On September 4, 2021, Friars Miguel Ángel SALCEDO SALCEDO, José Fernando PAREDES RIVERA and Erwin Alexis RAMÍREZ ARAUJO, of the Provincial Custody of Our Lady of Coromoto in Venezuela, made their solemn profession. The ceremony took place at the Beata Virgen María Auxiliadora Church in Barinas, Venezuela.
The ceremony was presided over by the Provincial Custos, Friar Franklin Antonio DURÁN ZAMBRANO. Friars from the various friaries of the Custody participated, namely, Friar Carlos Ramón ORTÍZ ROJAS, Guardian and Rector of the postulancy program in Palmyra; Friars Ángel Daniel MEDINA MORALES, Óscar Osney RODRÍGUEZ MOLINA and Humberto José PÉREZ GÓMEZ; Friar Luis Alirio MOLINA MÁRQUEZ, Guardian and Rector of the post-novitiate community in Mérida; Friars Domicio Ramón MOLINA PÉREZ and Orlando José OVIEDO TORRES; Friar Deiby A. VERGARA PALENCIA, Pastor and Guardian of the San José Obrero Friary in Guanare; Friars Pietro Maria BUONAMASSA, Andrés Eduardo GUERRA VEQUIZ and Daniel Enrique BUSTAMANTE GUERRERO; Friar José Luis AVENDAÑO MONSALVE, Pastor and Guardian of the Santíssima Trinidad Friary in Pueblo Llano; Friar Manuel Edgardo NÚÑEZ GALLARDO, Friar Ramón Alfredo RUI UREÑA (representing the San Francisco Javier Friary in Caracas); Friar Juan Gregorio MARTÍNEZ CANELÓN, Pastor and Guardian of the Beata Virgen María Auxiliadora Friary in Barinas; and Friars Jorge Milton TORRES ALBARR DELÁN and Wilmer OROSCO. Other attendees included some novices, pre-novices and postulants of the Custody, the relatives of the newly professed, and some faithful from various parishes where the friars serve.
In his homily, the Provincial Custos commented on the words of the psalmist’s words: “The Lord has done great things for us. Oh, how happy we were!” (Ps 126:3), in order to emphasize that solemn profession shows us that the Lord is continuing to call many young people today to consecrate their lives to Him, in fraternity and simplicity, following the example of our Seraphic Father St. Francis of Assisi. He said that the liturgy of the Word chosen for this ceremony, expressed the call that God has made to humanity since the beginning of the world: to live in communion with Him, because each person’s vocation finds its reason for being in Jesus Christ. The Lord calls us, inviting us to be his “angels,” that is, his envoys, to make God’s goodness and mercy shine forth.
Both the Custos and the newly professed thanked the Guardian, friars and parish community in Barinas for organizing this ceremony in which Friar Miguel, Friar Fernando and Friar Erwin were definitively incorporated into the Order of Friars Minor Conventual.
Friar Juan Gregorio MARTÍNEZ CANELÓN, Custodial Secretary
