He is: Father Nestor Saenz, pastor since 2005 of Our Lady of Fatima Parish on the South Side of Chicago. Growing up: He grew up in Lima, capital of Peru, whose coast overlooks the Pacific. “Our family lived 10 minutes from the ocean, where it’s 75 degrees in summer and 65 degrees in winter. I have three sisters and five brothers. Dad was a factory mechanic. Mom worked in the home. It was difficult for my parents to pay tuition, but they sent all of us to Catholic school.” The call: “At 16 I had the desire to go to the Salesian seminary. My father’s example influenced my vocation. Mother was religious too. When dad was a child his godmother told him about the faith, sacraments, and going to daily Mass. After my years at St. John Bosco Seminary in Lima, I was ordained in 1990 and ministered with the community for 25 years. The Salesian charism is to be teachers. I realized the last two years, my vocation was parish work, and became a diocesan priest in Peru.” Chicago: “I came to Chicago on vacation in 1997, and met a Spanish-speaking Redemptorist, Father Joseph Morin, at St. Alphonsus Church on the North Side. He said there was a need for Spanish-speaking priests and offered me a chance to work in his parish. I went home and asked permission from my bishop. He sent a letter to the archdiocese saying I could work here one year. After a year, Bishop Conway encouraged me to stay another three. After that, Bishop Gustavo helped me start the incardination process. It took eight years.” A missionary: “This is a ‘missionary life.’ It’s lonely being far from family, yet it’s my vocation. Language is the major difficulty — I came here at age 43. I’m very happy to serve in the Archdiocese of Chicago. “The United States is a country that offers liberty to everyone. I appreciate its history and heroes, and that we accept every religion, nationality and race.” Parish life: “Mass is the high point of the day, along with my prayers and liturgy of the hours. I’m up by six and Mass is at 8 o’- clock. Prayer helped a lot in restoring our historic church. We, as priests, don’t have special training to deal with contractors and others, but our architect is Christ. We repaired the church completely two years ago, bringing it back to its original beauty. Parishioners helped tremendously in many ways. Our Anglo parishioners have been especially happy. “Not long ago I was able to bring some religious sisters from Central America to minister here. They work with our whole community. Everyone loves them.” St. Anne shrine: The parish church, once called “St. Joseph and St. Anne” maintains the St. Anne shrine, where a novena is held in July. “I have a big devotion to St. Anne and try to increase devotion among our Hispanic community. It’s getting there. We say Our Lady of Guadalupe is the mother of everyone but St. Anne is our grandmother!” Favorites: “My favorite saint has always been St. Teresa of Avila. She’s a strong woman in her faith; not afraid of anyone. And Psalm 23: ‘The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.’”