Last Saturday, 2 May, the priestly ordination of our brother David Villada López took place in the city of Medellín.
The celebration, eagerly awaited by all those present, was presided over by the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Medellín, Monsignor Ricardo Tobón Restrepo, at our Parish of San José de Calasanz. More than 20 Piarist priests concelebrated, and our seminarians served at the liturgy, representing us from our various works and houses of formation in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.
The Archbishop invited David to live in fidelity to the Lord’s call, to be a faithful minister of the sacraments amongst children and young people, to live his ministry with joy and dedication, and to be ever grateful for this gift and call that come from the Lord. He also thanked David’s family for their generosity in entrusting their son to be formed in the Order of the Pious Schools, and for their accompaniment and support.
The Provincial Superior, Fr. Oswaldo Espinoza Fernández, thanked all those present for their attendance and their prayers for David. To the Archbishop for always being a good shepherd who accompanies our community in Medellín, to David’s family for their support and trust, to the Piarist religious who have been present throughout the process, and to all those who attended the celebration.
It was a wonderful celebration, filled with emotion and immense joy at seeing a brother being ordained as a priest to accompany and care for all those entrusted to him in his mission. It also served as a wonderful preview of the Vocations Week to be held at our schools from 4 to 8 May.
On Sunday 3 May, Fr. David presided over his first Mass in our own parish, which was filled with the faithful, lay Piarists, members of the Fraternity, volunteers, teachers from Calasanz School where he studied, those in formation, family and friends. In his homily on the Gospel text from John (14:1–12), he invited us to recognise Jesus as the way, the truth and the life, so that He may guide our steps and give us clarity regarding what God desires for each of us.
We give thanks to God for David’s life and vocation, and we ask that He accompany him at every moment of his life as a Piarist, following in the footsteps of our founder, Saint Joseph Calasanz.
Fr. Andrés Valencia Henao Sch. P.
