“Bless the Lord, my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name” (Psalm 103:1)

Since I was a child, everyone told me I would become a priest, and I liked the idea. Over time, many doubts arose, and I was afraid, so I started to set this idea aside. I remember once, when I was about 18 years old, during a spiritual retreat, a priest told me as we were saying goodbye: “Joel, God is calling you, and you have to answer Him.” Since he said this in front of all the young people with me at the retreat, I blushed and replied: “No way, nobody’s calling me.”

I went to university and graduated, but I always carried the thorn that perhaps my vocation was to be a priest. After graduating, I felt stuck, dissatisfied, passing through a desert. Then I thought maybe I wasn’t progressing because God had made me to be a priest, and I was determined to follow another path. I cried over this.

At that time, I came into contact with Father Jorge Loring, SJ. I wrote an article citing his book “To Save You” and sent it to him via email. To my surprise, he responded and told me I had cited his book very well. We exchanged several emails, and finally I told the father that I probably had a vocation but hadn’t responded. The father told me I couldn’t leave the doubt, that I should have a vocational experience, that in his opinion I should take a step toward the priesthood, and that I should contact the Legionaries of Christ, who were good people. I was trembling reading what he told me.

I wrote an email to the Legionaries, and that’s how I met Brother Juan Carlos Quintero, LC. After a year and a half of talking with him, he invited me to a gathering at the novitiate in Caracas. From the very first moment, I felt at home. I loved the formality and discipline and, at the same time, the closeness of those living there. The Masses were also impressive. That weekend, I received an invitation to begin the Candidate program, which would start in a few months.

At that time, I went on a first Friday to confess at a church far from my home; I wanted to be alone. I was very nervous because leaving to become a religious was like starting over; I would have to go back to studying, and I knew the Legionary formation would be long. It was starting from zero at age 28. I asked God for light to do what was right. After confessing, I went to pray before the exposed Blessed Sacrament, and to my surprise, a familiar person approached me to greet me. We spoke quietly for a while in front of Christ. I told him I was doing very well, working, and taking an online Bible course. When I told him this, he looked at me and said: “Joel, if that’s really what you like, why don’t you go to the seminary?” I started to laugh. Clearly, almost shouting, Jesus was telling me to leave the fear behind, that yes, He wanted me to be a priest. (He still wanted me to be a priest!). I have no doubt that Jesus placed that person there that day to speak to me. I left the church with great peace and a joy that filled my chest. I went to the Candidate program. I became a Legionary of Christ, and ten years later, by God’s pure mercy, I was ordained a Deacon. How great and good God has been to me!