I studied architecture and specialized in NGOs. And now I'm doing a Master's in Urban Economics, which focuses on the problems of the city. I work on the urbanization of Villa 31. From there, from my professional vocation as an architect, I was able to combine all this knowledge to provide a decent roof over the heads of those families. And now, I'm working on maintaining these homes, until the neighbors can form a consortium and it can become a building that belongs to the city. I love it, despite how social it can be: whether public in Villa 31 or private, where we are; at the Cruz del Sur School, just a few blocks from Villa 21-24.
This school was founded 15 years ago, it's a social integration project with the Barracas neighborhood and I joined an NGO and now I'm the director of the Capital Federal headquarters. We come, more or less once a month, with 100 university students, to collaborate on the tasks of building the school. We were here, cutting down trees, chipping walls. Painting this whole yard, all the walls, the classrooms here as well, repairing humidity damage and painting them. The dining room is over there. We were painting the whole dining room and demolishing walls, for what will be future classrooms. Over there is the chapel, we were painting the chapel, assembling furniture for the classrooms, to store the kids' books.
Well, I was a numerary of Opus Dei from 2003 to 2011. That’s when I met the Work, I got to know the activities and I met people who were moving this school forward, in its early days. And naturally, it led me to ask what God wanted from me and I knew it was a process of discernment, so I took the plunge. There are a lot of learnings, both human and in my relationship with God, which, for me, is super transcendent. The Work tells you that a relationship with Jesus is a relationship with a person. So, to relate to any person, you have to see them, you have to talk to them, and in a house of the Work, you have the grace of having Jesus himself in a chapel. So you see him very frequently.
Chatting with the person I was talking to then, I saw some difficulties for me or things that didn’t make sense, and I said, “Well, I believe I have a vocation, so I’m going to move forward.” And that person said, “Okay, but consider whether you have a vocation during the period of discernment,” and that helped me to deepen and pray about these things. I spent a year thinking about it, and, well, in the end, it seemed to me that God wasn’t calling me in that direction, so I left. It was very easy, very simple.
I am who I am today because of the whole journey I’ve been on. So I wouldn’t change anything about my path.
I’ve always thought of the discernment process as a courtship and, in that sense, I knew that courtships may lead to marriage... or not. I remember a conversation with a brother, who told me: “Don’t forget that, in your conscience, it’s you and God.” I believe that, in that intimate space, I always had freedom, and I was like the captain of my life. So, others can always give their opinion, but in the important decisions, it was me and God.
I have had the grace of making retreats since 2003, when I started being part of the Work, and there hasn’t been a year I haven’t made a retreat with the Work and I find them very valuable and they help me a lot, and I always see a priest from the Work, who contributes a lot to my spiritual life, and I have friends who also are or were part of the Work, and I see them at barbecues, playing football, or whatever.
When I left, I remember I spoke with the vicar at that time and I told him two things that I thought could be improved, one was that, sometimes, some people might see some aspects of the Work as a bit formalistic, and that it’s always good to deepen and go to the essence, which is the Christian message. And that, perhaps, there are some quotes from St. Josemaría that should be understood in their context, and that maybe they are not for every moment in one’s life, right?
I like to think that the message is universal and current. Universal to anywhere in the world and in any stratum of society. And current, I saw that a lot in my study and work years, so it became a lot for my day-to-day. Like when, with a co-worker, I struggle with the relationship, or when I don’t know how to do something and want to quit everything.
I have no regrets about my years as a numerary. I believe strongly in Providence and also that each step one takes in life leads to another, and to becoming who we are today. And I don’t regret being who I am today, and I am who I am today because of the whole journey I’ve been on. So I wouldn’t change anything about my path.
And now, I’m dating Ine, we’ve been together for almost three years, and next May we’re getting married. And, well, deepening our vocation in the family. I believe that I'm a person who pursues their dreams, and among those dreams is my professional development and my family project. Helping people draw closer to God, being a true friend to my friends, being very family-oriented, and I believe that all of those things are part of my daily life.