Jonathas Camargo (1998) felt God’s call during the COVID-19 pandemic, although it wasn’t always like this. One of the things that held him back from taking that step was his fear of opening himself to a true encounter with the Lord. Now, Jonathas is in Pamplona training to be a priest. He comes from the Diocese of Leopoldina, Brazil.

Introduction to Faith and His ‘Fear’ of God

Jonathas arrived in Pamplona in 2023, where he studies Theology at the Ecclesiastical Faculties of the University of Navarra. From a very young age, he participated in catechism classes in his home parish.

God has always been present in Jonathas’s family. From a young age, his mother took him and his three sisters to the parish to participate in catechism classes. But in his adolescence, a period of rebellion and crisis, he distanced himself somewhat from the faith, because all he did was attend Mass purely out of obedience. “Not skipping Sunday Mass, even if it’s just to comply with the ecclesiastical norm, even if one doesn’t feel like it, confers infinite value that is always rewarded by God.”

This reluctance was compounded by a temptation: “I always held back from committing myself more to God; it was my fear of opening myself to a true encounter with the Lord,” he confesses.

However, the sacrament of Confirmation was vital in helping him become more committed to the Church. Receiving this sacrament is a grace from God, a sacrament that, as its name indicates, helps a Christian commit to being a witness to Jesus Christ: the baptized person is strengthened by the gift of the Holy Spirit, becomes more deeply rooted in divine filiation, and becomes more closely united with the Church.

Coronation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a mission that brought him closer to God

With this determination, Jonathas began to participate in other celebrations at his parish, such as the coronations to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

“Furthermore, my commitment to serving the Church grew when I helped form and coordinate a youth group, also in my parish. This mission brought me closer to God,” he says.

This young Brazilian seminarian recalls that being close to young people means, above all, listening to them in order to accompany them on their journey of faith and true love for the Lord.

Thus, his union with God grew, the fruit of his will, of the good people around him, like the parish priest, and of his own freedom.

God’s Call to His Vocation

Jonathas recounts the moment he felt a powerful presence of the Lord in his heart: “In 2016, at eighteen years old, I was invited to be an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, and with this service to the Lord, I felt a duty to live my faith more responsibly.”

Later, with the arrival of the pandemic, the turning point came for Jonathas: “I was studying for a degree in another city when the pandemic began, and with it, all the restrictions imposed on us.

Therefore, I returned to my hometown and dedicated myself to helping my parish priest with everything necessary so that the faithful could follow the celebrations online. Witnessing all the difficulties we were facing, and being able to sense the people’s desire and expression of faith, I felt God’s call like a flame burning in my heart as I participated in Eucharistic adoration.”

After this wonderful experience, in 2021 he began his vocational discernment process, and in 2022 he entered the preparatory seminary of his diocese. In July 2023, his bishop sent him to study at the University of Navarra, as reported on his diocese’s website. He arrived in Bidasoa accompanied by the rector of the Nuestra Señora de Aparecida de Leopoldina Seminary, Father Alessandro Alves Tavares.

His formation in Spain

His experience at the Bidasoa international seminary is revealing to him the great beauty of the universal Church: “My stay in Bidasoa is being of great benefit to my vocation. Here I have been able to grow even more in my life of prayer and also in my academic life. Sharing life with priests and seminarians from the most remote corners of the world teaches me that the Church is universal and that the Lord can reach all hearts, and for this, He wants us to be prepared to evangelize all nations.”

When he completes his theology studies at the University of Navarra, he will return to his diocese where he will be ordained a priest. Jonathas is aware that all cities and countries have their own unique characteristics and challenges in evangelization, but without prayer, little can be achieved.

We must continue praying for vocations

“I believe that, in my diocese, as throughout the Church, we need to continue praying for many holy vocations to emerge for the Lord’s harvest,” says Jonathas.

This is a thought very much in line with the initiative the Church proposes for March 19, Seminary Day. The first thing the Church asks is to pray for vocations. Then, to the extent possible, we must help financially to support these vocations.