Surrounded by fellow community members and family, Br. Alexander Espinosa, SA, made his final profession of vows to the Society of the Atonement on December 12. The profession ceremony and Mass were celebrated in Lima, Peru.
“I now feel ready to give everything for my community,” Br. Alexander said. “I trust in God that, with the help of your prayers, this may be possible.”
Br. Alexander was born in 1987 in Camagüey, Cuba, into a Catholic family. He grew up attending the Church of Our Lady of Charity, where he first discerned a call to religious life at a young age. While ministering as an altar server, he shared this growing sense of vocation with Archbishop Adolfo Rodriguez Herrera – now recognized as a Servant of God –expressing his desire to dedicate his life to the Lord.
At age 18, Br. Alexander entered a diocesan seminary, after having volunteered and worked with the Cuban Red Cross since the age of 16. But then, at the age of 24, he fled Cuba for Peru, and through further discernment came to believe that God was calling him to a communal religious life. He joined the Society of the Atonement as a novice in 2019 and entered the Friars’ novitiate in Lima.
“I believe that Jesus sent His Apostles to remain faithful in supporting one another,” Br. Alexander shared through his vocation story. “Community life is like another big family – an adventure lived alongside brothers and sisters who accompany you all your life.”
Reflecting on his vocation, he added, “I want to be able to grow spiritually. I want my heart for Christ to burn so much that I am able to make Him known to everyone I meet on my way, everyone who is able to evangelize with my example, more than with my words. I love the Eucharist and I like to live it.”
During the ceremony, Br. Yasser Zamora, SA, also renewed his vows. Earlier this year, Br. Alexander and Brother Yasser participated in a conference for religious youth in Peru.
Together, they visited the sick, ministered the Eucharist and gave blessings, and shared a meal with members of the local community who are living in extreme poverty. They also led catechism sessions for children, nurturing faith and hope amid challenging circumstances.
Please join us in praying for all of our Friars, both fully professed and in formation. May God’s light and guidance continue to accompany them on their journey.