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Manjarrez gave himself time to discover God's call

Published: May 12, 2012   

By Phyllis Hemann
Associate Editor

Karen Schwartz / Arkansas Catholic file

Deacon Juan Manjarrez distributes Communion during his diaconate ordination May 21, 2011, at the Fort Smith Convention Center.

Karen Schwartz / Arkansas Catholic file

Deacon Juan Manjarrez distributes Communion during his diaconate ordination May 21, 2011, at the Fort Smith Convention Center.

Growing up in Guanajuato, Mexico, Juan Manjarrez had no plans for a vocation to the priesthood.

His grandparents in Mexico joked with him while he grew up, telling him he would be a priest. He always replied, "No way."

At 11, he moved with his family to the United States, and in 1996 they all settled in Fort Smith. One of his grandmothers was born in the United States and he had relatives already living here.

In high school at Subiaco Academy, his "no way" became a "maybe."

Juan Manjarrez Click here

"In my last year of high school, I began listening to God calling me. I never really paid attention to it before," he said. "I would encourage others to do as I did — to really try it and go to the seminary to find where God might be calling you."

He became more active at Immaculate Conception Church in Fort Smith when he decided to become an altar server. His mother told everybody about it, he said.

He credits the influence of his family's faith and his church community for where he is today. The support made it possible for him to move forward on the path to priesthood.

"It has been very consoling at times to know that I have people praying for me. I have been very grateful that they've been with me though all these years," he said.

He remembers that Sister Josefina Gutierrez, MSC, took him and his younger brother to visit Subiaco. They applied and were accepted. The first year, they had a partial scholarship and received full scholarships after that.

"To this day, we don't know who the people were behind the scholarships. It would be wonderful to thank them. They did it with great love and I would like them to know how much it helped."

Father Aaron Pirrera, OSB, was headmaster at the time and he nurtured Manjarrez's vocation. As graduation approached in 2003, he asked Manjarrez if he was still considering the priesthood. He said yes.

When he told his mother he wanted to be a priest, she again told everybody.

Father Pirrera explained the process and helped him connect with the diocese. Manjarrez entered the seminary that fall at age 18. He decided to go to the seminary and see if priesthood was what God was calling him to do.

"People were very supportive. My plan was to go for a year and if it was not for me, I would leave. After that first year, it was not enough time. I decided to give it another year," he said.

In his second year he thought about leaving but again decided to give it one more summer. That was the summer he knew for sure he was being called to the priesthood.

He attended the Institute for Priestly Formation at Creighton University in Omaha, Neb.

"It was very helpful. I discovered this was my vocation. Ever since then, it grew and grew. My spiritual life grew. I knew I had to give this another try," he said.

Manjarrez said his doubts were because he personally did want to be a priest, but he wanted to be sure it was what God wanted from him.

"There were times I thought it might not be for me. I wasn't sure whether I was making it up," he said. "I knew that I had to answer why was I doing it. I was honest with myself and my spiritual director throughout my discernment."

Now as he nears his ordination as the first priest in 78 years from his Fort Smith church, he is sure.

"I feel very confident that this is what I want to do and this is my vocation," he said. "I'm very excited, nervous, ready to learn and serve the people."

He will celebrate his first Mass at Immaculate Conception in Fort Smith May 27 before traveling to Mexico to say Mass in his mother and father's hometowns.

"It will be a time of celebration of all the people who have been supportive of me. They have seen me grow and I am honored to share this day of celebration and rejoicing. Mexico is also my home. I have many good memories. I think it is very exciting to show the people there what I have accomplished. To say Mass there will be a neat experience," he said. "I will be going home to Mexico and coming back home to Arkansas."

He said he is grateful to have worked with IC's pastor, Father Greg Luyet, who was stationed as a new priest at Immaculate Conception in 1996 when Manjarrez was an altar server.

"I saw him grow up as a priest and he saw me grow up to become a priest," Manjarrez said. "God has definitely been there through all the people who were around me, encouraging me along the way."

First parish assignment: Associate pastor, St. Vincent de Paul Church in Rogers

Click for the Vocations 2012: Counting the wealth that matters index 

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