Diaconal Ordinations in Guadalajara and Aguascalientes
On September 8th, the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, Card. José Francisco Robles Ortega, Archbishop of Guadalajara, ordained deacons to the Legionaries of Christ Erick Cerda Perales and Salvador Escoto. The ordination took place at the Vocational Center of Guadalajara.
Father Salvador Escoto, LC, described the moment of his ordination as follows: «A hug from God our Lord to my soul. A hug that I felt completely undeserved, but God’s love is like that: merciful. He loves us very much.»
Father Salvador Escoto, LC. Born in October 1988 in Guadalajara, Jalisco. He entered the Vocational Center of Guadalajara on July 13, 2000, and the Novitiate Center of Monterrey on September 14, 2004. From 2006 to 2008, he studied the humanities in Salamanca, Spain, and then began his bachelor’s in philosophy at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum in Rome, Italy. In 2010, he began his apostolic internships as part of the formation team at the Vocational Center of Medellín, Colombia. His third year of internships was carried out at the Vocational Center of Mérida, Venezuela, also collaborating with the formation team. In 2013, he returned to Rome, where he made his perpetual profession on October 4, 2013. He earned a license in philosophy and subsequently studied theology from 2015 to 2018.
Father Erick Cerda Perales, LC. Born in October 1986 in Chapala, Jalisco. He joined the Vocational Center of León in 1998. He completed his novitiate in Ireland, where he took his first vows in 2005. He studied classical humanities in Spain and his bachelor’s in philosophy in Thornwood. During his apostolic internships, he collaborated as an assistant to the ECYD in Porto Alegre, Brazil. In 2012, he traveled to Rome to study for his license in philosophy and to undertake his theological studies at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum.
The next day, Father José Muñoz, LC, was ordained deacon by Mons. José María de la Torre, Bishop of Aguascalientes, at the parish of Our Lady of the Forests in the city of Aguascalientes.
Mons. José María de la Torre said to Father José in his homily: «The Lord gave you an example so that what He did, you also do as His authentic missionary disciple. In your role as a deacon, as a servant of Jesus in a ministerial way, as Jesus who showed himself to be a servant among the disciples, gladly following God’s will, serve with love and joy both God and your brothers.»
«A psalm I used to repeat during my years of formation constantly comes to mind: “I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart” (Ps 119:32). Being aware of one’s limits and, at the same time, being a witness to God’s presence in my life, encourages me to trust in Him and to keep asking Him to make me more capable of the mission He has entrusted to me,» commented Father José Muñoz, LC.
Father José Muñoz, LC. Born in December 1988 in Aguascalientes, Mexico. He studied at the Cumbres Aguascalientes Institute and was a member of NET, of ECYD, and of Regnum Christi. At 18, he entered the Novitiate Center of Monterrey on September 15, 2007. After his first profession in 2009, he studied humanities in Monterrey. He studied philosophy at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum in Rome, Italy. During his apostolic internships, he served as an assistant to the novices at the Novitiate Center of Brazil and also supported the secretariat of the territorial leadership of Brazil. In 2015, he returned to Rome to study theology.
Through these links, you can read the news reports prepared by the communication office of the Monterrey territory about the diaconal ordinations in Guadalajara and in Aguascalientes.