“For the Lord, age is no barrier,” declared Father Juan Daza Jara, reflecting on his priestly ordination at 64 after four decades as a coadjutor brother in the Little Work of Divine Providence. His journey is a testament to a lifelong “yes” that deepened through service.

Born in Laja, a rural Chilean town near Los Ángeles, Daza credits his grandmother Trinidad for instilling in him a simple, trusting faith. He also holds deep gratitude for Father Félix Eicher, the Belgian parish priest who guided his early vocational discernment and introduced him to the example of St. Luigi Orione. Inspired to serve the neediest directly, Daza entered the novitiate in Argentina in 1985. Today, he directs a “Cottolengo” home caring for 107 elderly residents.

A New Calling Emerges

As a coadjutor brother, Daza lived vows of poverty, obedience, chastity, and fidelity to the pope. “I have always felt very content and very happy,” he said of his religious consecration. Yet, a persistent call began to surface. For years, colleagues and priests urged him: “The congregation needs priests; you’ve got to become a priest.”

Initially resistant, Daza eventually embraced the inner stirring. “Perhaps this had been within me all along,” he mused. After extensive prayer and counsel, and following seven years as a permanent deacon, he sought a “more serious response” to God regarding the priesthood. He formally presented his desire to his superiors.

Understanding God’s Will

The process moved swiftly. After consultations with his bishop, Juan Daza Jara was ordained a priest on March 21 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Los Ángeles. His mother, María Jara, brothers from across Chile, and a novitiate classmate from Argentina witnessed the ceremony.

“One must understand it as the will of God,” Daza reflected. While always fulfilled as a brother, he now embraces a “greater responsibility.” Recalling his ordination, he described it as “a great mystery” filled with powerful, conflicting emotions and immense joy, especially feeling the support of his religious community.

A Greater Commitment to the People

Daza remains deeply involved in the congregation’s works—the elderly home, ministry to young offenders, and a supporting farm. To these, he now adds pastoral care. He believes today’s world demands “a greater commitment to the people. People need to be heard; they need someone to dedicate time to them.”

Jokingly calling himself “a bit hyperactive,” he sees this as a new exercise. “I am content and happy; the fact that people feel heard, loved, and respected, that’s already a big step,” he emphasized.

Be Courageous and Let Others Help You

Addressing the young, Father Daza encourages courage in responding to God’s call. He recalls his ordination motto: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” “If you give yourselves over to him, you will lack nothing in your life,” he assures.

His advice to those discerning priesthood: “Pray often, allow yourself to be helped a great deal, be open with the people the Lord puts on your path… Don’t be afraid; take the step, and the Lord will help you afterwards.”

Reflecting on his 40-year journey, he states with peace: “I have never once felt any doubt about my vocation… I have always felt secure, supported, and so loved by everyone.”

“For the Lord, age is of no consequence,” Father Juan Daza Jara concludes. “What matters is simply having the desire to help.”