A Greeting from Father Rafael de Avila

This is a greeting from Father Rafael de Avila who will celebrate his first Mass at Sacred Heart on July 1, 2015.  We look forward to his arrival!

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Dear Parishioners:

I would like to introduce myself. My full name is Rafael Antonio de Avila y Romero according to my birth certificate, but when I came to the United States and went to the Social Security Office my name was shorten to Rafael de Avila because it was too long to fit in the computer. 

I was born in Aguascalientes, Ags. Mexico. My parents are Aurelio de Avila y Enriquez and Bertha Romero Marquez. 

I am the third among four siblings: Virginia, Aurelio, Rafael and Daniel. My father died when I was 12 years old and my mother passed away 20 days before my priestly ordination in 1974. My youngest brother, Daniel, died several years ago. 

At the age of 12,  I went to the Minor seminary of Misioneros de Guadalupe located in Lopez Cotilla at the outskirts of Guadalajara. 

After five years in Guadalajara,  I went to Mexico City to have a new experience in the Major Seminary of Misioneros de Guadalupe.

I wanted to be a missionary. Since the very first day,  the seminary formation was awesome. It was a different life style of which I have no complaints. I had to learn different languages because I wanted to preach the Gospel to people of different cultures. 

I studied in Rome for four years and got my degree in Spirituality. I was ordained in 1974. For several years I taught in the Major Seminary. 

From 1980 to 1982 I worked in Jerusalem as Rector of the Propagation of Faith College. 

From 1982 to 1985 I was Dean at a private University in Mexico City, Universidad Intercontinental. 

From 1985 to 1993 I worked in Hong Kong. I spent the first two years just learning the language, Cantonese. 

Most recently, I have been at St. Veronica's in South San Francisco.

Thanks to all of you for welcoming me into your spiritual lives. In the near future I will share more about my priestly life.

 - Father Rafael de Avila