The large sanctuary at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels could barely contain all the priests, bishops, and deacons who had come to celebrate the ordination of six deacons to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles on June 1.

“You, my brothers, are called to be the shepherds of God’s people,” Archbishop José H. Gomez told the men in his homily. “And Jesus is calling you to do it as he did — serving your brothers and sisters in humility, from the heart, and at a personal sacrifice.”

Once the ordination rites were complete — the laying on of hands, investiture and the anointing with chrism oil — Louis Sung, Brian Humphrey, Miguel Ángel Ruiz, Emmanuel Delfin, Luther Diaz, and José María Ortiz were sent forth to announce the Gospel as priests for the archdiocese.

Before ordaining them, Archbishop Gomez gave the men a piece of personal encouragement.

“My dear brothers, I have to tell you: It is so exciting to be a priest,” he said. “I wouldn’t trade my vocation for anything. There is nothing more beautiful than to bring people to the encounter with Jesus Christ, so they can know and love him and imitate him and work to make this world his kingdom.”

But by the end of the service, Archbishop Gomez was speaking to the new priests with a little more urgency, even if he was only half-joking: “We want you to start working now.”

Full story at Angelus News.

Three ordained in San Bernardino diocese

Sacred Heart Church was brimming with people and emotion as three men were ordained to the priesthood on May 18th.

In a ceremony that Bishop Gerald Barnes later called “electrifying,” more than 1,500 believers cried, clapped and cheered as Ted Drennan, Charles “Gino” Galley and Juan Carlos Lopez were ordained.

“There is a greater power beyond me that I had an encounter with,” said an emotional Father Gino Galley. “I cannot explain it. I experienced it as I lay prostrate on the floor and the whole church was singing the Litany of Saints.”

Father Ted Drennan could only shrug his shoulders and shake his head when trying to find the proper words.

“This was eight years in the coming and it’s indescribable. I can’t, I can’t,” admits Father Ted.

The church goers were also feeling the momentous occasion, giving such boisterous responses at different moments that Bishop Barnes exclaimed, “This is some group!”

The Bishop then turned to the seriousness of the Sacrament and talked to the men about a renewal that is needed in both the Church and the nation.

“We need you. We need you desperately,” he said. “We need you to help us revitalize our priesthood, our Church, our people…we thank you for saying ‘yes.’ ”

Full story at Inland Catholic Byte.