Jorje Alvarado
My name is Jorje Alvarado. I was born and raised in Monterrey, Mx as the youngest of 4 children, two sisters and a brother. I graduated from University (UANL) with a degree in engineering. I was always active in parish life. Although I used to go to Church every Sunday, there was a period in my life when I lived far away from God’s commandments, as a result I experienced loneliness and emptiness. I felt my life was senseless.
When I was 18, I was invited to a life in the spirit seminar and I had a powerful encounter with our risen Lord. The sadness I was experiencing was transformed into joy. I began serving the Lord in the evangelization team and I realized that this is what I wanted to do the rest of my life. Then, I felt the Lord was calling me to be a priest and, in a very providential way, I heard about the Companions of the Cross. It has been a great adventure. I have learned a lot from my brothers. They have been a great example for me. My desire to serve God’s people has been increasing. Please pray for me to be open to hear God’s voice and to be willing to do God’s will.
Eduardo Cervantes
My name is Eduardo Martinez Cervantes. I was born and raised in Torreon Coahuila, Mexico and moved to Houston TX at age 12. I come from a non-practicing “Catholic” family and I am the younger of two sisters.
After graduating from high school at age 17, I decided to stop my studies to get a job and spend time with my girlfriend. During that year I realized that I wanted more than a relationship with a woman and starting a family. I wanted more than a regular career. I wanted more than merely studying and getting wealthy as many do. My heart wanted more. I had my encounter with the Lord Jesus by listening to a priest give a homily in a Sunday mass. He talked about a man who rose from death, who is God, gave his life for his friends, and is a man who loves sinners but hates sin. Those words impacted me, because he was not talking about merely a wise man. It was more than that, more than a social reformer, more than a prophet.
After that experience I got involved in a youth adults’ group, and during that process I felt that the Lord was calling me to become a priest, to serve him as a witness of his love. I accepted and when I heard about the Companions of the Cross whose mission is to evangelize the people of God, I felt a connection. I can tell you that my discernment was not easy because my parents did not accept and understand my vocation. I can also tell you that I had fears of making a mistake but, if we surrender to our Creator, what wrong could be done to us?
Alex Colautti
My name is Alex Colautti. I was born the second-youngest of 5 children: four boys and one girl. I was born and raised in Windsor, ON, and have received of a degree in Philosophy and Political Science from the university there. My life growing up was characteristic of the average Catholic family. I went to weekly mass, prayed the rosary and received a solid foundation in the faith from my parent, which I received through an intensive home-schooled education.
There have been two fundamental, intrinsic desires of soul that have motivated me in my journey through life which were present even at its earliest stages. The first was a profound yearning in my heart to change the world. The second was a seemingly insatiable thirst for truth.
The concept of God that I had formed in my mind as an adolescent was very sterile and adulterated. To me, He was some far-away being who rarely interacted with the world. For the most part, I just thought He wanted us to follow His 'rules'. I struggled to follow His laws, and, as a consequence, I lived largely apart from His grace for much of my adolescent and early adult life. There was an emptiness, and my heart was yearning for something that it didn't have. It wasn't until my trip to Medjugorje in 2008 when our Blessed Mother brought me into a personal relationship with her living Son, Jesus Christ which radically transformed me.
Finally, it became clear to me. The thirst for truth was the ever-present whisper of Jesus, calling me to him, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. The desire to change the world was his invitation for the vocation to a consecrated life. “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart (Ps 37:4).” I decided to leave behind the burdens of the world and take up the cross of Christ. The Holy Spirit led me to the Companions of the Cross in 2010 and I joined them in 2011. I have found a sense of joy and peace following Jesus here that I never found in the world. “For those of you who want to save your life will lose it, and those who lose it for my sake, and the sake of the gospel, will save it (Mk 8:35).”
Neil Joy
My name is Neil Joy.
What have you done to strengthen your baptismal call? Who me? This was the question that struck me like a slap in the face while working on my application to the Companions of the Cross. Well, to be honest I was not aware I was supposed to do anything to strengthen my baptismal call. I thought that stuff just happened by growing up Catholic, attending a Catholic school, and by following your parents to Church on Sunday. If so, why did Jesus choose to say "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men" (Mt. 4:19). I had to put some Christian action into my life if I was going to become a fisher of men.
But where does one find Christian action anyways? By the grace of God, I took some advice to check out a place called Madonna house in Combermere, ON. Only as long as you think it won't be too austere for you, was the added advice given. And so a visit that I had "planned" to make for one maybe two weeks turned out to be a life changing experience. And I am forever grateful to God. I really owe a lot of gratitude towards the people and events that unfolded for me over a one-year span. One of the greatest and profound experiences during that year was that I was able to live a real, authentic Christian life. This doesn't mean everything is perfect now and that I had to get perfect before I could follow Christ. No far from it. Rather, I had the opportunity to see with my own eyes, better yet experience with my spirit real love, agape. The love of service, the love of the Liturgical year and sacraments, and the love of God and neighbor. All in the "nitty gritty" as one would hear at Madonna house. This gave me hope. Hope that one day I could be a fisher of men by the way I was choosing to follow Christ's initiative.
And so I graduated as it were from Madonna house. I was guided by the Spirit into a life of community with fellow Catholic brothers who I had met through the grape vine of friends. It's great how these things work out. Total strangers become brothers because of one common thread, namely Jesus Christ. I went on to grow and learn with my newfound brothers what it takes to be willing to try to live in community. I can honestly say that each one of them in their way infinitely helped me more then I helped them. I learned that if I am going to be able to live in community for the rest of my life then I have to believe that it is worth it. It's not easy but it is always worth it when watching brothers grow in holiness!
So long story short, I choose to apply to the Companions of the Cross after my initial contact with them two years prior. As this testimony clearly reveals, the Companions of the Cross accepted my application to a novitiate year. Presently, there are four of us finding our way through this novitiate year with God's help and the gentle guidance of Fr. Galen Bank. We're taking this thing one year at a time and we are reminded by our superiors that if God called us here He will make the necessary arrangements provided we remain open to grace. It's pretty amazing how God brought all of us to this place in our lives! If you want to find out "Come and see" (Jn. 1:39). Don't forget to bring with you a fishing rod and some bait.
Ruben Campbell
My name is Ruben Campbell.
How can I describe my experience with the Companion of the Cross?
When I think about my vocation, a lot of ideas come to mind. During my childhood, I remember pretending to celebrate masses with my brothers and sisters, and I also remember when I asked my father to buy a bible for me – that was amazing! But I think the Lord has always had a plan for me. Even though at times I rebelled against the Lord's call, his grace was always present in me.
Before arriving at this wonderful place, some important events contributed to my personal discernment and led me to answer with a ‘Yes’ to the call of the Lord. As our Blessed Mother, I have learned to take steps of faith. Abraham did the same thing when “he left his land without knowing where he was going…”(Heb 11:8). This is how I made the decision to abandon myself into God’s arms.
What motivated me to take that step of faith? My love for God and the desire to know His divine will. I participated in a Life In The Spirit seminar 30 years ago and I had a powerful encounter with our Lord Jesus Christ. Then, I committed myself to the Lord by teaching, preaching, establishing and leading prayer groups in my diocese in Mexico; but, there was something missing in my heart. I was hungering to give myself to God and to serve Him. I heard about the community of the Companions of the Cross and when I read about them, I found what I was longing for. I left my country and I came to Canada.
My experience has been a challenge, but I have found myself and I have faced God. Why? Because it has meant putting my life again in God’s hands and to allow Him to mold me, transform me. My role has changed from leader to disciple, from teacher to student. In few words, I am learning to serve.
My life of prayer has improved. I used to be a perfectionist. Thanks be to God, I have received inner healing and I am learning to love me, to forgive me and to understand that only God is perfect. Now I understand that I am loved, forgiven and redeemed. I think the Lord permitted me to live this experience to prepare me for priesthood and to teach me to be like Him: compassionate, merciful and patient. He is also teaching me to embrace the cross with an undivided heart.
Some months ago I received the acolyte ministry, and it was an extraordinary experience that helped me to discover the confirmation of my call. I now know that the challenge to love God and serve his people is the most important step in my life.
Kenneth Lao
My name is Kenneth Lao, I was born and raised in Manila, Philippines. I come from a Chinese family and I am the eldest of 6 children. I studied for my elementary and high school in a Chinese Catholic school in Manila. I received my Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering (BSME) in 1993 and my Master's in Business Administration (MBA) from De La Salle University in 2000 in Manila. Despite studying in Catholic Schools, I can say that I was a nominal Catholic who just attended mass on Sundays. I was very much living in the world at that time. I was looking for love and happiness from the things of this world. I had a conversion when I joined a Catholic Charismatic group in my last year in University. But after a few years of having a personal relationship with God, I started to backslide and went back to my sinful ways. God disciplined me by allowing me to face the consequences of my sins.
In 2002, I had the opportunity to work in China. In my five years of working in China, it was a time of conversion and healing for me. I experienced a deeping of faith in China as I regularly watched EWTN and I started practicing my Catholic Faith. It was in 2006 that I started to have this calling to the priesthood. A sister in China recommended me the Companions of the Cross after she watched Fr. Bob Bedard, the founder of the Companions of the Cross, being interviewed by Ralph Martin in his TV program "Choices We Face" in EWTN. I was advised by that sister that the best way to discern is to try it. So in 2007, I resigned from my work in China and in March of 2008 I arrived in Canada as an immigrant. In August 15, 2008, the feast of the Assumption of Mary to Heaven, I joined the Companions of the Cross in Ottawa. So far it has been a fruitful journey for me. God has been healing me and forming me to become the priest that He wants me to be.
Lawrence Hyginus
My name is Lawrence Hyginus. I was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and came to Canada when I was 7 years old. I am the 4th child of 10 children (5 boys and 5 girls). Growing up, my parents instilled in me and my siblings a strong sense of the Catholic faith. Going to mass on Sundays, and even weekdays, as well as the praying the daily family rosary were all part of my childhood. It was only when I entered university, that I was exposed to people of other faiths, or of no faith at all. It was a challenging time in my life, in which I began asking myself some hard questions about the Catholic Church and its teachings.
Providentially, I got involved with the the Catholic Chaplancy at York University and this was my first exposure to the vision and spirituality of the Companions of the Cross. I made a spring retreat through the chaplaincy in 2001, and this led me to the conviction of the love of Jesus for me, and that the Catholic Church taught the Truth! With time, I began to be open to do whatever God wanted me to do with my life in terms of my vocation. And as my university studies drew to a close, I felt a sense of a call to the priesthood with the Companions. After having made a few 'Come and See' visits, I felt very much at peace with the idea of entering into seminary formation with the Companions. Being a seminarian, like many other things in life, has its blessings and its sacrifices. But, in the words of our beloved founder, Fr. Bob Bedard: "The only thing worth doing in life is the will of God!" So, here I am Lord, I come to do your will!
Paul-Rémi Poulin
My name is Paul-Rémi Poulin.
I was born in Zenon Park, Saskatchewan, as the youngest of eight children. Raised in a catholic family, and though my parents had faith, I never seemed to understand the faith or make it my own because my heart and desires were set on sports. My dream was to be an Olympic champion some day. I started figure skating quite early and at the age of sixteen, my partner and I became the 2007 Junior National champions in the Juvenile pairs category. Though I was beginning to find this success and fame I was looking for, I still wasn’t fully satisfied and happy, so I began to search for it in the wrong places. When my mother noticed the kind of lifestyle I was living, she invited me to attend a summer retreat for catholic high school students. It was at this retreat, through the sacraments and prayer ministry, that I first experienced the Lord’s love and mercy in my life. Overwhelmed by joy, I chose to give my life completely to him and to pursue his Will. My longing and desire to become famous in skating was removed completely and I realized that the Lord had a greater plan for my life than I did.
Shortly after committing my life to Christ, and quitting figure skating, I began sensing a call to the priesthood. After sharing this with my mother, and explaining my desire to live in community, she introduced me to the Companions of the Cross and suggested that I look into them. And so I did! After speaking and visiting with the community, I truly saw the Lord at work, guiding and directing me to join the Companions. And with a deep sense of peace, I joined the Companions in the fall of 2010. It has been an incredible journey thus far and I look forward to seeing what the Lord has in store for me as I continue to journey towards the priesthood.
Bryan Sabourin
My name is Bryan Sabourin. I was born in Ottawa, and currently reside in Toronto, where I am studying theology through St. Augustine’s seminary. I am the oldest of three boys. Growing up, I always attended Mass with my family, but it was something we did simply as tradition. As a family, we began to attend St. Mary’s parish, pastored by the Companions of the Cross, my parents having previously had a re-awakening of their faith. A series of conferences and events I participated in led up to a Life in the Spirit seminar wherein my heart was changed and I desired only what God wanted in my life, a response to His love that I had experienced. I gave over to Him the idea that I might be called to the priesthood, as I had previously told Him that I would never be a priest.
When I opened my heart in that way, a peace and joy began to well up inside of me along with a sense that God was indeed calling me to the priesthood. Having a desire for community life, utilizing the gifts of the Holy Spirit in ministry, and working in the New Evangelization, I began to look at the Companions of the Cross, and joined in September of 2005. Please pray for me as I enter my last few years before ordination to the priesthood.
