I was born on May 15, 1986, in Maracaibo, Venezuela, into a Catholic family where I received the first seeds of faith. I studied at a Claretian school, and although God was a part of my life, for a long time He remained more in the background, like part of the scenery. Over the years, that faith weakened until my father’s death from cancer marked a turning point in my life. His passing confronted me with the deepest questions about the meaning of life, suffering, and death. In the midst of that pain, some words from the priest during the wake—about the possibility of offering the Eucharist for his salvation—touched my heart and awakened in me an unexpected desire: to start going to Mass every day.

Little by little, almost without realizing it, God began to transform me. I felt a deep desire to receive Holy Communion again, which led me to approach the Sacrament of Reconciliation once more. When I received the Eucharist, I experienced what I call my “second First Communion”: for the first time, I clearly understood that the One I was receiving was truly God. The God I had previously felt distant began to draw near. Along this path, an invitation to a Eucharistic Adoration of Regnum Christi opened me to an atmosphere of silence, prayer, and spiritual family that helped me to continue deepening my relationship with Christ.

Some time later, during a trip to the novitiate to participate in the three-day renewal of promises, I clearly experienced God’s call to the Legion of Christ. During a night of adoration, while praying in the early morning, a serene certainty was born deep within my heart: this was the place where I could love God as He wanted to be loved. In time, I also came to understand the meaning of the title of this story: “the boy in the back pew.” Many people prayed for me without knowing me, offering sacrifices and supporting me spiritually from behind the scenes. Today, with deep gratitude, I can say that I am happy because God found me, called me, and gives me the grace each day to continue walking with Him towards heaven.