Laboure Society
“I will continue to offer a listening ear and a heart of love to those who believe that all is lost.”
Meet the rest of my class
My name is Brother Alonso Salas. I am called to dedicate myself to prayer, study, community and preaching as a brother with the Dominican Friars of the Province of Saint Martin de Porres. This is my story.
In my early years, our family lived in a rough neighborhood called Hell’s Half Acre in Fort Worth, Texas. Here, God and His morals were largely ignored. Though I was baptized as a child due to my family’s Mexican heritage, our family did not practice the Faith. In an effort to keep away from trouble, I escaped into reading and writing. Silence and solitude became my respite.
Middle and high school were tough and it was difficult to believe in a loving God in such surroundings. College, too, was a lonely time. Throughout these years, I largely withdrew into apathy and spiritual darkness. A few teachers and a high school police officer saw the potential in me and helped me to see that I was loved and that there was a better way to live. They had a huge impact on me and opened the door to hope. One day, a friend invited me to a Protestant tent revival. I attended but left unimpressed. That night, though, I had a revelatory dream and when I awoke, I knew without a doubt that God exists.
Spurred on by this inner revelation, I spent the next year diving into theology, philosophy and Church history. I was compelled with seeking the truth about love: Where does it exist? Who in history has shown the greatest love? I attended the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) and received the Eucharist for the first time in 2019. I realized that Jesus Christ is He who has loved best. Upon receiving Jesus in the Eucharist, I stopped feeling hollow. A seed was planted.
The following year, I completed the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola and explored a few different religious communities. I met some religious lay brothers whose humility left a great impression on me. In time, I discerned God calling me to the life of a religious brother within a community that offers a mix of both contemplative prayer and active ministry. After repeated visits with the Dominicans, I made the easiest decision of my life in 2021: to join the Dominican Novitiate.
The Dominican pillars of service are study, ministry, community, and prayer. What speaks strongest to my heart is the order’s dedication to discerning and spreading the Truth.
As I’ve ministered to the poor, youth, patients in cancer hospitals and prison inmates on death row, God’s unfolding plan has been revealed and allowed that seed planted in me to bloom into a garden. Through God’s grace, my childhood and teen experiences surrounded by brokenness have enabled me to empathize and connect with the most marginalized and struggling in society. I understand firsthand that just hearing about Jesus is not enough – to truly share the Word made Flesh with others, we must instead witness to Christ by imitating His own sacrificial love.
As I prepare to dedicate the rest of my life as a Dominican Friar through Solemn Vows in a few years, I will continue to offer a listening ear and a heart of love to those who believe that all is lost. My call is to show love to all, including those imprisoned physically, mentally and emotionally – to inspire my community back home to believe that it is possible to work miracles in places like Mexico, Hell’s Half Acre, and all across America.
Please pray for me and for my fellow Labouré classmates on our vocation journeys. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have at: br.alonsosalas@rescuevocations.org
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