On Friday, October 30th, Cardinal José Francisco Robles Ortega presided over the Eucharistic celebration where two priests and three deacons of the Legionaries of Christ were ordained at the temple of María Madre Nuestra, in Zapopan, Jalisco. Concelebrating priests of the Legionaries of Christ and only some family members of the ordinands were present. The Mass was held behind closed doors and with all health protocols in place.
These ordinations were originally scheduled for May 20th in Rome with all the Legionaries worldwide who would be ordained priests. Due to the pandemic, this ceremony was suspended and is now being held in the country of origin of each Legionary.
The young men who received the priestly ordination in Zapopan are César Velázquez Núñez, from León, Guanajuato, and Agustín Alfredo Gómez García, from Irapuato. Those who received the diaconal ordination are Felipe de Jesús Quezada Sánchez, originally from Zacatecas, Emmanuel Castañeda Ramírez, and Francisco Xavier Gutiérrez Aguirre, both from Guadalajara.
At the beginning of this celebration in Zapopan, Fr. Héctor Quintana, LC, representative of the Territorial Director of the Legionaries of Christ in the North Zone of the country, thanked the family members for their generosity in supporting the vocational journey of the young men. He also expressed gratitude to Cardinal Robles Ortega for his presence even during these pandemic times, and for his tireless work; he entrusted the fidelity and commitment of the new ordinands to the Virgin of Zapopan in their mission.
The Cardinal Robles stated in his homily that: “In the Gospel, Jesus tells us that no one has greater love than the one who gives his life for his friends; it is a profound and radical phrase. He asks us, those who have been called to an episcopal, priestly, or diaconal vocation, to give a testimony of love and to bring to fullness the work of salvation through love and service.”
He added that bishops, priests, and deacons are called to transmit a living Christ. He also asked the entire community to open themselves to God’s gift and to be responsible for love and service to others in this time we are living.
During the ordination rite in Zapopan, the parents of each deacon and priest came up to the altar to help vest them with their new garments.
Due to quarantine restrictions, the event was broadcast live on the Catholic channel María Visión and through social media.
Profile of the new priests:
César Velázquez Núñez, L.C.
Born in December 1987 in León, Guanajuato, but spent his childhood in Dolores Hidalgo, Gto. He entered the Vocational Center of León in 1999. Later, he did his novitiate in Monterrey and studied classical Humanities in Salamanca, Spain. He studied Philosophy and Theology at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum. He made his perpetual profession in February 2012. He collaborated as a formator at the Vocational Centers in Chile, Guadalajara, and Monterrey. He worked in the ECYD and as a training instructor at the Cumbres Institute León. Currently, he is an assistant for the youth section of Regnum Christi in South Guadalajara and a training instructor at the Cumbres International School Guadalajara.
Agustín Alfredo Gómez García, L.C.
Born in July 1989 in Irapuato, Guanajuato. He entered the novitiate in Italy on September 15, 2005. He studied classical Humanities in Salamanca, Spain. He earned his degree in Philosophy and Theology at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum. He made his perpetual profession in September 2013. He collaborated as a formator at the Vocational Center of Ajusco.
Profile of the new deacons:
Felipe de Jesús Quezada Sánchez, L.C.
Born in Nochistlán, Zacatecas, in May 1990. He entered the Vocational Center of Guadalajara in July 2002. He entered the novitiate in 2006 in Salamanca, Spain, and completed his humanistic studies there. He studied Philosophy and Theology at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum. He made his perpetual vows in August 2016, in Rome. In his pastoral work, he collaborated with the formation team of the novitiate in Italy. He is currently appointed in charge of ECYD at the parish of Guadalupe, in Rome.
Emmanuel Castañeda Ramírez Zacarías, L.C.
Born in Guadalajara, in August 1987. He entered the Vocational Center of Guadalajara in the summer of 1999. He made his first religious profession in Canada, on September 8, 2003. He studied classical Humanities in Cheshire, USA. He completed his Philosophy and Theology studies at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum, in Rome. He holds a degree in Philosophy from the same Athenaeum. He made his perpetual profession on August 15, 2014, in Rome. He has collaborated as a formator at the Vocational Centers of Colfax, USA, León, Mexico, and Curitiba, Brazil, and as an assistant in ECYD in Michigan and Ohio, USA. He is about to begin his ministry as director of ECYD in Caracas, Venezuela. He also has two Legionary brothers, Fr. Benjamín and Brother Juan Pablo.
Francisco Xavier Gutiérrez Aguirre, L.C.
Born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, in February 1988. He entered the novitiate in Monterrey in 2006. He studied classical Humanities in Salamanca, Spain. He earned his degree in Philosophy and his Bachelor’s in Theology at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum. He made his perpetual profession in February 2017. He worked as a training instructor at the Himalaya School and at the Faro Club in Monterrey. He is currently pursuing a doctorate in Philosophy at the Francisco de Vitoria University in Madrid.
