It finally happened Dec. 7 at Gesu Church in downtown Miami, which has been staffed by Jesuits since its foundation more than 100 years ago.

�I am very happy and grateful to the Lord for this day,� said Father Travieso after his ordination. �This day has been 11 years in the making. All I can say is that I�m happy and grateful to my family for their support.�

A Miami native, Father Travieso attended MAST Academy and Harvard University before entering the Society of Jesus in 2002. He did his novitiate in the Dominican Republic, received a master's degree at the New School for Social Research in New York City, completed theological studies in Brazil and has worked with Haitians for several years.

�I was an altar server when I was younger at my parish, Good Shepherd in Miami, and was inspired by the priests that I was surrounded by,� said Father Travieso. �A lot of those priests, especially then pastor Father Michael Greer and (Jesuit) Father Florentino Azcoitia. And then later in life when I was in college I got to know the Jesuits better and began my discernment process.� 

�I am so happy and proud of my son,� said Raimundo Travieso. �I have always told my son that God will choose your path and that when the time was right you would know if he was calling you to the priesthood. His entire life has led him to this moment.�

During the Mass, Father Travieso made a promise of obedience to the archbishop. That promise was in addition to the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience that he made when he became a Jesuit. Archbishop Thomas Wenski was the main celebrant and homilist at the Mass.

In his homily, the archbishop expounded on the role of a priest: �A priest is to �cure the sick�; that is, to attend to the ill and the injured, healing their isolation with a visit and bringing courage to those who are weak; a priest is to raise the dead, that is, to restore hope to those deadened by discouragement and defeat; a priest is to cleanse lepers, that is to befriend the outsider, to extend the hand of friendship to the marginalized and rejected; a priest is to drive out demons, by helping people deal with the various addictions that affect them and by not failing to address any personal demons that may threaten the integrity of his commitment.� 

The Society of Jesus is both a missionary and a teaching order of the Roman Catholic Church. It was founded by Pope Paul III at the request of St. Ignatius of Loyola in 1540. The motto of the Society is "Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam" � for the greater glory of God. Since very early in their history, the Jesuits have dedicated themselves to spreading the Gospel in mission lands and to the apostolate of education. 

�We are elated that he is now a priest and will serve the people of God,� said Jesuit Father Pedro Suarez, president of Belen Jesuit Preparatory School in Miami. �I remember my ordination 41 years ago in this same church and it brings back so many memories to witness this ordination. It is a real delight to be here for the ordination of a fellow Jesuit.� 

In addition to English, Spanish and Portuguese, Father Travieso also speaks Creole fluently. In fact, he celebrated his first Mass as a priest in Creole at Notre Dame d'Haiti Mission Dec. 8, followed by a second Mass in Spanish at Good Shepherd. On Dec. 9, Father Travieso celebrated his first Mass in English with the school community at Belen Jesuit, marking the feast of the Immaculate Conception. 

Father Travieso will continue his priestly ministry in Dajab�n, Dominican Republic, which is located on the border with Haiti. 

�I hope everyone gets a chance to discover what their vocation in life is because that means that they will be happy. The priesthood may not always be easy but it is joyful and great,� said Father Travieso. �My advice to anyone considering the priesthood is to not be afraid to look into it because it can really be beautiful.�