At 11:00 a.m. on August 12, 2023, the Provincial Custody of Our Lady of Coromoto in Venezuela and the Catholic community of Pueblo Llano, State of Mérida, Venezuela, rejoiced in the priestly ordination of Friar Miguel Ángel SALCEDO SALCEDO. The ordination was celebrated at the diocesan Santísima Trinidad Shrine.
The celebration was presided over by the Most Reverend Helizandro TERÁN BERMÚDEZ, Archbishop of Mérida, Venezuela. Those concelebrating included the Provincial Custos, Friar Franklin DURÁN ZAMBRANO, the Rector of the Shrine, Friar José L. AVENDAÑO, the friars of the Custody and various priests and deacons of the Diocese of Mérida. Also present were parishioners and lay people from various parishes.
In his homily, Archbishop TERÁN BERMÚDEZ, exhorted Friar Miguel and the ordained ministers present to live their vocation with authentic dedication to the Lord, paying attention to the danger of living a ministry that may move the masses, but is far from being a truly consecrated life. “Many times,” said the archbishop, “I see priests who are great pastoralists, great strategists for carrying out works with social networks and the media; pastors who move the crowds―but they do not live as consecrated men.” He went on to say that more than ever it is necessary to live a priesthood which acts in persona Christi Capitis and in persona Ecclesiae, meaning, not in one’s own name but in the name of Christ, of His Church and for His Church. This is possible to the extent that the priest cultivates a profound relationship with the Triune God: with the Father, the author of his vocation, with the Eternal Priest and Son and with the Holy Spirit who animates and renews the life of the priest every day.
Archbishop TERÁN BERMÚDEZ concluded his homily by inviting Friar Miguel and all ordained ministers to be “perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5:48), since it is the testimony of a holy life that gives true witness to Christ.
The celebration concluded with an agape meal to which the relatives of the newly ordained and the parishioners present were invited.
On Sunday, August 13, Friar Miguel presided over his first Mass, in the same diocesan shrine, accompanied by the Provincial Custos, some friars of the Custody, his relatives and parishioners from this beautiful village in the Andean Pàramo [high tundra].
Friar Juan MARTÍNEZ CANELÓN, Custodial Secretary
