Praised be Jesus Christ!

And so we pause for a deep breath before the jump.

Welcome to In Via Solis! We are two seminarians from the Diocese of Phoenix studying for the Catholic Priesthood. We are so blessed to live in the beautiful desert and to have been formed by the living faith of the people in the Valley of the Sun. However, our pursuit of the priesthood for the sake of this community has led us to phase in our formation. This Sunday Fernando and I will travel to Rome to continue our studies over the next four year (that's in four days for those who are keeping count)!

We take with us the entire diocese as we, in the way Phoenicians do, follow The Way of the true Sun from whose heat nothing can escape. This blog is to express our gratitude to all the faithful of Phoenix for this incredible opportunity and to keep everyone informed and a part of what this journey brings us.

Yet, on the verge of our departure we were graced to take a joyful step toward the priesthood. Today, Fernando and I were admitted to Candidacy for Holy Orders. This was a moment for us to declare in front of the Church our desire and intention to pursue the priesthood. In turn, the Church, with joy, accepts us as Candidates and pledges spiritual support for our journey. This truly marks the beginning of our journey to Rome. Sure, temporally it comes right before we leave. But well beyond that, it is the source of the mission for which we are going. Our pursuit for the priesthood, express in our Candidacy, comes from our desire to follow God's will and serve the people of Phoenix. Inspired by the words of Bishop Olmsted's homily at this mornings mass, we hope to live in accordance with the joyful life of service to God and the Church. In these moments of peace we find leading up to our trip, we are filled with the breath of the Spirit which strengthens and encourages us.

Please keep us in your prayers as we start our studies in the Eternal City and look back here for updates on the graces God gives us. May Our Lady of Guadalupe intercede for us and all the faithful of Phoenix.