I was born May 20, 1987.  Since childhood, I was very close to my maternal grandmother, who belonged to the Secular Franciscan Order. She taught me to believe in God and to pray the Rosary. I used to go to Mass with her on Sundays and on Thursdays we would visit the Blessed Sacrament.   

All my education took place in a Catholic school, run by the congregation of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Mother Cabrini). At the age of nine, I received my First Communion and at 14 my Confirmation. In my parish, I was part of the altar boys, youth ministry, and a Marian spirituality group. I often thought about becoming a priest, but I was very afraid of my family’s reaction.  

An event that marked my adolescence was the sudden death of my maternal grandmother, who was like a mother to me because I spent all my time with her since my parents worked. From that moment, my life changed because I could not understand how God took away the person I loved most if I were good. I became angry with God and left the church completely. Although I did not stop going to church on Sundays, I was just doing it to fulfill an obligation I had learned from childhood. 

One thing that never changed was my devotion to the Virgin Mary. Even though I was far from God, I always prayed to her and relied on her protection.  

As a child, I dreamed of becoming a great economist so I could give my parents a comfortable life. I also had the illusion of becoming a priest, but with the grief caused by my grandmother’s death, that idea was discarded. I decided to go to college and I chose to study marketing and advertising. I wanted a career that would give me an important position, money and power. All this I managed to get, but my life was empty.

Something inside me told me that something was missing. I tried to fill that void with friends, parties, and money, but none of that worked. The emptiness was deep; I felt that my life did not make sense. At that same time, my parents were separating, and the perfect family I thought I had was being destroyed. 

On my way to work one morning, I was driving my car and hit a man on a motorcycle. I thought I had killed him and I was very scared. In a state of shock, I didn’t understand what was going on. My car was wrecked, thank God the man was not dead, only injured. In that moment I thought only about the messy life I was living. From that moment I began to reflect on my life, ask myself many questions and seek answers. 

On the same day of the accident, in the afternoon, I accompanied my mother to church. It was a Thursday, the Blessed Sacrament was exposed, and at the back of the church, I knelt down and began to cry. I felt a great frustration in my life, I practically wanted to be dead. I asked God, where have you been all this time? Why did you leave me alone? 

In spite of everything I was feeling, I wanted to go to confession. I went into the chapel and I remember there was an elderly friar who was confessing. I felt great relief after confession, but I had a great doubt. At the time of confession the friar said, “You know what God wants from you, but you didn’t want to answer.”  

I did not immediately understand his words, but they resonated in my mind. A few weeks later, a friend invited me to a vocation retreat, and I went to meet my friend. I remember the most beautiful moment was the holy hour, when the priest took the Blessed Sacrament in the monstrance and approached to bless me. I felt an inexplicable emotion, having Jesus in front of me saying I love you and I forgive you, you are my son. At that moment, I understood those words of the confessor: God had always called me, but I had not wanted to answer. 

A month later, I sought the help of a friar to begin a journey of discernment. To clarify my doubts, he invited me to a mission in the mountains, with the poor. Living with these people made me realize that I wanted to consecrate my life to God by becoming a Franciscan friar.  

When I communicated my decision, my family did not agree, they did not understand. My mother was the first to support me, my father eventually accepted it, as did my younger sister. 

In 2018, I met the Province of the Immaculate Conception in New York. A friend had told me they were accepting vocations from Central America so I contacted them, had an interview with the Provincial Minister and the Vocational Director, and a few months later I was accepted. 

I did my postulancy at the Valle de los Angeles Orphanage in Guatemala City. In 2021, I moved to Italy to do my novitiate at San Damiano in Assisi, where I made my first religious profession on August 27, 2022. I currently live in Rome and study philosophy at the Pontifical Antonianum University. 

I thank God for the gift of being a Franciscan friar and all the people who support my vocation with their prayers.

Franciscan priests and brothers follow in the footsteps of the Lord Jesus and St. Francis. They accept the gift of poverty as a way of life. They have nothing of their own but share equally as brothers whatever God provides through your generosity.

To educate and support a seminarian in his studies costs more than $10,000 a year. Show your support for our Franciscan Brothers by making a donation today.

Thank you, and God bless.