On January 28 in Monterrey, Mexico, Mr. Pedro José Carreño Medina, C.S.C., professed his Final Vows in the Holy Cross parish of Nuestra Madre Santísima de la Luz. Fr. William Lies, C.S.C., Superior of the United States Province of Priests and Brothers (to which the Holy Cross community in Mexico belongs), presided and preached at the Mass and received Pedro´s vows.
In addition to the local community, those who joined Pedro’s family and friends for the celebration were out-of-town guests, Fr. John Herman, C.S.C., Fr. Andrew Gawrych, C.S.C., Fr. John Phalen, C.S.C., and Br. Anthony Terrones, C.S.C. Fr. Gawrych, Fr. Phalen, and Br. Terrones all represented the District of Chile-Peru, where Pedro had completed much of his initial formation. Fr. Carlos Augusto Jacobo de Los Santos, C.S.C., also returned to his native Mexico from Rome for the ceremony.
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During the ceremony, before presenting himself for his Final Profession, Pedro received a blessing from his mother and father, who had come from Colombia. It was a moving sign of them entrusting their son to God and the Congregation. In his homily that followed, Fr. Lies spoke precisely about the "secret" of the life that springs forth from the surrender of our lives to God in faith and love. He gave the example of the surrender that parents make for their children, as well as the surrender of Pedro´s life that he was about to make through his vows.
After the Litany of the Saints, Pedro kneeled before Fr. Lies to profess forever the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience according to the Constitutions of the Congregation of Holy Cross. Having received his Vows, Fr. Lies then presented Pedro with the crucifix which is the symbol of Final Profession for the seminarians and priests of Holy Cross.
Pedro is a native of Bogata, Colombia, making him the first professed Colombian in the Congregation. Having met Holy Cross at World Youth Day in Brazil, he professed his First Vows on January 6, 2018, in Peru, where he had completed his Novitiate. Then he did his post-novitiate formation in Santiago at the Casa de Formación Santa Cruz. Bolstered with experiences of teaching, migrant ministry and parish work, Pedro is happy to return to his second home of Mexico and looks forward to pursuing education ministry in the future.
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The following day, January 29, the Most Rev. William Wack, C.S.C., Bishop of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee, ordained both Pedro and Mr. Ángel Lazáro de la Cruz, C.S.C., to the diaconate in the same parish church. Ángel professed his Final Vows last January and is in theological studies in Santiago.
This year Deacon Pedro will minister at Parroquia Nuestra Madre Santísima de la Luz and will teach part-time at the University of the Archdiocese of Monterrey. Deacon Ángel will return to Chile to continue his studies and will assist at Parroquia Nuestra Señora de Andacollo in Santiago.