All are invited to attend the Mass on May 20 in which seminarian Ricardo Lozano Cruz will be ordained a transitional deacon for the Diocese of Camden.
The Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. in Saint Augustine Church, Saint Damien Parish, 1337 Asbury Ave., Ocean City, with Bishop Dennis Sullivan presiding. The liturgy will mark an important step on Cruz’s journey to priestly ordination. A 2017 graduate of the University of The Andes in Colombia, he began to study English in February 2018 and entered the Immaculate Conception Seminary at Seton Hall University, South Orange, in August 2018. He is currently third theology at the seminary.
“In a world that offers us many assurances, it is understandable to think that leaving everything for God is just an outlandish idea,” he wrote in his first blog post for camdenpriest.org, the website for the diocesan Office of Vocations. “But there is another contrast, which can only be understood from the point of view of faith, founded on the perspective of love and service.”
In gaining intimacy with God, one receives the “humility to accept with generosity the perfect plan from [Him].”
Recently in the Catholic Star Herald, Cruz shared about his time on pastoral assignment at Bridgeton’s Holy Cross Parish last summer, working with both the English- and Spanish-speaking communities, and diving into parish ministry that included care to the sick and homebound, catechetical formation and sacramental prep.
“Through the people’s vibrant faith, I had the assurance that God perfectly knew, even before I was born, about my vocation and my future to come,” Cruz reflected.
“On the last day of my pastoral assignment, with a joyful heart, I thanked God for the gift of this experience. I thanked Him for His people, and I asked Him to model my heart as a faithful instrument of His burning love. I also feel honored and truly happy to serve, God willing, the people of the Diocese of Camden in the future. Once again, I ask for your prayers, upon which I rely on so much.”
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