Father Jorge Ayala

My name is Jorge Luis Ayala Castañeda. I was born on May 19, 1990, in the municipality of Tecpan de Galeana, in the state of Guerrero, Mexico. I am the youngest son of Hugo Ayala—who passed away six years ago—and Narcisa Castañeda; I have one older brother, Hugo Ayala. I grew up in a humble family environment, where I learned fundamental values ​​such as faith, hard work, responsibility, and service to others.

From a young age, I felt a deep desire to dedicate my life to God and to serve the Church. At the age of 19, I entered the Institute of Clerical and Religious Life in the State of Mexico, where I began my process of human, spiritual, academic, and missionary formation. As part of this formation, I was sent as a lay missionary to Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, where I spent a year and a half engaged in evangelistic work. This period strengthened my vocation and allowed me to experience firsthand the richness of faith as it is lived out in other cultures.

Upon concluding this missionary stage, I returned to Mexico to continue my philosophical and theological studies at the seminary. These were years of preparation, discernment, and personal growth—always accompanied by the grace of God and the support of my family, formators, and the communities that contributed to my priestly formation.

On July 2, 2022, I received priestly ordination—an event that profoundly marked my life and confirmed the call the Lord had extended to me since my youth. I spent my first years of ministry at the house of formation, guiding and coordinating the Institute’s lay missionary movement in the State of Mexico, and collaborating in the formation of those preparing to proclaim the Gospel.

Subsequently, I was sent on a mission to Costa Rica, where I served for a year and a half. This experience allowed me to continue growing as a priest and missionary, sharing the faith with diverse communities and enriching my ministry through encounters with a range of human and ecclesial realities.

After this missionary period, I felt a desire to broaden my pastoral experience and requested permission from my superiors to undertake a diocesan pastoral assignment outside of my institute. Thanks to their trust and the Church's accompaniment, I am currently serving in the Diocese of Evansville, where I continue to carry out my priestly ministry—open to God's will and ready to remain for whatever time He ordains.

Throughout my journey, I have come to understand that the priestly vocation is an undeserved gift and a permanent mission of service. My desire is to continue proclaiming the Gospel, accompanying people in their encounter with Christ, and serving the Church with humility, joy, and fidelity wherever God may call me.