A New Face at Holy Cross

Anyone LiveStreaming Mass last weekend would have met someone new to Holy Cross. Fr. Jhonnatan Carmona joined us this week and will be around for awhile, hopefully long enough for us to meet him in person. In the meantime, we're reaching out to give him a warm and supportive Holy Cross welcome!

Fr. Jhonnatan was born in Cali, Colombia where his parents and older brother still live. He attended college and seminary there before moving to the U.S. in 2009 to study English at the University of Idaho where his uncle, also a priest, and his sister live. He received a Master's Degree in Divinity at Mt. Angel, Oregon. It was there, at a Day of Recollection in 2013, he met Bishop Richard Garcia. Deeply touched by Bishop Rich's testimony about his father and relating to the warmth and gentle spirit of our late Bishop, Jhonnatan accepted his invitation to come to the Diocese of Monterey. He was ordained on May 23, 2015 at Madonna Del Sasso in Salinas, his first assignment.

At the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe

in Mexico City.

From there he went to Carmel Mission, then St. Patrick's in Watsonville before arriving in Santa Cruz. But he is no stranger to our beach community, declaring it one of his favorite cities in the whole state. "To see the pine trees on one side and the ocean on the other....the beauty you see here!" After his Ordination he and his family, like many visitors to California, went to the Boardwalk.

He has spent his time sheltering by going for walks to the beach and helping out with deliveries at the Food Pantry. He has presided and preached at daily Mass with Fr. Martin concelebrating. Yesterday he was on his own.

(Remember that daily Masses are Live Streamed - with later viewing if desired on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj5nDS0mqXxPhDcLJKZweMQ/featured - and on the Holy Cross Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/HolyCrossSantaCruz/ )

Fr. Jhonnatan's hobbies include traveling, cooking, hiking, road biking, and contemplating the sunset. If you happen to see him doing any of the last three on this list, be sure to say, "Hello," keeping a safe distance, of course. Welcome, Fr. Jhonnatan! We're happy you're here.

Biking in one of his favorite towns and a painting of this town by his sister. ¡Muy hermosa!