Jesse Saucedo

Hometown: Pflugerville, Texas

Role at Ablaze: Bosco Leadership Missionary

Education: University of Dallas, BA in Philosophy and Letters (incomplete), Franciscan University of Steubenville, BA in Theology online (In progress)

Ministry Background: I’ve volunteered with my home parish’s youth ministry since I was a sophomore in high school. I served on both the post-confirmation youth team and the adult volunteer team for both middle school and high school ministries. I’ve served in various capacities around the diocese in youth ministry, including joining the D-crew team for DCYC during my senior year of high school. While in seminary formation, I continued serving in youth ministry as part of my pastoral formation. This included serving as a seminarian for DCYC and other discernment events around the diocese.

Passions and Interests: I love to write poetry and short stories. I like to read for fun and to learn. I especially love to dance, play video games, and exercise. Ultimate Frisbee is my all-time favorite sport, and teaching is a very big passion for me. Seeing what I’m explaining make sense to someone brings me so much joy and excitement. As should be expected, youth ministry is one of my biggest passions. Journeying with the youth of the church and being a source of knowledge, companionship, and encouragement gives me a sense of purpose.

How did you become involved with Ablaze/why are you involved?

I first heard about Ablaze when I withdrew from seminary formation after two years. I was looking for where God was calling me next, and He revealed youth ministry as the next step to me. Coincidentally, as I was discerning that path during daily mass. My former youth minister, the current Vice President of Ablaze, reached out to me via text to let me know he was there if I needed anything. I told him about my desire to get into youth ministry. From there, we had a few meetings to talk about how to get my foot in the door, and he suggested Ablaze as a potential step forward. After taking nearly a year to discern and work, I discerned that Ablaze Ministries is precisely where God was calling me next.

I’m involved with Ablaze because I share the same vision as Ablaze: to Transform the Church through Mission to Youth. I’ve been involved with youth ministry for a long time now. I’ve witnessed friends who’ve fallen away from the faith and left the church. I’ve seen other youth I’ve journeyed with hold on to their faith from middle school through high school. I’ve seen beautiful transformations from people who had major conversions back to the faith. I hope to bring about more of those conversions through working with Ablaze. I wouldn’t be where I am if it weren’t for my experiences in youth ministry. I want to facilitate the same kind of encounters with Christ that I was blessed to receive. I want to give back to the church for what the church gave to me.

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