Seminarian in Salt Lake has life filled with gifts

Intermountain Catholic

+ Enlarge

SALT LAKE CITY — The call to become a priest or to enter the religious life is one that young people have everywhere in the world. One who has responded is Alejandro Camberos, who, with Omar Palafox, came from Mexico to Utah following the path to priesthood.

"I have seven years as a seminarian and they have been wonderful years in which God has given me a lot of experiences," Camberos said. He arrived in Utah in 2009 from Guadalajara, Jalisco in Mexico.

Camberos entered the seminary when he was 28, which is unusual because the common age is between 12 and 18 years old. "I entered the seminary at a mature age, so my decision is for sure that this is what I wanted and that’s what I am doing," he said.

Seminarians’ lives have a lot of joy and gratifying experiences but there are also moments of sadness and nostalgia; these are overcome by the gratitude of the service and because they are near the sacerdotal life, said Camberos.

"A lot of people don’t know the priest, they think he is like a holy person who doesn’t do anything. Others think that they are always quarreling. We know that they are good human beings who also cry, who do get angry; that they have joys, that they laugh a lot and that’s very rewarding because you know that’s the path you are following, and that I am going to be like Christ because Christ was 100 percent human," Camberos said.

The story of this Mexican seminarian began when he was young. He always has been involved in Church activities such as the choir or being an acolyte. However, becoming a priest was never in his mind until the pastor of his church invited him to a retreat in the seminary. Father Elias Moreno from Saint Joseph the Worker Parish in Guadalajara, Mexico invited Camberos to an eight-day retreat in the seminary. Those days built in Camberos his love for Christ because minute after minute he was feeling that change within.

"Every minute in the seminary I felt that my way of thinking was changing; when I heard the stories of the saints, in particular the martyrs, that’s exactly when I felt the need to be like them," said Camberos, who at that time planned to marry. However, he decided his way was with Christ, so he broke off his engagement. Due to an invitation from Father Javier Virgen Vicar for Hispanic Affairs/associate vocations director of the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City, Camberos decided to come to Utah.

The demand for seminarians worldwide is strong, but in the Diocese of Salt Lake City it is particularly important because there is such need in the parishes, Fr. Virgen said. "We particularly need people who are bilingual and very prepared," he added.

The Salt Lake City Diocese’s vocations office works constantly on the formation of the seminarians. When a man is accepted as a seminarian for the diocese, he are sent to Mount Angel Seminary in Oregon to continue his studies and formation.

Currently the diocese has eight accepted seminarians, seven from Utah and one from Mexico. Two others are in the ESL program, among them is Camberos. In addition, five candidates from Mexico likely will arrive in Utah next summer, Fr. Virgen said.

"Just try it," Camberos said. "It’s like me. I wanted to get married; I even had bought land to build a house…I tried and here I am. If you really give it a chance, you will see the results. Enjoy and you will see. You’ll never regret it."