Rome, Italy. On Saturday evening, September 19, 2020, Student Juan José Gutiérrez Quinteros, CMF, received the Order of Deacons through the hands of His Eminence Cardinal Aquilino Bocos, CMF, Cardinal-Deacon of Santa Lucia del Gonfalone at the Minor Basilica of Immaculate Heart of Mary in Rome. “Juanjo,” as he is fondly called, a native of El Salvador, is from the Province of Centroamérica currently assigned in Rome under the Province of Sanctus Paulus.
Due to the current pandemic, his parents, relatives, and friends from the Americas weren’t physically present during the celebration. A live transmission with Spanish translation was setup instead. Claretian Missionaries who are members of the five Claretian Houses in Rome, some members of the Clarertian family, dignitaries from El Salvador in Rome, and the faithful of the Parish of Sacro Cuore di Maria ai Parioli joined him in this momentous moment of his life of service to the Lord.
Cardinal Aquilino Bocos, in his sermon and exhortation to the ordinand, reminded Juanjo of the essence of a Deacon.
“Si tratta di un denso e splendido riassunto di ciò che il ministero del diaconato comporta. Configurandosi a Cristo, il diacono non vive il servizio, è servizio; non vive la carità, è carità; non pronuncia parole, si fa parola.”
[It is a dense and beautiful summary of what the ministry of the diaconate entails. The deacon, as configured to Christ, has no service, it is service; he has no charity, it is charity; he has no words, he becomes the Word]
And at the end of his sermon, Cardinal Bocos exhorted him:
“Poiché sei un missionario clarettiano, cioè un ascoltatore della Parola, non dimenticare le parole che pronuncerò affidandoti il Vangelo: “Credi sempre a ciò che proclami, insegna ciò che hai appreso nella fede, vivi ciò che insegni”. Lasciati penetrare dalla Parola divina, rendila credibile col tuo esempio. Come diceva Paolo VI e come ama ripetere Papa Francesco: il nostro tempo non ha tanto bisogno di maestri quanto di testimoni. La nostra società reclama testimoni che predichino con la vita. Hai esempi di servitori coerenti nella tua terra: il nostro amato e ammirato san Oscar Arnulfo Romero e tanti altri martiri sacerdoti, religiosi e laici.
Servi con gioia e con generosità. Che nei tuoi criteri e nelle tue attitudini risplendano le beatitudini e le opere di misericordia. Che non manchino a nessuno il pane della parola e della mensa, che non manchi a nessuno l’accoglienza e l’espressione dell’amabile benevolenza e che a tutti sia dato un riferimento sicuro nel coraggio della fede e fiducia nell’andare.”
[As a Claretian Missionary, a listener of the Word, do not forget the words that I will say to you as I entrust you the Book of the Gospels: “Always believe what you proclaim, teach what you have learned in faith, live what you teach.” Let yourself be penetrated by the divine Word and make it credible with your exemplarity. As Saint Paul VI said and our Pope Francis likes to repeat: Our time does not need so many teachers as witnesses. Our society asks for witnesses who preach with their lives. You have examples of consistent servants in your land: our beloved and admired St. Oscar Arnulfo Romero and many other martyred priests, religious and laypeople.
Serve with joy and generosity. Let the beatitudes and works of mercy shine forth in your judgments and attitudes. Let no one lack the bread of the Word or the bread on the table, let no one lack the welcome and the kind expression of benevolence, let all have a sure reference in the courage of faith and confidence in the journey.]
At the end of the ceremonies, the newly ordained deacon thanked everyone present and his family, relatives, and friends online. He alluded to his extraordinary devotion and the inspiration he got from St. Oscar Romero in his journey as a missionary.
It is to note that St. Oscar Arnulfo Romero celebrated his First Mass in the Basilica of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Rome right after his ordination in Rome in 1942.
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