Issued by the Catholic Center for Studies and Media - Jordan. Editor-in-chief Fr. Rif'at Bader - موقع أبونا abouna.org

Published on Wednesday, 27 July 2022

The family... altogether

By Fr. Dr. Rif'at Bader :

American Mr. Rogelio Vázquez and his wife Cynthia Castillo from San Francisco, USA, named their eldest son" Jordan". They also have a daughter named "Sophia Raquel" and a young son named "Isaac Mathias whom they decided to baptize in the waters of the Jordan River, namely the Baptism Site located on the eastern side for the river.

 

They contacted the secretary of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Tla' al-Ali, Sahar Massis, and a date was set for Monday, July 25, at 9:30 am. I went on time. The family's adventure began as they were visiting Lake Tiberias. The father rented a tourist car without knowing that he had to cross the two bridges.

 

So I had to wait for him for a long time,  as I was accompanied by the two godparents and some friends who happened to be there and wished to participate in the Baptism Sacrament. I told Brother Abu Jordan, "you can stay there, and we'll tell one of the priests "whom we trust", to baptize your son there. But he insisted on coming to Jordan. A few hours passed, and with the good offices of the security authorities on the Jordanian side, he arrived at the Baptism Site on the eastern side of the Jordan River at 12:00 noon at a time when he said that 'these were the most impressive moments in his life."

 

Acolyte Freij Hreimat and Mrs. Rola Awad, who had arrived from New Zealand, were chosen as the two godparents. The child was given the name "John the Baptist" to be his patron all his life.

 

The taxi driver waited until the conclusion of the Baptism Sacrament to take the family back to the bridge so that they would return to take the car they had parked on the other side of the bridge. At night, they sent me messages expressing their great joy for this distinguished event that took place in their lives. Though it was a very hard and hot day, but it is one of the days that the family will not forget due to its spiritual riches, during which they fulfilled a very dear wish in their hearts.