It is a Catholic project that begins with a 33 day preparation for consecration to Jesus Christ. During this time, one reads and meditates over the four Gospels; prays a daily rosary; observes Wednesday as a day of fast; and participates in five virtual formation sessions. At the end of this preparation, one participates in a Holy Mass of consecration. It is then that the participants will receive a Certificate of Consecration and will be able to say, “I am the 73rd”; beginning a new stage; a new life! A life sustained daily through the habitual experience of prayer, frequent participation in the sacraments and continual recourse to Sacred Scripture; lived in the womb of the Catholic Church, confident in the aid of Our Lady of Guadalupe and expressed through works of mercy. At this time, “I am the 73rd” will offer resources for faith formation and will arouse the giving of testimony to Jesus Christ in the society. That is where every 73 disciples will truly become, “the salt of the earth and the light of the world” (Mt 5:13-16).

In the Gospel of Luke we find the passage in which our Lord Jesus Christ sends out 72 disciples to go, “ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit” (Lk 10:1). The name of “I am the 73rd” makes reference to this Gospel passage, signifying the need of being the 73 disciple to continue the evangelical mission that Jesus entrusted to the Church.

Where there is a 73rd disciple:

• -There is a ray of hope for others.
• -There is joy in the proclamation of being a Christian.
• -There is a radiation that attracts others to follow Christ.
• -There is strength from the Holy Spirit to be a missionary Church, in action and mercy.
• -There is the conviction to walk together in a synodal spirit
• -There is the desire to live and transmit that which is true, beautiful, and good.
• -There is clarity on what is most essential: Transmitting the experience of Jesus, who is authentic, alive, and resurrected.
• -There is an opportunity for the church to recover its credibility, through testimony.
• -There is docility to the call to sanctity, infused by the Holy Spirit.
• -There is the decision to be formed in the faith.

A disciple 73 transmits the Person of Jesus Christ. It focuses on the vitality of experience, not simply on some phrase memorized from Theology class. It focuses on the experience of Jesus Christ who walks among us through the existential peripheries of life, not a product that is sold in a distribution center with access through VIP membership or during limited hours.

We frequently come across consecrations to Our Blessed Mother, Saint Michael the Archangel, Our Father St. Joseph; as well as many other saints of God. These are all very valuable as they have as a basis the baptismal consecration through which we receive supernatural faith, which is eminently Christ-centered. By consecrating yourself through the project “I am the 73rd” you do not substitute, nor improve the total, absolute, and definite consecration received through the sacrament of baptism, rather you express it, making it present (conscious) and enlivened by apostolic action.

No. The consecration to Jesus Christ “I am the 73rd” is not an act of devotion that responds to a particular preference or desire, however legitimate that may be, but rather it is a way of living the Christian life. By virtue of being a project based on the Word of God; specifically in the holy Gospels, it is the fundamental basis for any charism or spirituality. Hence, “I am the 73rd” does not quarrel, nor does it oppose the multiple initiatives that the Holy Spirit has raised and raises in the church.

The 33 days of the journey towards consecration to Jesus Christ, according to the “I am the 73rd” project, symbolize the 33 years of the life of our Lord Jesus Christ; from his Incarnation in the virginal womb of the Most Holy Mary, to his glorious Ascension to heaven.

• – It implies getting to know our Lord through reading and meditating on the four Gospels which are prescribed throughout the 33-day program.
• – It implies forming a relationship with Him, daily, in prayer, particularly in the consideration of the mysteries of the holy rosary.
• – It implies voluntary renouncement and discipline, particularly in fasting on Wednesdays.
• – It implies a sacramental life, particularly that of Confession and the Holy Eucharist.
• – It implies participation in five training sessions that occur through a virtual platform.

Training sessions are virtual and take place once a week. There are five in total, with the following themes: Encounter, Conversion, Discipleship, Communion and Mission.

The first two sessions last two hours; and the rest are an hour and a half.

Participating in the consecration to Jesus Christ according to the “I am the 73rd” project entails attending the five training sessions. However, there is the possibility of completing one of these sessions through a YouTube link that the moderator can send, in case that the absence is justified.

• – Fasting may look differently for each person, according to their age and health condition.
• – Everyone must decide the form and extent of their fast, moved -always and only- by love of God; otherwise, it would be a simple diet, or physical therapy.
• – Fasting should be done as a form of penance. Therefore, it is necessary that, confessing our faults, we do penance as a free act that prioritizes spiritual well-being over physical well-being. It is clear that no fast makes us deserve God’s forgiveness; which is freely given. Instead our penance consists of a sense of repentance and human effort to discipline our body and order it for the good.
• – The main fruit of fasting is conversion. Let us not lose sight of this end; to avoid staying stagnant.
• – On the horizon of all fasting, charity must be present towards those most in need. What we abstain from is not to be stored, but to be shared with others.
• – For people accustomed to fasting, it is possible to abstain the whole day; starting from the night before.
• – For people not used to this practice, it is possible to do it half a day; starting from the night before.
• – Always take care of hydration by consuming the necessary amount of water; adding to it, if needed, some portion(s) of wheat bread.

– On the 33rd day, a holy Mass will be celebrated in which the participants of “I am the 73rd” will pronounce their total, definitive and irrevocable adherence to Jesus Christ.

– Those who cannot attend this holy Mass in person, will be able to join by streaming it. If the person is able to go to his/her parish, he/she must do so to participate in person at a Holy Mass and pray there the consecration prayer that “I am the 73rd” can provide.

– After the Holy Mass, you will receive a Certificate of Consecration by mail or WhatsApp; which will serve to remind you that you are completely of Jesus Christ and that you are called to bear witness to Him.

You can, of course, carry out the entire consecration process; and interiorly do the consecration; but you will not receive the Certificate of Consecration until you properly order your union through the sacrament of marriage.

After the consecration, “I am the 73rd” will be offering ongoing formation workshops to promote spiritual growth and formation in the Catholic faith. For this, you will receive the corresponding information through your email or by message to your mobile phone.

At a certain point in time, “I am the 73rd” may offer you the opportunity to participate in the coming stages of the project by being a missionary servant leader or an ambassador leader.

– Most Reverend Mons. José H. Gómez, Archbishop of Los Angeles, has authorized and recommended carrying out this service to the Church. His authorization and recommendation was given after the diocesan Censor reviewed the contents of “I am the 73rd.” It is, therefore, a project that has as its origin and base the Archdiocese of Los Angeles; but its virtual nature makes it accessible to anyone, regardless of their diocese and nation.

.- The founder of “I am the 73rd”, Noel Díaz, presented the project to the Holy Father Pope Francis, who predicted in it much good for the Church, encouraged him to continue the project and granted his apostolic blessing.

– When you register you must provide us with your name, city/country, email and a phone number with WhatsApp. This will allow us to send you the information corresponding to each of the 33 days of consecration.
– Another option is to visit us at www.iam73.net where you will find the plan for the 33 days of consecration.

You can send us an email to info@iam73.net
Or call: +1 818 912 5842. We also have a WhatsApp service connected to this same number.

We are currently developing profiles on Facebook and Instagram; as well as a YouTube channel.