Ordination to the Priesthood in Medellín, Colombia
On December 12, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Father Víctor Ramírez, LC, was ordained a priest at the cathedral of Medellín by the archbishop of the city, Mons. Ricardo Tobón Restrepo.
Mons. Ricardo recalled that “vocation is a dialogue between two freedoms to carry out a common plan. Therefore, vocation involves three elements: the divine initiative that chooses us in a personal, undeserved, and permanent way; the generous response of a person who encounters God and His plan and agrees to live and collaborate with Him; finally, there is a transformation, the person changes identity and name, receives new graces, begins a particular mission […] Baptism is the great vocational moment.”
He continued: “The presbyterate is not about reaching a pedestal of honor and glory, it is not about assuming a position that distinguishes us before all the people to receive praise and privileges. It is a heroic vocation to bear fruit, to bear much fruit, it is Jesus’ word to His apostles. That’s why the priest is the man of the word, the one who listens to God […], he is a man of prayer, must live in permanent dialogue with God […], he is a man of community […] called to give the love with which the Father loved Christ and which has been transmitted to us […] The priest is the man of immolation.”
Ordination to the Priesthood in Caracas, Venezuela
On the same day, Saturday, December 12, Cardinal Baltazar Porras, apostolic administrator of Caracas, ordained priests to Fathers Andrés Colmenares, LC, Elías Sayegh, LC, and Leopoldo Sayegh, LC. The ceremony took place at the Parish of the Holy Family in Caracas.
“A few days ago, when I was going to a meeting of the deanery, I was asked to get out of the car to greet the people […] a homeless man ran up to me, I thought he would push me, but he knelt down and asked for my blessing. He told me he had become a ‘malandro’ and perverted, but with the help we are giving him with Coromoto2020, his heart had changed. Evangelization is not about giving a booklet and having him learn this or that, testimony is what makes us be that image of God,” the cardinal commented during the homily on December 12.
Father Andrés Colmenares, LC, originally from Venezuela, entered the novitiate on October 11, 2007. He made his perpetual profession on August 26, 2018. He currently serves as director of the Vocational Center in Mérida, Venezuela.
Father Elías Sayegh, LC, from Venezuela, entered the Cheshire novitiate on October 11, 2007. He made his perpetual profession on September 18, 2018. He currently serves as a vocational promoter throughout Venezuela and as a member of the auxiliary team of the youth section.
Father Leopoldo Sayegh, LC, originally from Venezuela, entered the novitiate on October 11, 2005, at the Monterrey novitiate. He made his perpetual profession on August 8, 2016. He currently serves as a priest in Paris, France, as director of the youth section and assistant of the ECYD male section.
Ordination to the Priesthood in Bogotá, Colombia
Father Diego Córdoba LC was ordained a priest on the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception by Mons. Luis Manuel Alí, auxiliary bishop of Bogotá, at the Parish of Our Lady of Chiquinquirá, Bogotá, Colombia.
Mons. Luis Manuel reminded him that “the priestly consecration is a double risk. The Lord risked calling you because He knows you and assumes that risk of calling you. But you also assume that risk of saying yes to the Lord inspired by that young Virgin who one day said yes to the Salvador’s plans […] The Christian vocation is two persons risking everything, the divine person and the human person.”
Father Diego Córdoba LC, from Colombia, entered the novitiate on March 1, 2006, and made his perpetual profession on February 2, 2014. He currently serves as a priest in Palermo, Italy, as director of ECYD.
Ordination to the Priesthood in Florence, Italy
On December 21, Father Kramer Cameron, LC, was ordained a priest by Mons. Giovanni Nerbini, at the church of San Salvatore in Ognissanti, Florence, Italy.
Father Kramer Cameron, LC, from Canada, entered the novitiate on September 15, 2004, and took his perpetual vows on September 1, 2012. He currently serves as a priest as director of ECYD and chaplain of the English-speaking community in Florence, Italy.
Ordination to the Priesthood in Monterrey, Mexico
On December 5, Father Vinícius Marques, LC, received the ordination to the priesthood from Mons. Rogelio Cabrera López, Archbishop of Monterrey, at the Parish of the Nativity of the Lord, Monterrey, Nuevo León.
“Divine will that comes before everything, the will of the Church that accepts you and grants you this ministry, and your will. If these three wills do not harmonize, it will not be possible to live what we are celebrating.” These words were spoken by Mons. Rogelio to the new priest, asking for prayers to the Lord of the harvest to send workers to His harvest.
Father Vinicius is a graduate of the Vocational Center of Curitiba, Brazil. He serves as a priest in Monterrey.
