Fr Sacha Bermudez-Goldman SJ says that he had first heard of the Jesuits—mainly in derisive terms (anarchists, communists, undemocratic!)—in his country of birth, Nicaragua. He remembers thinking 'who would want to join a group of men like that?!'
Years later, Sacha met and was impressed by Jesuit scholastics who were young men struggling—with their jobs, the culture, relationships—and yet they embraced their struggles and trusted in God’s providence and love. It was then that he thought, ‘What witnesses! Who wouldn’t want to join a group of men like that?!’
Sacha joined the Society of Jesus in February 1999. This was after he completed his undergraduate and masters degrees in Engineering at the University of Texas in Austin. He worked for four years as an engineer, lived in France for a year to learn French, and then found himself doing missionary work all over the world. He joined an American missionary society as a lay missionary teacher for seven years in Tanzania (East Africa), Costa Rica and Cambodia, where he met a Jesuit in 1996.
‘The Jesuits I met there were, simply put, extraordinary men—filled with a great love for God and a great desire to live out their faith in a practical and active way’, Sacha says.
‘Being part of the Jesuits is the greatest peace and joy I have experienced. I have always wanted to live my life in a way that I could share the experience of the love of God in my life.’
Asked what being ordained means for him, he first pauses then smiles.
‘It’s interesting. People say “finally, you’re coming to the end.” And I always say “look, to be honest, it’s not the end of anything". In a way, okay, it’s the end of formal formation and studies but I will study again—I know I will! I love doing it. So it’s not even the end of my studies. For me, priesthood has never been an end-all. I joined the Jesuits to be a Jesuit. I’m really excited about being a priest. People have been wonderful and supportive.’
Prior to his ordination, Sacha has been going around schools and gives talks about vocations. He is best remembered by St Aloysius’ students and staff as ‘the Jesuit who stood on his head at an assembly.’ This was three years ago.
‘I wanted to show them that Jesuits are just regular blokes…normal people with a special call. Not a better call but a special call!’
In response to this call, Sacha became part of a group who attended MAGiS05, the Ignatian program for World Youth Day in Cologne. He has just been assigned to work with the MAGiS organising team, which he is really excited about.
‘I will be very involved in this great Ignatian program! I’m praying for the people who are working so hard to organise an unforgettable experience for so many young people from all over the world, that they might be guided in all their efforts and keep in mind what this is all about—God’s greater glory.
‘I’m also praying for these young people from Australia and all those who will come to Australia, that when they arrive, their hearts may be open to an encounter with God in all they will live here.’
Sacha was ordained to the priesthood on 30 June, at Immaculate Conception Church in the Melbourne suburb of Hawthorn.
The ordination mass was a joyful event, with the late arrival of Sacha’s brothers—whose plane touched down from overseas less than an hour before the event—adding to the happiness.
In his homily, Bishop Greg O’Kelly paid tribute to Sacha’s ability to find meaning and joy in life.
‘You seem irredeemably able to note the positive in all things. I suspect that were you to have been on the Titanic that night, Sacha, you would have said something like, “what a lovely iceberg!”’.
At this ordination, Bishop O’Kelly told Sacha, the Spirit would be given to him, and the Spirit would shape what he did as a priest.
‘You are to be ordained, Sacha, to preach the Word to those who are at the margins, or who are powerless, or whose values have been undermined by contemporary culture, or whose needs are greater than they can bear’, he said.
Now he has been ordained, Sacha says he is looking forward to being of service to others even more, and he has even begun attuning his ears to being called ‘Fr Sacha,’ though he admits this will take a while.
‘I realise what a gift it is, to be ordained, to be given such a responsibility. I have been praying for the grace to be a good priest.’