Deacon Gallegos continued to “do his thing,” but he felt as if something was amiss; he had an emptiness. Luckily, he stayed close to his family, and he began to notice this glaringly obvious happiness and peacefulness in his little brother, Lexiss. At the time, the younger Gallegos was a student at St. Bernard Preparatory School in Cullman. After wondering what could possibly be different between the two, the deacon realized the only distinct difference was that his little brother “had his faith”; whereas, he did not.

Having always been “open and transparent” with each other, Deacon Gallegos approached his little brother, who also was his avowed best friend, with a plea for help. As could be expected, his brother didn’t hesitate. The help included a book, Confessions by St. Augustine, and an address. The address took the deacon to a location less than half a mile from the university’s campus: St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church.

It was roughly midway through the deacon’s sophomore year of college, and the late Father Jim Handerhan was pastor of St. Charles. The priest, a Vietnam War veteran, came to the priesthood later in life after becoming a widower. The priest’s ever-present smile and “down-to-earth” personality prompted the adrift college student to confide in him, and a friendship was born. The priest challenged the young man’s actions, “So do you or do you not love our Lord?” “At the time,” reveals the deacon, “it was earth-shattering, but now as I look back, he was just talking to me, investing in me. He cared.”

He admits to the “healing process” being a gradual one, but in time, the deacon found himself sitting before the Blessed Sacrament in adoration, eventually opening his heart to the Lord, then to priests, then to his family. He started attending Mass regularly and became involved in the university’s Catholic Student Society and other Bible study groups. The shift put him in the midst of a group of people that were “aiming for a very similar objective,” which was to live a good and wholesome life, striving to become holier people. He had found hope, and the deacon’s calling slowly came into focus as he spent more time in prayer and fostered relationships with other priests and religious such as Benedictine Abbot Emeritus Cletus Meagher, Benedictine Father Bede Marcy, Fathers Mark Spruill and Josh Altonji, and Sisters Laura Rose and Deborah Kennedy, R.S.M.

He reveals, though, that while he didn’t realize it at the time, the priesthood was always meant to be his path. “Those things I desired from a young age were coming to life in prayer,” he explains, “and they aligned a great deal with the desires of the priesthood.”

While he attests to the Lord affirming his vocation, he humbly admits the way his vocation unfolded was “actually really relatively simple.” He says he got to the point where he honestly didn’t know how else to say, “I love You, God,” than to say, “Yes,” to giving his life in service to the Church. So, in 2019, he followed his heart and entered the seminary.

Last year, he was ordained to the transitional diaconate, and on May 31 of this year, the deacon will become the newest member of the Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama’s presbyterate.

A foot in both cultures

When he is ordained to the priesthood, Deacon Gallegos will become the first Hispanic priestly vocation originating from within the diocese. However, he sees his ordination as an opportunity, not as a “feather in his cap.” As the son of immigrant parents, the Gallegos family culture permeated every facet of the deacon’s life, yet outside the home, he has been immersed in the melting pot of America. “I want to be a priest who integrates and forms Hispanic people in the American culture,” he explains. Having his foot in both cultures will allow him to be a bridge, helping identify the needs of the Hispanic community.

Looking ahead to the priesthood

Becoming that bridge will be part of his bigger mission to help the faithful reclaim their identities as children of God. Undoubtedly, a priest’s call is a divine one, and to fulfill that call, the deacon looks to Servant of God Father Luigi Giussani and his Communion Liberation Movement. The deacon truly believes calling out to the faithful, showing them the truths of the faith, and building community will enable those longing for the Lord to experience an encounter with the mystery of faith, leading to that mystery becoming a reality.

When a priest lives a life fostering that hope and joy through encounter with Christ, they exemplify a life being lived full of love for the Lord. In doing so, they magnify Him and, in essence, become magnets for others.

For anyone who has met Deacon Gallegos, his magnetism is undeniable, and in a society paralyzed spiritually, his priesthood will be a much-needed jolt. With so much being “thrown” at people, says the deacon, “It’s like going to a coffee shop and seeing this huge menu. You don’t know what to choose, so you grab a black coffee and creamer and call it a day.”

Back in his youth, the deacon grabbed quite a few of those “black coffees with creamer,” until one priest took the time to share his relationship with the Lord. As the deacon prepares to be ordained a priest, he prays daily for hope and joy, strengthening him to pay it forward investing in Christ’s people because, as he says, “They deserve it!”

Ordination to the priesthood

Deacon Max Gallegos will be ordained to the Sacred Order of Presbyters by Bishop Raica at 11 a.m. at the Cathedral of St. Paul in Birmingham, becoming the newest priest of the diocese. All are welcome to attend the Mass. The cathedral is located at 2120 3rd Avenue, North. For more information, please e-mail vocations@bhmdiocese.org.