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Native Brazilian makes perpetual promises as consecrated layman
By Mayé Agama
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Photo by David Swanson provided |
“The more you surrender to Jesus, the more you will receive.”
So said Denver Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila addressing Ricardo Simmonds, 31, on Feb. 2, the day of Simmonds’ perpetual promises as a consecrated layman of the Sodalitium Christianae Vitae (Sodality of Christian Life), a society for apostolic life of pontifical right serving in Denver since 2003.
The eucharistic liturgy was held on the feast of the Presentation of the Lord at Holy Name Parish in Englewood. Family members, members of the SCV community, friends and parishioners witnessed Simmonds’ promises to live in obedience and celibacy and to be fully available for the announcement of the Gospel and for the construction of a more just and reconciled world.
“Today, in the commitment that you are making, you are like the prophet Jeremiah,” Archbishop Aquila said in his homily. “You are placing your confidence in the Lord. You, too, throughout your life at certain times, struggled as a young man; you, too, were attracted by the world. And yet, it was when you encounter the person who is love, Jesus Christ, and when you surrendered completely to him, that you came to understand the unique and particular call that has been given to you, to serve and love.
“I can assure you, in faith, that the more you surrender to Jesus, the more you give your life to Mary, the more you will receive,” Archbishop Aquila added.
Clearly moved by his commitment, Simmonds told the Denver Catholic Register that he was grateful for his vocation.
“I experience that now I am much closer with Jesus and Mary, united in this mission for the Church of reaching out, (and of) living out the apostolate and conquering the world for Christ, sharing his love with others. It has been a beautiful, spiritual experience of saying yes and having Jesus close to me.”
Simmonds, a native of Brazil, shared a message for all Christians, especially youths.
“Listen to Jesus,” he said, “talk to him in the things that (you) find ordinary, but that are very extraordinary: in the Eucharist, in the sacraments, in daily prayer.
“He has a great adventure in store for each one of us. We are each called by name for a great mission, so I encourage everyone to listen to him—to listen to his voice.”
Mayé Agama: 303-715-3238; maye.agama@archden.org
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