Hernando José Bello Rodríguez is a seminarian of the Diocese of Cartagena in Colombia.
Just turned 16, Hernando Bello (Colombia, 1993) found a biography of John Paul II at home. He had always been a great reader and thanks to this hobby God opened his eyes. It was summer and he says that, although he did not understand many things, he loved it: "I read it all at once and it was about 1,300 pages long. His figure impressed me so much that I decided I wanted to study theology. Not to be a priest, just to study theology, because I guess I still didn't dare to recognize my vocation.
Shortly thereafter, he began his period of discernment. When the time came to choose a university career, his spiritual director recommended that before entering the seminary he should pursue a civil career. He told him about Pamplona and, after discussing it with his parents, in September 2011 he came to study a double degree in Philosophy and Journalism.
"Doing a civilian career first has helped me to situate myself and put my feet on the ground. Rather than distracting me from God's call, it helped to strengthen it. So little by little I have been cultivating my vocation. Now I am in the seminary proper, but I have realized that the seminary is not a place but a time", he assures.
What Hernando did not know until he told his parents about his vocation was that it was the fruit of a request his mother made to Our Lady of Medjugorje: "My parents could not have children, so they took advantage of a visit of the image of Our Lady to the Cathedral of Cartagena de Indias to go and pray to her. My mother said to Our Lady: 'If you give me a son, I consecrate him to your Son'. On May 1 - the first day of the month of Mary - I was born and, as God is not to be outdone in generosity, three years later my brother was born".
In addition to the Virgin Mary, for obvious reasons, he has a special devotion to St. John Paul II, St. Joseph Mary Escriva and St. Teresa of Jesus. "I love Avila and whenever I've been there I've always enjoyed it very much," he says. And he says he would love to be able to help out in a parish there in the summer.
Throughout his university years he has cultivated his love of writing, has volunteered with Tantaka, providing school support, and has been part of the Arguments team, where he collaborated with the website. She currently lives in the Bidasoa International Seminary and, God willing, in June 2022, she will finish her Bachelor's Degree in Theology: "If I was born in Cartagena, I think it is because the Lord wants me to be there. I would like to return to Colombia and help in the formation of vocations. From St. Teresa and St. Joseph Mary I have learned that a vocation should be seen as the cultivation of a relationship of friendship with God. When that friendship exists, one reflects the joy of one's vocation".
"I am very happy for the formation I am receiving in view of the priesthood, in all dimensions: spiritual, human, academic and pastoral. I am more and more aware that I am incapable of responding to the gift of my vocation with my own strength - little, to tell the truth -. Hence the importance of having people and institutions that help one to cultivate, in a free, joyful and generous way, the call received from God.
I hope that more seminarians can take advantage of the means of formation that I am receiving, so that a heart like that of Jesus Christ may be forged in each of the priestly vocations. I would like you to realize, and if you already know, even more so, that this is precisely what you are contributing to: that hearts and souls are being formed in the likeness of the heart and soul of Jesus Christ. Thank you for this legacy! Don't stop praying for us. For my part, you can count on my prayer."
