Bro. Eddy Chincha Makes Perpetual Profession

Bro. Eddy, holding a candle, makes perpetual profession before Fr. Tim Ploch.

Before Fr. Tim Ploch, regional councilor, Bro. Eduardo Chincha made his perpetual profession on Saturday morning, August 19. The rite took place in the chapel of the Marian Shrine at Haverstraw, N.Y.

The profession Mass was concelebrated by 29 Salesian priests. Another 21 Salesians (including yours truly, working camera and notepad), Deacon Ivan Gemio of Port Chester, Bro. Eddy’s parents and other family members, parishioners from Port Chester, some of Bro. Eddy’s former students from New Rochelle, newly commissioned Salesian Lay Missioners, and other friends of Bro. Eddy and the Salesians also attended.

During the Litany of the Saints, Bro. Eddy’s family and the entire congregation pray

for God’s blessings upon him. (Photo: Bro. Travis Gunther)

Bro. Eddy, 28, and his family (parents Alberto and Lucia and brother Richard) were long-time members of Holy Rosary Church in Port Chester. With much encouragement and support from Fr. Ploch when he was Holy Rosary’s pastor and Fr. Rich Alejunas, parochial vicar, Eddy became a candidate at the Salesian house of formation in Orange, N.J., in 2009. He made his novitiate in Port Chester in 2010-2011 under the guidance of Fr. William Keane as master of novices, and made his first profession (of temporary vows) on August 16, 2011.

Salesian religious profession involves not only the vow made to God (to live chastity, poverty, and obedience in accord with the Constitutions) but also a commitment to the Salesian mission and the fraternity of community life.

In his homily, Fr. Ploch stressed that it is Jesus Christ who has called Bro. Eddy, and he cited a question posed by Pope Francis: not “Who am I?” but “For whom am I?” Bro. Eddy, said Fr. Ploch, is answering, “I am for the Lord, because he has called me.”

Furthermore, the homilist said, Bro. Eddy is saying, “I am for my brothers because God has given me brothers to love.” And, “I am for the young because God has chosen me to serve them.”

Fr. Ploch’s homily stressed Christ’s vocational call and the need to remain in union with him.

While every baptized person is meant for the Lord, Fr. Ploch continued, Bro. Eddy is answering Christ’s call in a radical way, offering Christ everything that is inside himself. He will seek to do God’s will and not his own; to offer his body to the Lord without filtering his love for God through another person; to offer God all he has and look for riches in heaven.

Bro. Eddy is confident that Jesus will accompany him, in spite of his weaknesses, as God promised to be with young Jeremiah the prophet, said Fr. Ploch.

Fr. Tim places the Good Shepherd cross over Bro. Eddy’s head—

the sign of his readiness to make himself loved and to shepherd the young.

The preacher then touched on community: each Salesian belongs to his brothers and they belong to him. Together they are a sign to the young of the communion that God intends for the world. Each Salesian is sent to the young and belongs to them, like St. John Bosco.

General Chapter 27 used the image of the vine and the branches to illustrate that the Salesian derives his life and his fruitfulness from Christ, Fr. Ploch reminded Bro. Eddy. He went on to promise him that the Virgin Mary will guide him as she guided Don Bosco.

Finally, Fr. Ploch thanked Lucia and Alberto Chincha for all their contributions to Holy Rosary Church and the example that they gave to young Eddy. He thanked Bro. Eddy for saying “yes” to Christ’s call, and he wished him the Lord’s peace.

All the Salesians present gather around Bro. Eddy and his family. (Bro. Travis Gunther)