SANTA BARBARA PASTORAL REGION VOCATIONS ARCHDIOCESE OF LOS ANGELES
Antonio Diaz Meza, Holy Cross, Moorpark
My name is José Antonio Diaz Meza. I was born in Guadalajara Jalisco Mexico, on March 17th, 1992. I was a triplet but my other two brothers died when they were two days old. After they died, the doctors gave me no possibilities of life because I was weak. My parents never gave up. They wanted me to live, so they looked for the aid of God in the doctors’ hands and they found it. I got better while I grew up. I grew up in Catarina Jalisco in a Catholic family of seven members. I am the second one. My parents always taught us the importance of God in our lives and the meaning of the Eucharist for us Catholics. Growing up in a little town with traditions and a strong faith for God and Our Lady of Guadalupe was helpful for my Christian development. Another concept that my family taught us is education. They always tell us that if we are not educated we can´t play a role in society. They want us to succeed and have a proper education.
In 2007, my parents brought us to the United States. They wanted to experience the “American Dream”, and we are experiencing it. With high and lows in our lives because of the economy. When I first came here, I was illegal but Thanks to God my mom was born here and according to the Law, I was a citizen so I got my citizenship in March 2008. Currently, I live in Moorpark California. I am a senior; I am eighteen years old and I´m learning English at Moorpark High School.
Hearing the Call
Since I was little, I got interested for the Divine things. I started to be an altar server since I was seven years old and I started to feel a special attraction for the priesthood. While I was growing up, I got more interested in it. It was something that got my attention and I couldn’t push it away. I started to talk with my pastor about it when I was twelve years old. He asked me a simple question: Why do you want to be a priest? This was a hard question to answer because I wanted to be a priest but I didn´t know why exactly. Well, I started to look for the answer and I answered this question until I came here to the United States. Soon I came to the conclusion that I want to be a priest firstly because I want to answer God´s call and because He has invited me to serve him. I had a girlfriend and this experience showed me that God doesn’t want me to have a wife. He wants me to have a spiritual family. I want to be the presence of Jesus here among the people. I want to spread the Good News to everyone like Jesus did with obedience to his Father. As Jesus offered his life of others, I want to offer my life so others can have life through the Sacraments. When people ask me this question, I don’t have words to answer it because it’s not my vocation, it is God´s vocation and He knows why He has chosen me. I try to express my feelings but I know that I am going to answer this question offering my life. I am in love with Jesus and I want him to walk with me forever.
I want to be a bridge between Heaven and Earth, God and people. I want to be a servant.
Thank you and please PRAY FOR ME AND FOR VOCATIONS. God needs your help because He wants you to use your Baptismal Priesthood to call youth to the Priesthood of Jesus.