Monterrey
On August 14, Jacobo Nieto Covarrubias, LC, took his perpetual profession at the Irish Institute of Monterrey. During the same ceremony, presided over by Father Eduardo Robles-Gil, LC, 18 novices made their first religious profession and 11 religious renewed their vows. Several Legionary priests working in the city of Monterrey and other cities in the territory concelebrated at the Eucharistic celebration.
In his homily, Father Eduardo said: «We have just heard that the religious superior, the novice instructor, or the Territorial Director calls these brothers of ours by name, and they respond: “Present!”. They respond like Samuel in the first reading: “Here I am!”. There is a mystery here, a mystery that is the mystery of the vocation to the priesthood, religious life, or consecrated life in its various forms. It is the mystery of a voice that is heard and that each person hears deep in their heart and responds personally: Here I am to do your will. But not everyone hears the same voice, or the voice reveals the same content to everyone.»
Later, he commented: «It is a personal call that each person hears clearly in their heart, and each of us responds from the depths of our hearts to Christ. To hear God’s voice, faith is needed; we know that God exists, that He is a close God, that we matter to God, and that He can call us, and that, concerned for us and for the salvation of all, He calls us to collaborate with Him in a particular way. And we listen and respond because we have faith and are capable of knowing that it is God who calls.»
«To follow Christ, it is necessary to deny ourselves, take up the cross. Following Christ is a vocation to many blessings, and Christ Himself describes it as a hundredfold in this life, as well as eternal life, but He adds: with persecution. It is necessary to take up the cross of denying our selfishness every day of our lives, and that is very difficult for us. But knowing that we have a treasure in Jesus, our choice is for Jesus crucified, Jesus resurrected, Jesus the Apostle,» said Father Eduardo, adding: «And because He calls us, and because we love Him, because we love the Church understood as the People of God, which needs God, out of that love we take up the cross.»
Then, thanking the families of the brothers making their profession, he expressed: «Here I feel compelled to thank the families of these brothers of ours; they, loving God and loving their children who tell them: “Mom, Dad, God is calling me,” also with faith and generosity embrace God’s vocation for their children and, in some way, also embrace part of the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. And they possibly feel contrasting emotions in their hearts, feelings of joy for having a beloved son called by God our Lord. But also, humanly speaking, a sadness in seeing their son become an apostle, a missionary of Jesus.» He also told them: «There is a capacity for faith, to listen to God, and a capacity for love to respond: “Here I am”. And also to respond: “Here is my son”. Faith and love are needed. But the greatest thing is that when we respond to God “here I am,” He confirms us: “Here I am also.” It is not that we decide; it is that He calls us and fully gives Himself to us.»
The H. Jacobo Nieto Covarrubias, LC was born in Querétaro, Mexico, on December 14, 1988. He entered the Vocational Center of Ajusco in 2001 and the Monterrey novitiate on September 15, 2005. He completed two years of novitiate and one year of humanities in Cheshire. He studied two more years of humanities in Salamanca and a Bachelor’s in philosophy at the Pontifical Ateneo Regina Apostolorum from 2010 to 2012. During apostolic practices, he worked as discipline prefect at the Monterrey Vocational Center. Next October, he will begin his licentiate in philosophy in Rome.
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Luca Toffolon, LC with his family on the day of the ceremony.
Rome
On August 20, Patrick O’Loughlin, Diego Trillas, Leonardo Pérez-Castilla, Jesús Salinas, Russell Ward, Jerek Scherber, Julio Reyes, Leopoldo Sayegh, and Luca Toffolon, LLCC, made their perpetual profession at the Center for Higher Studies in Rome. During the same celebration, 7 religious renewed their vows. The Eucharistic celebration, presided the day after the spiritual exercises of the month by Father Jesús María Delgado, LC, was attended by some Legionary priests, brothers who completed the spiritual exercises of the month, the lay brothers who arrived in Rome for the start of philosophy studies, a group of sisters from the Fraternity of the Ark of Mary, and family and friends of those who made their profession.
During his homily, Father Jesús María invited everyone to make Christ the center of their lives and, using the image of Peter walking on the waters, invited the brothers to walk in poverty, chastity, and obedience over the waters of a world where everything seems to go against living these three vows, trusting fully in Jesus who says: “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you.” Finally, he invited everyone to become aware of the great gift received with perpetual profession. “You receive the gift of gifts. Let us become aware of this moment. May the Lord fertilize everything you carry in your heart today,” he said.
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A group of sisters from the Fraternity of the Ark of Mary accompanied Leopoldo Sayegh, LC on his profession.
The H. Leopoldo Sayegh, LC was born in Caracas, Venezuela, on October 16, 1987. He studied at the Cumbres Institute of Caracas, where he received the Integer Homo award. He was a member and responsible for ECYD and in charge of Missionary Youth. He joined the Regnum Christi Movement in 2002 and collaborated in the development of ECYD in Caracas. He entered the Monterrey novitiate on October 11, 2005, and made his first religious profession on August 12, 2007. He studied two years of humanities in Salamanca and the Bachelor’s in philosophy in Rome. During apostolic practices from 2011 to 2014, he was a secondary formation instructor at the Cumbres Institute of Mexico, a member of the male ECYD auxiliary team, and co-responsible for Youth Ministry in the western part of Mexico City. In 2014, he returned to Rome to study for his licentiate in philosophy. In October, he will begin his first year of theology.
The H. Diego Trillas Díaz, LC was born in Mexico City on September 30, 1988. He belonged to ECYD in Dallas and, at age 15, entered the New Hampshire Vocational Center. He entered the Cheshire novitiate on September 15, 2006. He studied humanities in Cheshire and the Bachelor’s in philosophy at the Pontifical Ateneo Regina Apostolorum. During apostolic practices, from 2012 to 2015, he worked in the male ECYD of Aguascalientes. In 2015, he began his licentiate in philosophy at the Pontifical Ateneo Regina Apostolorum. In October, he will start his second year of the licentiate in philosophy.
The H. Jesús Salinas Sacre, LC was born in Mexico City, D.F., on June 19, 1988. He studied at the Cumbres Lomas Institute and Cumbres Mexico before entering the Legion, and was a member of ECYD during those years. He entered the Monterrey novitiate on September 15, 2006, and later transferred to the Cheshire novitiate, where he also completed two years of humanities. From 2010 to 2012, he studied the Bachelor’s in philosophy at Thornwood. During apostolic practices, he worked as discipline prefect at the Rolling Prairie Vocational Center and as an assistant for the male ECYD of San José, California. During his third year of practices, he was also a vocation promoter in California (San Jose, Los Angeles, Napa Valley), supporting the Rolling Prairie Vocational Center. In 2015, he began his first year of theology at the Pontifical Ateneo Regina Apostolorum. In October, he will start his second year of theology.
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Russell Ward, LC with his family on the day of the profession.
The H. Luca Toffolon, LC was born on November 19, 1988, in Italy. He entered the Vocational Center of Gozzano on September 1, 2002, and began his novitiate at the same center on September 18, 2005. He studied two years of humanities in Salamanca and the Bachelor’s in philosophy at the Pontifical Ateneo Regina Apostolorum. During his apostolic practices, he was discipline prefect at the Gozzano Vocational Center. In 2014, he returned to Rome to begin his first year of theology. In October, he will start his third year of theology.
The H. Patrick O’Loughlin, LC was born on January 15, 1989, in Syracuse, New York, United States. He entered the Vocational Center of New Hampshire in 2001 and the Cheshire novitiate on September 15, 2006. He studied two years of classical humanities in Cheshire and the Bachelor’s in philosophy at Thornwood. During apostolic practices, he worked as a philosophy assistant in Thornwood, auxiliary of the territorial secretariat in Thornwood and San José, and discipline prefect at the Rolling Prairie Vocational Center. In 2015, he began his first year of theology in Rome. In October, he will start his second year of theology at the Pontifical Ateneo Regina Apostolorum.
The H. Russell Ward, LC was born on July 21, 1988, in Flint, Michigan, United States. He entered the Cheshire novitiate on September 15, 2006. He studied two years of humanities in Cheshire and the Bachelor’s in philosophy at the Pontifical Ateneo Regina Apostolorum. During apostolic practices, he was discipline prefect at the Rolling Prairie Vocational Center. In 2015, he returned to Rome to study for his licentiate in philosophy. In October, he will begin his second year of licentiate in philosophy.
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The parents of Diego Trillas, LC, accompanied him during his perpetual profession.
The H. Jerek Scherber, LC was born on June 4, 1988, in Corcoran, Minnesota, United States. He entered the Vocational Center of New Hampshire in 2002 and the Cheshire novitiate on September 15, 2006, later transferring to the Cornwall novitiate. He studied two years of humanities in Cheshire and the Bachelor’s in philosophy at the Pontifical Ateneo Regina Apostolorum. During apostolic practices, he served as novice assistant at the novitiates of Cornwall and Cheshire, and was a member of the auxiliary team of the male ECYD of Houston. In 2015, he returned to Rome to begin his first year of theology. In October, he will start his second year of theology.
The H. Leonardo Pérez-Castilla Martín, LC was born on August 21, 1984, in Caracas, Venezuela. He studied four years of economics before entering the Legion and joined the Regnum Christi Movement two years before starting novitiate. He entered the Salamanca novitiate on October 10, 2006. He studied one year of humanities in Salamanca and the Bachelor’s in philosophy at the Pontifical Ateneo Regina Apostolorum. During apostolic practices, from 2011 to 2014, he worked as an assistant to the humanists of Monterrey. In 2014, he returned to Rome to begin his licentiate in theology. Next October, he will start his third year of the licentiate in theology.
The H. Julio Reyes Rodríguez, LC was born in San Miguel, San Salvador, El Salvador, on January 27, 1982. He earned a law degree before entering the Legion. He entered the Monterrey novitiate on September 15, 2006. He studied one year of humanities in Cheshire and, from 2009 to 2011, the Bachelor’s in philosophy at Thornwood. He completed apostolic practices working as a member of the auxiliary team of the male ECYD of Saltillo, as a formation instructor at the Cumpres-Alpes Institute of Saltillo, and as a vocational promoter for minors. In 2014, he began his first year of theology at the Pontifical Ateneo Regina Apostolorum. In October, he will start his third year of theology.
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The family of Christopher Tappel, LC, was present during his perpetual profession.
United States
On Sunday, August 21, Christopher Tappel, LC, made his perpetual profession in the chapel of Our Lady of Guadalupe at Pinecrest Academy in Atlanta, Georgia. Father John Connor, LC, North American Territorial Director, presided over the Eucharistic celebration. Some Legionary community members from Atlanta, consecrated members of Regnum Christi residing in Atlanta, Christopher’s family, and several friends and families from the College attended.
The H. Christopher Tappel, LC was born in Anchorage, Alaska, United States, on September 5, 1988. He entered the Legion of Christ at the Cheshire novitiate on September 14, 2005, and later completed two years of novitiate in Bad Münstereifel, Germany. He studied two years of humanities in Cheshire and the Bachelor’s in philosophy at the Pontifical Ateneo Regina Apostolorum. During his apostolic practices from 2011 to 2016, he worked as a teacher at the Cheshire training center, an auxiliary for the North American fundraising tour, a
