Seminarian in the diocese of CabimasLuis Fernando Morales is 31 years old and has been studying to become a priest in Pamplona for a year. He received his faith from his family and his grandmother played a very important role in the discernment of your vocation.
"I looked for the Lord in the wrong places"
She supported the whole family in the faith, encouraging Luis Fernando, his younger brother and his cousins to participate in the sacraments, to seek a personal encounter with Christ, to continue with catechesis....
In spite of this, during his youth he stayed away from the Church. He only went to church during the patron saint festivities or when his grandmother asked him to. He was looking for God in the wrong places, where He is not to be found and faith is very distorted. But the doubts about the existence of God and the faith of his family did not disappear.
The positive influence of a group of young people
His grandmother's insistence contributed to his priestly journey. Together with a neighbor, he was invited to participate in a parish youth activity. They were going to represent a living Stations of the Cross and they needed someone to represent St. Peter. So they asked Luis Fernando, who, even though he was not even going to Massaccepted because it was a very good group of young people.
The positive influence of this group was decisive. It began with his first steps in the faith and in front of Sacramental Jesus He experienced doubts, emotions, questions and answers. Eucharistic adoration marked his life. It was a before and after that transformed his faith.
"I didn't know what God wanted from me."
His life went on and when he finished Industrial Education in the area of Electricity, he worked as a professor of Statistics and Electronics at the University Institute of Technology Readic UNIR. Although he was happy with his job, he felt that it was not fulfilling. He also did not feel complete with his girlfriend, even though they went to Mass together frequently. Every time the priest lifted the consecrated bread, he felt that God was calling him. He was with the faithful, but he saw that God was asking him to be in the presbytery. He could not quite discern what the Lord wanted of him.
Until he finally made up his mind. She left her life to begin the adventure of being priest. He entered the propaedeutic seminary of the diocese of Cabimas at the age of 26. Then, after completing a year of introductory formation, he was sent along with his classmates to begin the first year of philosophy at the provincial seminary in Maracaibo (St. Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary). And almost three years later, his bishop sent him to the Bidasoa International Ecclesiastical College.
His experience in Bidasoa is "indescribable".the greatness and the blessing that the Lord has granted me to be able to be able to to form as a priest in Bidasoa. I had received several references from my confreres in my diocese about their unforgettable experience, but this is an understatement," he says. He is also very grateful for the training The excellent education that you receive at the University of Navarra, taught by great professionals who teach with a good pedagogy and excellent didactic tools.
Luis Fernando also comments on what a 21st century priest is, in a society that is strongly influenced by secularizedHe must be a man of prayer who lives in visible communion with the Church. A priest must be a courageous man who is not afraid to swim against the tide to face the challenges presented by today's society. He must necessarily be someone capable of bringing the Love of Christ to the whole world. But, not only with words but also with his testimony and show coherence of life".
The priest in the midst of young people in Venezuela
Young priests must be true shepherds with the scent of sheep, as the Pope Francis. "But, not a perfume smell or sheep-like appearance.... NO. It has to be an authentic sheep smell and for that, it is necessary for the shepherd to enter the sheepfold, to know his sheep, their difficulties, ailments, etc.. And from there, he will be able to care for and shepherd the true flock that the Lord has entrusted to him".
Evangelization in Venezuela does not stop
Despite the situation in Venezuela, the evangelization is possible. A difficult challenge, but not impossible because God always acts. "In my country, as in the whole world, we must first start by having coherence of life. At present, the Venezuelan people is very distressed by the difficult situation he is going through. People are looking for and need words of encouragement, encouragement and hope. For this reason, a priest in Venezuela must necessarily give all of himself, the priest has to donate the heart... must be an image of Christ".
Despite the difficulties, Luis Fernando feels hopeful. because evangelization in Venezuela never stops. "In our culture, religious training begins with the home. In the population there is a clear awareness of the importance of God in our lives. This first approach to the faith almost always comes with the help of grandparents and parents. They are the first to kindle in children's hearts a love for the Eucharist, devotion to the saints and manifestations of popular religiosity".
And after the familiesThe work of the dioceses. "The Church is the first to step forward to help meet the needs of the people. (food, medicine, education, clothing, even in the area of work). With the great help of organizations such as Caritas, and others, my diocese keeps working to the maximum to help all the people in need and bring to them the rays of hope and love of God that they so much want to feel".
Marta Santín, Journalist specializing in religious information
