A Journey of Faith: Introducing Fr. Santiago Corona-Bernal to Our Parish Community
Dear Parishioners of Immaculate Conception-Our Lady of Guadalupe, Gilman, St. Peter, Piper City, and Immaculate Conception, Roberts. I am Fr. Santiago Corona, your new priest. And I would like to take this opportunity to share with you a little bit of my story.
Growing up as the eleventh child in my family in a small town in Toluca, Mexico, I could not imagine ever coming to understand the words of the prophet Isaiah, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts." After all, my father died in a car accident while returning home from work. I was just a little over two years old when that happened. As a result, I learned very quickly about hard work and responsibility at a young age. Throughout my childhood, I did my chores after school and accompanied my brothers to work on the family farm. This is not to say that I did not experience many happy hours playing with my two youngest siblings, because I definitely did.
My more active participation in the Parish began when I was eight years old. I joined a children/youth group for many years. As an adolescent, the idea of becoming a priest began going through my mind, though not very clearly. Yet, the thoughts of the Lord did indeed become more of a consideration, which prompted me to attend a Vocational retreat named pre-seminary. When the priests spoke about God's call to each person to carry out specific tasks, I listened. When the priests spoke of the service we must give to others, I felt that those words were directed to me. I felt that God was calling me—sharing his thoughts with me—in a very special way.
At that time, though, I was not quite ready for the Lord's ways to be my ways. Even so, I remained in numerous Parish groups where I drew closer to God and people. Between studying, praying, managing the family business, and participating in athletics, I was happily busy.
Fast forward to 1999 when I was introduced to a Missionary/Religious Community and then to 2005 when I started my missionary experience within that religious community. The Lord's thoughts and the Lord's ways were clearly heard and followed as I spent ten years in that missionary community. My tasks were specific and, step by step, I understood that this was the life God wanted for me.
My path to the priesthood has led me to the United States and to serve God's people in the Diocese of Joliet, Illinois. The lessons of sacrifice, hard work, and responsibility that I learned in my childhood helped me to complete my rigorous academic assignments, which resulted in my diaconate ordination and the earning of a Master of Divinity degree in 2018. On May 25th, 2019, I received the holy orders of priesthood.
I hope and pray to serve God and His people well in my diocesan vocation. For the last five years, I have served as a Parochial Vicar, three years in Immaculate Conception Parish in Elmhurst, Illinois, and two years in St. Matthew Parish in Glendale Heights, Illinois. Now, I am looking forward to serving you as your new Pastor. I’ll keep all of you in my daily prayers and I ask you to include me in yours, thus may God allow us to grow more in our faith and love for Him.
May our Loving God bless all of you constantly.
Sincerely,
Fr. Santiago Corona-Bernal
