(ZENIT News / Rome, 27.04.2024).- On Saturday morning, April 27, Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, conferred the Sacrament of Priestly Ordination on 20 Religious of the Legionaries of Christ Congregation, in Rome’s Basilica of Saint Paul Outside-the-Walls. Concelebrating with the Cardinal, in addition to Father John Connor, LC, the Congregation’s Superior General, were Bishops Robert Fisher, Auxiliary of the Archdiocese of Detroit, and Bishop Brian Farrell, LC, Secretary Emeritus of the Dicastery for Christian Unity.
In his homily, Cardinal Tagle thanked the new priests’ families, their formators, professors, and the Legionaries who accompanied the new priests up to now. He also invited the new priests to be Jesus’ friends. “He calls all His disciples friends, particularly the priests. (. . . ) Let’s be desirous to hear His words. Let’s not be afraid to open our heart to Him. This is how one is Jesus’ friend.” The Cardinal also recalled the importance of being “compassionate brothers to others,” inviting the new priests to be a consoling presence because “only thus will your priestly ministry of the Word, Sacrament and Shepherding edify the Family of God in communion and common mission.”
Among the 20 new priests, there are six Mexicans, three Americans, three Brazilians, three Colombians and one South Korean, one Canadian, one German, one Spaniard and one Venezuelan.
Sixty percent (12) of the new priests come from one of the Vocational Centers of the Legionaries of Christ (Minor Seminaries). Forty percent (8) entered when they had finished their “preparatoria” [stage between primary school and high school], or in some cases, University.
Three of the new priests were accompanied by their blood-brothers, who are also priests. It’s the case of Fr Andrew Torrey, LC, who has a brother-priest in the same Religious Family. It’s also the case of Fr Juan Pablo Castañeda, LC, who has two brothers that are also Legionaries. For his part, Fr Santiago Vázquez, LC, has a brother who is a diocesan priest and who was present at the Ordination ceremony.
The Mass of Priestly Ordinations took place two days before the opening of the General Convention of the Regnum Christi, the Family of which the Legionaries of Christ are a part, as are its consecrated men and women, and hundreds of lay members, who clothed the new priests and accompanied them during the Mass of Ordinations. ZENIT Agency is also a work of the apostolate of the Legionaries of Christ and of the Regnum Christi.
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