r. Horacio Perez grew up in Tepatitlan, Jalisco, Mexico, in a very committed Catholic family. He recalls being brought to Mass each Sunday by his parents where they
prayed to Our Lady of Guadalupe for a priest to come and live among them. Her answer was his encounter with Xaverian Missionaries who were working in that region.
When Horacio expressed an interest in joining the Xaverians, these spoke to him about life as a priest and encouraged him in his vocation. Our Lady of Guadalupe answered the prayers of Horacio's people, but also asked of them a gift-sacrifice: that out of their own need they offer their son to the missions in some needier country. Their generous response will certainly gain them divine blessings and rewards, and make Horacio's life a fruitful one.
Horacio was ordained a priest in his home parish of “Espiritu Santo” this past August; he cherishes the vestments made for him by his people of Tepatitlan, their traditional songs, food and colorful clothes worn on their festive occasions.
Horacio feels he has a particular charism for working with youth, "Young people have their own language,' he says. "You have to learn it if you wish to get through to them. You have to see things from their perspective. Go to meet them. Celebrate with them, Live with them, Share their life.”
He believes that the Xaverian missionaries are doing good work in Mexico, being that the Xaverian Mexican Province is one of the more numerous in membership and in vocations. He credits Our Lady of Guadalupe for this: "The Mother of God is also 'Tonantzi' (our Mother), one of us, part of our culture, Mother of all Mexicans. Devotion to her is something essential in this country."
(From Xaverian Mission Newsletter)