Testimony of a former Roman Catholic priest
I was born on September 28, 1911 in San Celoni, Barcelona, Spain, to Roman Catholic parents. My father died young in 1918 from an epidemic of influenza that affected many families in my country. I was only six years old, and my mother had to work hard since then, because we were very poor.
Two years later, an acquaintance got my mother a job as a porter for a convent of Franciscan nuns in Tarazona de Ara-gon, a small town in the province of Zaragoza. The nuns accepted it on the condition that I study to become a priest, because they did not want boys in the lodge of the monastery's porter, unless they were destined to enter the seminary later.
Thus, at the age of eight, I was already predestined for a profession about which I knew practically nothing. The influence of the nuns was so tyrannical that when during my preparation for the seminary I told my mother several times that I felt no call for a life of celibacy, she threatened to send me to the State Orphanage, which I he painted it in the darkest colors.
As a young priest
When I was 10, I entered the seminary in Tarazona to become a priest. Although I didn't learn much until high school, I was able to take all the exams with the highest marks. I felt this as a small compensation for my pride that counterbalanced the attractions of an ordinary profession and the desire to start a family.
I was ordained a priest on June 10, 1934 in Tarazona by Dr. Goma, Archbishop of Toledo, and then served the Church for 15 years, teaching in seminary and in private, as well as performing funerals, baptisms, weddings, and other religious ceremonies.
Suppressed doubts
In September 1948 I was promoted by my bishop to the chair of special dogmatic theology in the diocesan seminary of Tarazon de Aragon. A year later I was also appointed canonical magisterial, meaning official preacher of the cathedral. Until then, I had managed to suppress all the doubts and difficulties I had regarding many of the doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church that are taught to believers and that they are obliged to believe. This had succeeded, among other things, because, like all true Catholics who want to avoid excommunication, I have shown immediate and unconditional submission to the pope.
Then, one day, I came across a Spanish evangelical magazine, named after a Spanish evangelical pastor, Samuel Vila. The author of the article criticized him for making statements about Jesus' brothers in his book The Sources of Christianity . I wrote him a letter in which I described to him in all sincerity my spiritual problems.
A true conversion to God
Pastor Vila answered me with a letter full of understanding and anointing of the Holy Spirit, in which he explained many of the fundamental truths of God's Word. This surprised me a lot, because they contradicted everything I had thought until then. Mr. Vila did not ask me to become a Protestant, but told me very openly that the solution to my spiritual problem was not to move from one religious denomination to another, but to a true conversion to God. This was my first surprise, and it wasn't going to be my last. He added that my salvation depended on my simple reception in faith in Jesus as my personal Savior and (another surprise) on considering the Christian life as a loving spiritual relationship with God. This was completely unusual for me!
I continued my correspondence with him, and he sent me some evangelical literature. I will never forget the impression I got from reading his book The Sources of Christianity . There I found a rational exposition of the solutions I had sought during my personal research into Roman Catholic dogmas. Why hadn't I found these answers myself? Simply because we did not have a thorough knowledge of the Bible and the history that Samuel Vila showed in his letters.
So it happened that I began to study the Bible diligently and accurately and to meditate on what I read, accompanying everything with much prayer, through which I sought the abundant grace of the Holy Spirit to understand the true meaning of the Word, to gather it in memory and heart. , to live it in life and to pass it on to others. In just over a year, I read the entire Bible twice and the New Testament twice. I also studied the best Roman Catholic and Protestant commentaries.
The word of truth
I was soon able to enjoy the fruits of this very pleasant work. My students were often amazed by the varied and appropriate biblical references on which I based my theological explanations. But, above all, I saw for the first time clearly the falsity of many of the doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church that make up the articles of faith.
Although the light had begun to penetrate my soul in January 1961, I was still not saved, although I was convinced of the falsity of Catholicism. At this stage of my conversion I was very encouraged by Samuel Vila's first personal visit to Tarrasa (Barcelona) in May of the same year. The passion and commitment with which he spoke to me and especially with which he prayed to the Lord impressed and moved me deeply.
The power of God's grace
Following Brother Vila's advice, I put God to the test in moments of great difficulty for me to see if he would listen to me, and the results were wonderful. Finally, on October 16, 1961, in the midst of a trial in which trouble surrounded me like the Basan bulls of the psalmist David, I raised my eyes and heart to heaven, and did not rely on my own strength, but on the power of divine grace, which reaps its greatest triumphs over human weakness and helplessness. He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast more and more of my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me ” (2 Corinthians 12: 9)."Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered." Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin ” (Romans 4: 7-8).
Since then I have understood very clearly that I have been born into a new life, giving up my life lived in sin and surrendering unconditionally to Christ, ready to take up His cross and walk faithfully in His footsteps. Since then I pray every day that the Holy Spirit will always keep me awake to listen to His smallest desires and be a tool under His almighty guidance. From October 1961 to June 1962, friends, students, and closest colleagues were able to see the change that had taken place in me.
My sermons had a fire and a force of conviction that they had not had before. My heart was full of enthusiasm, of inner joy, of wonderful happiness, and my greatest pleasure was in prayer and in the continual reading and study of the Bible. I began to read it systematically, and the number of Bibles and New Testaments I gave to my friends on my birthday and holidays was great.
Catholicism: another gospel
After a while I realized that it was impossible for me to remain in the Roman Catholic Church. On June 16, 1962, I wrote to my bishop and the President of the Canonical Council of the Cathedral of Tarazona, to whom I had been associated for 13 years as a preacher, and told them that I was renouncing all distinctions and my position. I told them that left the Roman Catholic Church because I did not want to fall under the curse of Galatians 1: 8-9: "But even if we or an angel from heaven I preach another gospel than what I preach it, be cursed. As I said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
The same day I wrote the resignation letter, I left Spain for England. My friend Mr. Luis de Wirtz welcomed me with open arms to Newhaven.
I would not want to conclude without giving a strong testimony of my conversion to Jesus Christ. I gladly gave up the high position I enjoyed in the Roman Catholic Church and the pleasant lifestyle that accompanied it. Now I follow with confidence the providential guidance of my heavenly Father who will lead me safely to the goal of my salvation. Since I left the Roman Catholic Church, I have understood very clearly that in order to possess everything, it is first necessary to give up everything.
By grace you are saved
I wholeheartedly assure my former fellow priests that I am very happy in the new life I have embraced in Christ and in His gospel; I would like God to show you all the same grace. I will not forget you in my prayers, and I am sure that all who have a sincere heart and seek the truth will also pray for me. Know that salvation is a matter between God and each of you. Belonging to a Church does not save you from pious practices, religious services, rosaries, or messages from Fatima. It is clearly wrong to believe that someone can be saved by keeping the "first Friday" or the "first Sabbath." Only our personal faith in the work of redemption of Jesus Christ can save our souls.“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. God has made Him appear in public as a sacrifice of atonement through faith in His blood, to show His righteousness because of the unpunished forgiveness of past sins, by God's grace ” (Romans 3: 23-25).
This is the teaching of the Bible, as Paul teaches in the Epistle to the Romans. Study the Bible, and it will guide you to the truth. Be careful not to go the wrong way. Meditate on this today. Tomorrow might be too late.
Francisco Lacueva was very active in spreading the gospel; he wrote books, and even at the age of 85 he did not cease to prove the power of God for the salvation of every believer.
(Translator: Olimpiu S. Cosma)
[Source: https://bereanbeacon.org/ro/drumul-meu-spre-damasc/]
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