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Archbishop Roger Mahony ordained the 1987 class of St. John’s Seminary on Saturday, Sept. 5, the second anniversary of his installation as head of the Los Angeles Archdiocese. The ordination in St. Vibiana Cathedral took place 10 days before the historic arrival of Pope John Paul II, the first papal visit to the city. However, Archbishop Mahony told the ordinands, “Do not feel that your ordination is overshadowed by the coming of the Holy Father; rather, see it as a graced moment in our preparation” for the Holy Father’s visit. “You are called to God’s mysteries,” the archbishop said, “and to unknown chapters in your own lives.”Following are brief summaries of the 13 silver jubilarians (including archdiocesan, extern and religious order priests).Diocesan PriestsFather Homero Benito Armenta, a native of Amatepec, Mexico, was born in 1953 and ordained Oct. 8, 1987, in Mexico City. He began his ministry in the Los Angeles Archdiocese in 1992 as associate pastor at Our Lady of Lourdes, East L.A., for four years. He then served at Epiphany, South El Monte (1996-2001), and was incardinated in 1999 for the archdiocese. He served as administrator at St. Malachy for a year. As associate, Father Armenta also served at St. Rose of Lima, Maywood (2001-06) and St. Alphonsus, East L.A. (2007-11). Currently he is the pastoral associate at the clustered parishes of Holy Spirit and St. Mary Magdalen, Los Angeles. Father Kenneth Deasy was born in 1954 in Redwood City and graduated from St. Francis High School in La Canada. He joined the Capuchin Franciscans as a friar for seven years, teaching at St. Francis, and was director of development before entering St. John’s Seminary. As associate pastor he served at St. Monica, Santa Monica, and St. Bernardine of Siena, Woodland Hills, and for 11 years was pastor of St. Agatha, L.A. For nine years he worked in detention ministry, at the Central Jail and Juvenile Hall. Father Deasy currently is the director of the Archdiocesan Holy Childhood Association in the Mission Office of the archdiocese and resides at St. Brendan, Hancock Park.Father Charles Ramirez was born in 1947 in Covina and graduated from Damien High School, La Verne. Before his studies at St. John’s Seminary, he had a career as a reporter, on-camera TV news commentator and producer in Sacramento. His first pastoral assignment was at Nativity, El Monte, for four years, followed by five years at Our Lady of the Assumption, Claremont, and 12 at Immaculate Conception in Monrovia. In 2009 Father Ramirez was named pastor of the Claremont parish where he currently serves.Father Alden Sison was born in Davao, Philippines, in 1961. In his sophomore year at Notre Dame High School in Riverside, he entered Our Lady Queen of Angels High School Seminary and was ordained from St. John’s Seminary. He has a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts and a master of divinity. His first assignment was at Holy Family, Artesia, for four years followed by six years as associate at St. Bernardine of Siena, Woodland Hills. Father Sison was named pastor of Our Lady of the Valley, Canoga Park in 1997, and since 2008 has been pastor of St. Genevieve, Panorama City.Rt. Rev. Alexei Smith is an Archimandrite in the Melkite Greek Rite ordained June 28, 1987 in Saint Andrew Russian Greek Catholic Church, El Segundo by Archbishop Joseph Tawil. He was born in Los Angeles in 1948 and since 1987 has been pastor of St. Andrew, Russian Greek Church in El Segundo and the administrator of St. Paul Melkite Greek Church. Since 2000 Rt. Rev. Smith has directed the Ecumenical Office for the archdiocese and has served as President of the Southern California Ecumenical Council and is on several related boards. Prior to entering the Melkite Greek Seminary, he attended USC and worked in private industry for 15 years and is an alumnus of Mount Carmel High School.Extern PriestFather Niko Leota is a native of Apia, Samoa, born in 1955. He was ordained Dec. 5, 1987 at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Wellington, New Zealand. He served in New Zealand for five years and studied spirituality in Ireland for two years. After further church work in New Zealand, Father Leota served in Samoa and then worked as a missionary in Jamaica for six years. In 2006 he became associate pastor at St. Philomena, Carson, and is the chaplain for the Samoan community. Father Leota is also the national consultant in the U.S. for the Samoan community and travels extensively throughout the country in that capacity.Religious Order PriestsCapuchin Franciscan Father Robert Barbato was born in 1959 in Los Angeles and ordained a Capuchin Franciscan June 13, 1987 at St. James the Less Church in La Crescenta by Bishop Daniel Walsh. He has served as both associate and pastor of the Old Mission Santa Ines and associate pastor at St. Lawrence of Brindisi in L.A. Currently Father Barbato is the vicar and novitiate formator at San Lorenzo Seminary, Santa Ynez.Salesian Father Wilbur Bolton, born April, 1957, in Portland, Oregon, was the first priest ordained by Auxiliary Bishop Carl Fisher, on May 31, 1987 at St. Irenaeus Church, Cypress. Father Bolton taught at St. John Bosco High School, Bellflower (1987-94), then served in community formation for three years and assisted at the Salesian Youth Center in Los Angeles (1997-2010). Father Bolton is currently the pastoral associate at Sacred Heart Church, Ventura.Josephite Father Edward Jalbert was born in Lynwood in 1949, and ordained Oct. 24, 1987, at St. Louis de Montfort Church, Santa Maria. He has taught for many years at St. Joseph High School in Santa Maria and Bishop Garcia High School in Santa Barbara. For several years Father Jalbert was also the superior in the community and was associate pastor at Our Lady of Guadalupe in Santa Barbara.Jesuit Father Victor Labao was born in Cebu, Philippines, in 1953 and ordained March 7, 1987 at the Jesuit Seminary in Manila by Cardinal Jaime Sin. During his ministry in the Philippines, Father Labao worked in prison ministry for nine years, helped in the Jesuit vocation office, conducted clergy retreats and parish work. In 2007 he took a sabbatical and assisted at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, Rowland Heights. Since 2011 he has been the associate pastor conducting the parish program of “Finding God in Daily Life” and assisting the Filipino community.Comboni Missionary Father Jesus Silva was born in 1957 in Mexico and ordained February 7, 1987 at El Senor del Perdon Church in Cojumatian, Michoacan, Mexico, by Bishop Rogelio Sanchez Gonzalez. A member of the Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus who staff St. Cecilia and Holy Cross parishes in South Los Angeles, he was named associate pastor in 2010 and administrator in 2012 at Holy Cross.Very Rev. Canons Regular Father Pasquale Vuoso was born in New York, 1950 and ordained Sept. 5, 1987 at St. Vibiana Cathedral with the class from St. John’s. He is a member of the Canons Regular of the Immaculate Conception and is currently pastor at St. Sebastian, Santa Paula. He has served as pastor at St. Francis of Assisi, L.A., and as local superior for his religious community. Father Vuoso was also administrator of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Santa Paula.DeceasedFather Lawrence Signey died in 2007 at age 45, 20 years after his ordination from St. John’s Seminary. He was born in County Durham, England, in 1961. The family immigrated to California and settled in Long Beach where Father Signey attended St. Joseph School and then Queen of Angels Seminary High School. His early assignments included Holy Family, Glendale; dean of students at Queen of Angels; and associate pastor at St. Bede the Venerable, La Canada. In 2002 Father Signey was named pastor of St. Robert Bellarmine Church, Burbank, where he was an energetic and beloved leader until his death. {gallery width=100 height=100}gallery/2012/0803/jubsilver/{/gallery}