Aleteia logoAleteia logoAleteia
Thursday 28 March |
Aleteia logo
Inspiring Stories
separateurCreated with Sketch.

The inspiring vocation of Fr. Carlo — widower, grandfather, and priest

This article is reserved for Aleteia Premium members
Mexique ordination père Carlo

Facebook / Arquidiocesis de Puebla

Father Carlo, left in the photo, freshly ordained on Feb. 10, 2023

Aleteia - published on 03/04/23

At 70 years old, Carlo is the father of three children, the grandfather of five ... and a new priest!

Finding your vocation to the priesthood after being married and becoming a grandfather may seem unlikely – but it’s not impossible.

Carlo Dei Lazzaretti was ordained in Mexico on Friday, February 10, by Archbishop Víctor Sanchez of Puebla. Carlo, 70 years old, is the father of three children and the grandfather of five. He’s originally from Italy where he was born in 1953. 

After the sudden loss of his wife, Carlo went through a long period of questioning his faith. It was only at the age of 61 that he began to consider the possibility of a priestly vocation. Two years later, he decided to enter the Redemptoris Mater seminary, located in Puebla, southeast of Mexico City. After six years of study in this new setting, he was ordained a deacon on August 20, 2022, and a priest on February 10, 2023. “I said yes to this call that led me to Mexico,” Fr. Carlo explained in a video interview just before his ordination, “and I am here to do God’s will in this beautiful country.”

A path freely taken

“It is a way of life that he has chosen himself; no one is imposing it on him. No one is forcing him or pressuring him. He thought about it before God, before the Blessed Sacrament,” said the Archbishop of Puebla during the ordination Mass, quoted by ACI Prensa. “Christ himself is present in the person of the ordained priest, despite our unworthiness. It’s a gift, a true gift that the Lord gives us,” the Mexican prelate emphasized.

The three children of the new priest were present at the Mass, and they themselves carried the liturgical vestments of their father, who is now vicar of the parish of the Holy Family, in the city of Tres Cruces.

The following is reserved for Aleteia Premium members

Already a member?

Free! - Without any commitment
You can cancel anytime

Discover all of these benefits:

Aucun engagement : vous pouvez résilier à tout moment

1.

Unlimited access to all new Premium content from Aleteia

2.

Limited advertising

3.

Exclusive access to publish comments

Support media that promotes Christian values
Support media that promotes Christian values
Tags:
FatherhoodInspiring storiesMen’s LifestylePriestVocations
Support Aleteia!

Enjoying your time on Aleteia?

Articles like these are sponsored free for every Catholic through the support of generous readers just like you.

Thanks to their partnership in our mission, we reach more than 20 million unique users per month!

Help us continue to bring the Gospel to people everywhere through uplifting and transformative Catholic news, stories, spirituality, and more.

Support Aleteia with a gift today!

jour1_V2.gif
Top 10
See More
Newsletter
Get Aleteia delivered to your inbox. Subscribe here.