By Xochitl Rodriguez
I am part of the St. Theresa Parish Community in Palm Springs.
I was called to ministry a little over two years ago. Since then, I can honestly say that my faith has been ever growing, and my willingness to continue this journey has not only helped me, but it has also helped those around me.
God’s presence has opened my heart and has given me the courage to accept my call to ministry. Taking the Pastoral Care course was a last-minute decision for me, and now more than ever I emphasize the quote “things happen at the right time” or “things happen for a reason.”
I am so glad that I went against my initial thoughts and applied. This whole journey guided me to where I needed to be and helped me in many personal ways. I realized and identified the missing aspects in my life and found my willingness to serve and plant my mustard seed in God’s kingdom.
I want to thank our professor, Dr. Bill Roozeboom, for being the guide and walking beside us and for always assuring us that it’s OK to ask questions... and for also constantly reminding us that it’s OK to ask for help and to take time for ourselves. The explanations of each topic were so thorough and explained down to every single detail. Every session was enjoyable, and although we only interacted through a computer screen (Zoom), I feel like our group had a very special bond; we were always able to carry out conversations as if we had just seen each other in person the day before.
I want to say thank you to Loyola Marymount University for providing us with this amazing opportunity and to the Diocese of San Bernardino for allowing us to take this course to become better servants of God.
I also extend my gratitude to Bishop Alberto Rojas for always encouraging individuals to answer their call to service and for supporting continuous education.
Thank you to José Luis Elias and the Office of Education and Formation in the Department of Life, Dignity and Justice for providing us with resources and encouragement. To my peers, thank you for always sharing your personal stories and experiences and being able to relate in many ways, and for helping each other along the way. Thank you to those who didn’t really understand what I was doing but supported me to the finish line. I give a very special thank you to my mother who was my number one supporter, because if it weren’t for her I probably wouldn’t be up here sharing my experience. I extend my gratitude and appreciation to everyone that made this happen.
And congratulations to my peers for finishing strong!
Xochitl Rodriguez is a parishioner of St. Theresa in Palm Springs and recently completed the Diocese’s Pastoral Care Program.