Angelus News | June 3, 2022 | Vol. 7 No. 11

Martinez at his first Communion in his native Mexico.
But his resolve was buoyed by Father
Julio Gonzalez of Our Lady of the
Rosary Church in Paramount, who invited
him to come and help minister
to his predominantly Spanish-speaking
flock.
As he prepares to embark on the
kind of ministry he observed his
parish priest do all those years ago,
he is looking forward to “journeying
together with the people of God.” He
says his faith has never been stronger,
and that he’s learned that when you
“make a promise to God, he will never
forget it. He’ll send the right people
to get you back on the right track. In
my case, it was encountering spiritual
direction with this priest, realizing
that Jesus was calling me again.”
For others considering which road to
travel, he said he would recommend
simply opening “your heart to Christ.
To not be afraid, God is never pushing
you, you can choose freely. Sometimes
we don’t feel worthy of these vocations,
but God is going to give you
the gifts and strength that you need.
“I found that joy and that fulfillment
[in the priesthood] that I didn’t have
in my career.”
June 3, 2022 • ANGELUS • 19