Two Men Receive Sotanas

Thirty men received their sotanas at a June 1 Mass in Mexico. Luis Antonio Nunez Hernandez (back row, far right) and Jose Carlos Migue Lopez (first row, fourth from right) are aspirants for Glenmary. Father Steve Pawelk is seated, second from right.

On June 1, Luis Antonio Nunez Hernandez and Jose Carlos Miguel Lopez received their sotanas (cassocks). This ceremony marks their completion of their first year of discernment and affirms their calling towards priesthood.

Both men, who are in Glenmary's aspirancy program, will continue studying in Mexico next year and will continue formation in the United States after their philosophy studies are completed.

Luis Antonio is from Aguascalientes and 40 members of his family rented a bus and traveled three hours to join him. After the two hour Mass where 30 students received their sotanas each seminarian had a picnic with their family.

For Jose Carlos this was a challenge. His family lives over two days of travel away by bus (they do not own a car). So, Andres, a former parishioner of my former mission in New Albany, Miss., and his wife, Lourdes, organized their families to sponsor the picnic for Carlos. The parents of Andres, Arturo and Mercedes, placed the sotana on Carlos in the place of his parents. This was truly a blessed event.

Luis Antonio, Father Steve Pawelk, Bishop Felipe Salazar Villagrana of the Diocese of San Juan de los Lagos, and Carlos pose after the ceremony.