As ordination time has come and three new priests are welcomed into our diocese, I feel a little nostalgic as I recall my own ordination to the priesthood. As these days arrive, I also feel a strong gratitude to God for all the opportunities He has given me in my life and for allowing me to get to where I am today.
God has undoubtedly guided me from my beginnings in my beautiful town of Ixtlahuacán del Río, Jalisco, Mexico, to this great Diocese of Charlotte. My life has been a constant migration from place to place. I believe God was already preparing me for what would be part of my life as a priest.
I still remember the first time we moved from the ranch to the city of Guadalajara. With the first change came the first call, because when I arrived in the city, I began to prepare for first Communion, and immediately after that I became an altar boy. There the Lord began to put the idea of the priesthood in my heart. Although at that time I was afraid to think about becoming a priest, the service in the Church became something that I enjoyed a lot, and that always left me with a feeling of peace and tranquility.
Before I knew it, I was already celebrating my confirmation and being part of the teen group, volunteering as a reader and helping with the different activities in the Church. Some time later, I was participating in the youth group, spending time and talking with the priests of my parish.
The second migration was to the United States, and with it came the search for the American Dream. But even when I was immersed in my work, God kept putting the idea of the priesthood in my mind and heart. To which I immediately replied: Miguel, that’s no longer for you.
But God has His ways, and a few years later I found myself living an Emmaus retreat and reflecting on how far I had drifted away from Church service. The retreat brought me a feeling of fulfillment and great joy, which moved me again to seek service in the Church and the possibility of thinking about the priesthood again.
After talking for a while with Father Julio Domínguez, I was encouraged to enter the seminary. That led me to move to Columbus, Ohio, for four years and Rome, Italy, for another four years.
After much effort and sacrifice, I stood before the altar thanking God for the great opportunity to serve Him as a priest and to seek the salvation of souls. I always felt helpless and unworthy and without the necessary talents, but over time I realized that I didn’t have to be perfect to follow God and that even in my imperfection, God would give me what I needed to accomplish great things.
Ordination was an incredible moment that I still relish the fruits of. I do not quite understand how it is that God entrusts us with such an important mission. But with faith in His Providence, I have accepted His call, knowing that I am not alone in this mission. The grace of your prayers accompanies me every day. As a chick priest who is just hatching, I continue to trust and learn a lot to keep improving in my ministry.
May God bless you!
Father Juan Miguel Sánchez is parochial vicar at St. Matthew Parish in Charlotte.