Fr. Joseph Seraphin Dederick, OFM Cap. (M.Div. 2009) was ordained this past March in the Diocese of Sacramento at his home parish. He reports the beautiful, spiritual feeling of that day, like his vocation is really beginning to flower, by now including both religious life and priestly life. He says, “I have been called to be a Capuchin Franciscan priest and therefore something has always seemed to be lacking for my religious calling. Now I know better what that was – my ordination. This is the path God has called me on. May I be faithful to his calling.”
The Capuchin Franciscans are sending him down to the newest house in their Mexican Mission. They are opening a house in Durango City, Durango, Mexico. He will be helping out with the formation of the new brothers in their first year as Capuchin Franciscans, as well as working part-time in the local parish. One of the defining aspects of this assignment is that he will be living in the middle of a low-income government housing project. They are buying twelve of the units and making them into their friary so that the brothers can get to know the joys and sorrows of the people, living in their own surroundings; some call Casa San Francisco a house of insertion with the poor. They will be doing regular formation duties - teaching the new brothers how to pray, how to live in community, the teachings of the Church, and how to minister to others - and new ministry opportunities which they will scout out once they start living there in September.
Fr. Joseph plans to use the education that he received at DSPT when he is teaching the brothers - especially in biblical studies. His language training here at the GTU will be of prime importance in his everyday life. He will also be putting his knowledge of the Sacraments into practice, including homiletics and pastoral counseling. The tools from his DSPT education which will be used the most will surely become more evident as his ministry unfolds and he spreads the good news of the Kingdom of God in Mexico.
