On May 31, Archbishop José H. Gomez will ordain eight new priests for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.
In the days leading up to their ordination, we’ll be introducing them all.
Age: 29
Hometown: Manila, Philippines
Home parish: Beatitudes of Our Lord Church, La Mirada
Parish assignment: St. Dorothy Church, Glendora
***
If the priesthood were just another career path, then on May 31 Johndy Gonzales would be officially entering the family business.
Gonzales watched his uncle ordained to the priesthood when he was in the third grade. Now Gonzales will join him — even if that uncle is serving thousands of miles away, in the Archdiocese of Detroit.
Both are even further from where they started, in the Philippines. Gonzales grew up in Manila, and it was during his uncle’s ordination that he believes the first seed was planted.
“I felt that during that rite of ordination, maybe the Lord called me also to be like my uncle, even though I don’t have any idea of being a priest or being ordained,” Gonzales said. “But it’s like, I want to be my uncle, and that’s what leads me to the priesthood.”
When Gonzales graduated from high school, he felt ready to join the seminary. Since his uncle was serving in Detroit, he applied and was accepted to SS. Cyril & Methodius Seminary in Michigan. The only catch was, since the seminary was a private one, applicants needed to find a “home” diocese.
Although he reached out to several dioceses, LA was the first to initiate contact with Gonzales. He admits that at first, he felt a little scared being so far from family.
“How will I do this? I am alone,” Gonzales remembered thinking. “But what makes me continue to the priesthood is that if this is my call, if this is where the Lord wants me, no matter what, I will answer.”
Now that he’s been in Southern California for several years, he can’t imagine being anywhere else.
“There is something in my heart that says, oh yeah, this is my home,” Gonzales said. “Maybe because the weather in the Philippines and here in LA, it’s like the same, and it’s a diverse community, diverse people. So I think that’s where I felt that … this is my home.”
In becoming a priest, Gonzales is most looking forward to the responsibility of being the “instrument” to bring people closer to God.
“I'm happy to serve the people, to bring them the sacraments and to show them that Christ is present,” he said. “That Christ is not there, far away from us. But being a priest, it’s like I am being present. I deliver Christ present to them. So I think that’s the most exciting thing.”
Being ordained in the Jubilee Year of Hope is another blessing that Gonzales said he can draw strength from to inspire faith for those who may feel discouraged.
“In our society today, there is a division,” he said. “There’s still a woundedness. And I think people nowadays are feeling hopeless. They don’t know where they hold on, especially when they are far away from the Church.
“I feel that I am blessed that us being ordained as a priest, this is my witness to them, that there is still hope that we can hold on to.”
As it was family thats such a huge part of who he is today and why he’s a priest, Gonzales hopes to bring that feeling of unity to wherever he serves.
“One of my biggest dreams in our church today is to build the foundation of family within our parish, within our community,” he said. “Because I think building a family within our parish strengthens our faith, strengthens our journey. We are not divided, we are not just only attending the Mass, fulfilling the sacraments, but we are called by God as one family to journey together.
“I think when they feel that they have a family, they have the Church. They have a living church. They have a living family. That’s where they draw the strength to move forward in their daily lives.”
