The Diocese of Camden will be welcoming a new shepherd into its flock when Deacon Ricardo Lozano Cruz is ordained a priest May 18.
Bishop Dennis Sullivan will celebrate the Ordination Mass at 10:30 a.m. at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Camden.
A 2017 graduate of the University of the Andes in Colombia, Deacon Cruz, 30, 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 completing his final year of theology there.
“These years … have been the opportunity both to realize how much I need God’s grace and how blessed I am to be a part of the Camden family. A significant part of my formation has revolved around surrendering myself to God and being able to verbalize from my heart Peter’s words: ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of Eternal Life’ (John 6:68),” he wrote in a blog post on camdenpriest.org titled, “Unworthiness, joy and gratitude.”
“The more I let these words resonate in my mind and heart, the more I understand that I cannot undertake and fulfill this mission by myself, but with God’s love and grace,” he continued. “I express my gratitude to God for the gift of my vocation and to the faithful who continually pray for me. I ask God to help me carry out my mission with generosity, faithfulness, tender care, courage and a growing desire to pray and grow in intimacy with the Lord.”
In a post titled, “The Priestly Vocation: God’s Seed on Earth,” he further pondered his calling to the priesthood.
“For a priestly vocation to grow and come to fulfillment, first there must be a seed that takes the form of a spiritual desire … no priestly vocation can subsist without God’s divine and creative action.”
“In the process of growth, something or someone undergoes some sort of change to reach a more authentic sense of perfection. Through the notion of spiritual growth, we come to better understand the unnoticed, yet powerful work of God in the field of our souls.”
The day after Deacon Cruz’s ordination, the new priest will celebrate his first Mass, or Solemn Mass of Thanksgiving, at 3 p.m. in Saint Augustine Church, Saint Damien Parish, Ocean City.
Both Masses will be livestreamed on all diocesan social media channels, as well as catholicstarherald.org and youtube.com/camdendiocese.
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