One of life's greatest, and most challenging, opportunities is to dedicate one's life to the service and lifting up of others -- something Father Jesse Perez has done for the better half of a century.
Alongside more than 300 St. Michael's Catholic Church congregation members and extended family, Perez celebrated the 50th anniversary of his ordination as a Catholic servant June 22 and looks forward to continuing his ministry.
"This is my home dioceses. I've spent most of my life living somewhere along the Arkansas River," he said fondly.
Perez grew up in Salida with his large family, including 17 first cousins alone, and, from an early age, identified the importance that faith would play in his future. Despite much of the service being communicated in Latin, Perez found joy and wonder in the mystery and awe of a relationship with his God.
"I thought about becoming a priest when I was four," he said. "But I was truly called to the vocation during my junior year of high school."
His humble and caring character began early in the instruction her garnered from his father, who worked as a coal miner and studied to be a mechanical engineer, and his mother, a woman with a proverbial heart of gold.
He attended the St. Joseph Catholic School in Salida before attending and graduating from Salida High School in 1966. Life was wonderfully busy as Perez grew up as a "hyperactive kid," and played several sports, participating in Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and 4-H. His greatest childhood memories, however, revolved around his massive and loving family.
"I think we were at my grandmother's house every single day," he said with a smile. "My grandfather built their house back in 1921 -- it was an adobe house. We had a wonderful family life."
Immediately after graduating high school, he entered a Catholic Seminary in Denver. More than a year later, Perez moved to attend Regis University, where he studied no small-stakes topics such as psychology, philosophy, sociology, education, and foreign languages. He obtained his bachelor's of arts in 1970 but was far from done. A longtime lover of education, he continued his studies at a new school in southern Indiana. His chosen discipline?
Theology.
"I felt the importance of the necessity and the affinity for the priesthood," he said.
He was ordained a deacon of the Catholic church in 1974 in his childhood home church of Salida -- an event that marked the rest of his life.
His ordination didn't mark the end of his educational career, however. Though he already held a Master of Divinity Degree in Theology, he went on to attend Notre Dame College in Ohio and also obtained a Master of Theology, Sacrmentaology and Liturgy in 1978.
Although he had been working as a priest in the church throughout his upper educational years, the time came for him to leap into ministering to his congregations -- something he fell in love with.
"I haven't been able to count the number of parishes I've served in [in southern Colorado]...The people have been wonderful, and the purpose, and the ministry, are very important. It's been a privilege and a blessing -- the grace of God works in astounding ways," he said. "It's just overwhelming to be an instrument of those things."
For more than five decades, Perez has served from Montrose to Pueblo and has touched countless lives over his vast ministry. However, pastoral ministry was just one aspect of his busy work.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, he served as the Vice President of the Southwest Liturgical Commission (where he served as the co-chair of the first Liturgical Conference), President of the Clergy Conference, on the executive board of the National Federation of Priests' Councils, and much more. Simultaneously, he served as a priest in a variety of parishes.
"[As a priest] you help people discover the spiritual foundation of their lives, the purpose of their being, you help to introduce them to God," he said. "We are created to do awesome things, things that shape the cosmos."
Cañon City called to him after spending six years in Leadville and, in 2015, Perez accepted a position at St. Michael's Catholic Church.
"It's just been an awesome parish and an awesome experience," he said of his ministry. "I think we have done an amazing amount of spiritual growth and formation."
During the past nine years, Perez has fostered the growth of 34 ministerial groups and is proud to be considered a top parish in developing disciples of Christ.
But he's well aware that he couldn't do it alone.
Supported by his staff, consisting of Richard Madison, Mike and Stephanie Nolan, Manny Sosa, Bill Rutherford, and Emily Glasser, Perez continues to search for ways to reach new congregation members and solidify the love and beliefs of existing members.
He's led countless pilgrimages to Rome and the Holy Land over the past five decades and, though he doubts his last trip is behind him, is also content to minister to his beloved flock in Cañon City.
The love he has for his congregation is not one-sided as the church came together to throw a splendid shindig to celebrate Perez's 50th anniversary of being ordained into the clergy of the Catholic faith.
On June 22-23, more than 300 people converged to celebrate Perez's long tenure as a man of deep faith. In addition to a special performance by the church's choir, there were also a variety of special guests who traveled from across the country to attend the festivities.
Also, holding true to his heritage, Perez enjoyed a festive Fiesta celebration -- complete with a Mariachi band, pinatas, and Latin American eats -- alongside 300 of his greatest friends.
"I didn't think I'd be able to dance but I did," he said with a wide smile. "I got to the point where I could barely stand up but I really enjoyed it."
Although he adored the celebration, the gratitude he feels from his congregation every day was cause enough to continue his good work.
"It means the world [to celebrate with them]. It was awesome. It bowled me over and it was a tremendous amount of support," he said. "It was just love -- all this love and appreciation and gratitude."
He may not have any plans to lead an upcoming pilgrimage to Rome anytime soon, but that doesn't mean he plans to slow down. Whether it be ministering to his church family, growing a collection of eclectic hot-house orchids, going on photography adventures, or playing the guitar, you can bet Perez will stay immensely busy.
And, at the heart of that busy-ness, will be the perpetual desire to lift others to the rim of heaven.
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