewed at this link.
