At 64 years of age, Father Juan Alberto Daza Jara has proven that it is never too late to answer a divine calling. This past weekend, the Church in Chile celebrated a truly unique milestone as this veteran religious brother transitioned into the priesthood at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Los Angeles.
A Lifetime of Service Leads to the Altar
While most men his age might be eyeing retirement, Father Juan Daza is embarking on a new chapter of ministry. Having already dedicated 40 years of his life to the Orionist family as a coadjutor brother, his ordination by Monsignor Cristián Castro Toovey was the culmination of a "mature vocation" forged through decades of fidelity.
The ceremony was a cross-border celebration of the spirit of Don Orione, attended by:
Monsignor Tomás Carrasco Cortés, Bishop of Calama.
Father Sergio Jiménez, his novitiate companion from Argentina, who traveled to vest him in his priestly ornaments.
Faithful representatives from across Chile, including Quintero, Santiago, Rancagua, and Los Ángeles.
The Rite of Ordination
The liturgy was a powerful testament to Father Juan’s lifelong commitment. Amidst the solemn silence of the laying on of hands, he was sacramentally configured to Christ. Despite his four decades of prior service, the moment he publicly expressed his willingness to assume the priestly ministry carried a fresh, profound weight for the Orionist family and the local Diocese.
“With deep affection I remember my dear grandmother Trinidad, who taught me to pray and to trust in God with a simple faith; I thank Father Félix for patiently accompanying me in my vocational discernment and Father Antonio Casarín for welcoming me into this Orionist family, along with so many priests who have shown us the mercy of God; today I place my priesthood in the heart of Christ, the Good Shepherd, to live the spirit of Don Orione, convinced that only charity will save the world, and I entrust my life and my ministry to the Blessed Virgin Mary, so that as Mother she may always accompany my priestly path,” expressed the newly ordained priest Juan Daza.
A First Mass at 64
The following day, the atmosphere shifted from solemnity to "profound emotion and recollection" as Father Juan presided over his first Mass. His mother, María Jara, looked on as her son—now a priest in his mid-sixties—stood at the altar to offer the Eucharist for the first time.
His ministry begins under a timeless guide, choosing a motto that reflects the peace of a vocation fully realized:
“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”
In a world that often prioritizes youth, Father Juan Daza’s ordination serves as a vivid reminder that the "bridge of mercy" can be built at any stage of life, provided there is a heart willing to serve the poorest in the style of Saint Luigi Orione.
Source: https://www.donorione.cl/single-post/la-iglesia-celebra-la-ordenaci%C3%B3n-sacerdotal-del-padre-juan-daza-jara-en-los-%C3%A1ngeles
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