The on May 7th, a priest was ordained of the Legionaries of Christ, the eldest of his six children, José Pablo Poblete, and on July 28th, his second son, Andrés, who is in the final stage of his priestly formation process, will be ordained a deacon.
María Luis Madrid has been married for 34 years to José Pablo Poblete, with whom she has formed a family of six children, of whom the two oldest have decided to lead a priestly life as Legionaries of Christ. Their faith testimony has influenced both, as they have seen them participate in the Regnum Christi since they were children, as early as 1981, participating in a team they continue with to this day.
What has Regnum Christi meant in your life?
It has been very important because it has been the path that led me to know Christ.
I have traveled this path alongside many other women, with whom, over the years, thanks to the work of consecrated women and Legionary priests, we have been forming ourselves. We have learned to know Christ through retreats, formation talks, Masses, tridues, courses, apostolates, weekly meetings, and integration activities, among others.
Did you ever think that one of your children would become a priest?
Yes, I once thought so when I saw that my children were close to God. I saw that they had spiritual life and were interested in learning more about the faith, motivated to go on missions and to make God known to others. I saw that they had a vocation to serve.
How has it been for you as a married couple and family to have two vocations in the family?
It has been a very special and joyful experience to have been able to accompany José Pablo and Andrés on their paths to the priesthood over the years, during which God has been very present at each stage.
José Pablo and Andrés have been a great example for us because they have heard Christ’s invitation and responded very generously with a YES to His call to follow Him. They dared to leave everything: to go to the novitiate and to be faithful to Christ on their journey all these years. They have brought us closer to God as a family.
On these journeys, it has been very beautiful to learn more about the Legionaries of Christ and Regnum Christi, having visited different communities in various countries and some apostolic works, novitiates, formation houses, universities, and apostolates.
We have had the opportunity, in all these places, to meet apostles, candidates, brothers, deacons, Legionary priests, consecrated women, men, collaborators, members of Regnum Christi, and people working in these places. All of them are very valuable people who pray and work hard every day to make Christ known to others.
Has it been very difficult to have your children far away? How often do you see them?
I think it is difficult for every mother that her children are far away because one always wants to know and be with them. But seeing my sons Pablo and Andrés happy, very close to God, so fulfilled in their lives and what they are doing, has helped me a lot to make it easier not to be with them.
Thanks to God, we have been able to see them once a year; sometimes they have come to Chile, and other times we have traveled to see them in the countries where they are.
What has helped a lot to not feel the distance so much are the means of communication, as we can talk to them and see them despite being far away.
How did you experience the discernment process of each of your children?
They were exciting moments, full of prayer, talking a lot with each of them, being close to God, listening carefully to everything they wanted to tell me, and then supporting them in their decisions.
What would you say to other moms whose children are considering this option?
I would tell them to stay very close to their children: talk to them, listen to what they want to tell you, pray for them and with them so that God illuminates their decisions, and then support them.
It is important to realize that priestly vocations come from Catholic families, and this possibility should be considered within one’s own family.
Recently, José Pablo was ordained a priest in Rome. How did you experience that ceremony?
On Saturday, May 7th, I thanked God very much that my husband, my children, and I were alive, healthy, and able to travel to Rome to accompany our son Pablo on the great day of his ordination, after more than fourteen years of preparation.
I experienced the ceremony with depth, joy, trust, admiration, a lot of emotion, and gratitude toward all the people who helped in the formation of my son Pablo and everyone who prayed for him. It was a very special spiritual moment, full of prayer, difficult to describe in words.
It was impressive to see all those young men giving their lives to Christ to become priests. During the ordination, the presence of Christ and the joy in heaven for each of these men’s generosity could be felt.
Now, Andrés’ diaconal ordination in Chile is coming. How do your other children feel about their brothers’ ordinations?
God willing, Andrés’ diaconal ordination will be at the end of July. This year is full of exciting moments; it will be a year of much prayer and giving thanks to God.
Based on your own experience, what role do parents have in the spiritual formation and in awakening a religious vocation in their children?
Mother and father have a very important role because they are the main responsible for transmitting the faith. They are the first to teach their children to pray every day and to introduce them to God through prayer, attending Mass as a family, setting a good example, teaching about religion, etc.
I believe that God continues inviting many young people daily to follow Him; perhaps if they felt the support of their parents in choosing that path, some would dare to be generous and say YES to Christ.
Testimony of a priest’s sister
Regarding the question, “How do the other children experience the priestly vocation of a sibling?” Malú Poblete responds: “I live it with great admiration for them. Seeing that today the world makes so many invitations to go elsewhere. I am impressed to see that they go against the current, with their eyes and trust fixed on God.”
Malú (29) is the third of the six children of the Poblete Madrid marriage. “I feel very reassured about his move to ordination, looking back at the arduous and free path they have traveled. I am very sure they are very well prepared to go out and proclaim everything they have learned. I love seeing that they remain my brothers as always, that despite the distance, trust, tenderness, and closeness continue,” she concludes.
