(As told by his mother Sara)

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THE STORY OF

JOSE ANTONIO SERRANO (As told by his mother, Sara)

N MAY 16, 2015, I attended the ordinat ions at the Cathedral-Basi l ica (Phi ladelphia) because Jose had entered the seminary with the seven new priests. Many

emotions filled my heart – joy for the new priests, and happiness for Jose, but also the sad feelings of a mother whose son had died before reaching God’s altar.

The next day, I went to a first mass. The priest gave his mother a spe c i a l g i f t , t h e c l o t h t ha t c ove red h i s hands a f t e r t he Archbishop had anointed them. I spoke to his mother, wanting to share her joy. However, I thought also of Jose who would have so wanted to give me his anointing cloth. As you can see, this story is filled with so many different emotions. Let me begin.

His Childhood

Jose Antonio was born on July 30, 1973. We always called him “Chelo” (from the Spanish word for heaven - cielo) because he was truly heavenly. He attended St. Veronica school and loved the mass. When any altar server couldn’t come, Chelo would rush over from our house (right across the street) to substitute.

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He was fascinated by the Church bells and constantly asked the pastor if he could climb up the tower to see how they worked. (The p r ie s t fea red an acc iden t and an insu rance c la im) . Eventually, we bought him a little bell to ring. During his entire life, Chelo was always faithful to Sunday mass.

At 8 years of age, he joined the cub scouts and made a little model car. Later, he gained scout medals. We still have all of those. He was deeply inquisitive and filled with integrity. There was no delinquency. I hate to say this, but he was a perfect teenager. We had no problems in raising him.

At 14, he got a job at McDonald’s. When he set his mind to some-thing, he was very determined. He worked to buy sneakers and when he got the money, we bought them right away.

HIGH SCHOOL

While at Roman Catholic High School, he had a couple of girl friends. The girl that was most important to him, he took to his prom. However, after that, his heart was somewhere else. He was also the class clown. How many calls I got from the principal at Roman Catholic telling me what Chelo had done that day. A couple of times, during high school, he asked, “What would you think if I wanted to become a priest?” I encouraged this. It would be my dream come true.

After his graduation, we told him to continue his studies because he was very intelligent. Instead, he wanted to serve as a reservist in the Marine Corps. Thirteen years later, he left the marines and went back to Temple for his degree in archeology.

CHARACTERISTICS

Chelo was very intelligent and always current with news. He was like a child and yet, incredibly funny. He made up new words out

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of nowhere, and gave new names to his nephews and niece, (whom he loved very much). One time, I asked him to lend me his car, but he was in a hurry. He drove off. Something happened to the car so he came home and apologized to me. “God punished me, mom”.

As a marine reservist, he was never happy. I knew he was fight-ing something. Later, he had his job, his car, and his apartment, really, everything. However, he was not happy. One day, he came home and said, “Mom, I am lost. What is my purpose in life? Something is missing. I really don’t know what to do.” I gave him the Divine Mercy novena. “Chelo, say this novena, my l itt le heaven, and ask God for guidance. He will show you the right path.”

THE CALL TO PRIESTHOOD

A few months later, he told me that he wanted to enter the priest-hood. At this point he was 35 years old, jogging every day, no alcohol, no smoking and living in his own apartment with every-thing the world could give. “I’ll support you all the way, Chelo”.

He immediately began the process to enter St. Charles Seminary. When he was accepted, he began to give everything away. He was totally happy, especially in August 2009 as he began his studies. The day he rece ived h is cassock (October 2009) was very emot iona l for me. Even h is grandmother came down f rom Reading.

On Thursdays, he would go to a parish for his apostolate. He would tell me how, when all the children in the schoolyard saw him, they would come and hug him tightly. A whole year went by and he was completely happy.

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The Cancer

One day, he called and said he had to talk with us. He sat on the sofa and said that he had cancer. I grew angry and said “What are you talking about?” He explained everything. The doctors were treating him for a sinus problem, but the tests showed a tumor in his nose. It was already stage 4. It was like a nightmare. The worst thing that could happen. He had a powerful cancer in a very rare part of his body.

Further testing at the University of Pennsylvania showed that he needed surgery, something he greatly feared. The surgeon would have to operate on the roof of his mouth and remove some teeth on that side. Chelo was shattered by the news.

After surgery, the doctor believed that he had removed all of the cancer. For three months, Chelo seemed to be in remission. However, part of the root was not able to be removed and the tumor grew back. It grew upwards on the face toward his right eye. We went for other opinions because we were willing to try anything. Eventually the doctors had to operate again and were unsuccessful in saving the eye.

Changes In Chelo

During this illness, something changed in Chelo. He grew more and more determined to serve God. If he needed to go through all these surgeries to become a priest, he would do so. All during this illness, he would say, “All I want to be is a holy priest.” With the chemo, he lost all his hair and suffered many complications. However, he kept going back to classes at the seminary. He would never take time off.

I am a therapist, and I suspected that he blamed himself for his illness. He hid his feelings because he did not want to hurt me. Chelo expected me not to cry. This was the most difficult part of

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all. What hurt him the most was that he was hurting us. He wor-ried about how his illness was affecting us. I tried to comfort him but he was putting up a strong front to console me. I wanted to suffer with him. I wanted to help him carry his cross but he would not open up his feelings. He didn’t want me to suffer.

To Lourdes

He was so determined that the year before he died, he went to Lourdes. His red blood cells were going down. He was so sick. I don’t know how he made it with no medical help. Yet, he wanted to try everything.

When he came home from Lourdes, he had to go right to the hospital. He was bleeding so much that he needed daily blood transfusions. His body was not producing red cells, and the chemo was very strong. We tried a marrow transplant and even experimental drugs, but nothing worked. While in the hospital, he received hundreds of letters from all the school children.

Always, he said the same thing, “Mom, all I want to be is a holy priest.” After going to the seminary, he saw life differently. However, the great changes came with the cancer sufferings. They purified him. He was different.

In the Hospital -

The days in the hospital were filled with emotions. Chelo wanted to sit by the window where he could see everything come alive in the springtime. He also accepted that he was dying. Chelo had a temper and could be quick to anger but the sickness changed him.

I felt so helpless. Whatever my children needed, we provided. Now, there was nothing more I could do. A mother doesn’t want

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to see her son suffer and die. I wondered, is God listening? So many priests came, gave their blessings and anointed him.

Chelo died on Palm Sunday, March 23, 2013 at 2:58 PM, right before the 3:00 PM time for the Divine Mercy. By the day of his death, he was a different person but always with the same desire, “I only want to be a holy priest.” He was buried in his cassock at a funeral mass at the seminary on Wednesday of Holy Week. On his tombstone is the Divine Mercy prayer, “Jesus, I trust in thee.” His vocation began with the Divine Mercy novena and he said it every day of his life.

Conclusion

Now, I miss him so much. When I cook something special, I expect him to stop by for the meal. There is so much that I do not understand, even now. What is God’s plan? Why did God call him to the seminary and then allow him to die?

I got special holy cards made with Jose’s picture. Whenever I see a devout young man, I give him a card. Last week, I saw such a young man, gave him the card and said that he might be a priest some day. He said, “Thank you very much but I am gett ing married next year.”

I am always thinking of what I can do. I believe that Jose’s work is just beginning. He left some grace, some gift that will help many other young men to say like Chelo did, “All I want to be is a holy priest.”

Jesus said, “If the grain of wheat dies, it will bring forth much fruit.” Chelo has died and I believe the fruit will come. To the reader, I say, “Will you take Chelo’s place?” If so, I will do my best to come to your ordination.

Sara Serrano is a devout and courageous Puerto Rican woman who rejoiced to see her son, Jose, accept Jesus’ call to the priesthood.

That joy was turned into the greatest possible sorrow in the final three years of his life as he bravely fought against cancer, hoping against all hope, that he would live to be a priest. It was not to be.

His death in 2013 brought Sara into the heart of the great mystery. The grain of wheat must die to bring forth the harvest. May Jose’s story touch the hearts of many young people and lead them to a life of serving Jesus Christ. To view his story, go to www.youtube.com and in the search box enter: “Called by Name: Jose Serrano”.

Nihil Obstat: Rev. Robert Pesarchik, Censor Librorum Imprimatur: Archbishop Charles Chaput July, 2016 Distributed by: