Archbishop José H. Gomez ordained eight new priests at this year’s Priesthood Ordination Mass to the “sanctity and service” of the priesthood June 4.  

In his homily, the archbishop reminded the men that their new role is “not about status.” 

“You are not being ordained so that you can have an easy life,” he told them. “The heart of the priesthood is the heart of Jesus Christ, which is a heart of love, a heart of sacrifice.” 

LA’s newly ordained priests administer first blessings to the bishops in attendance at the June 4, 2022 Ordinations Mass. (Victor Alemán)

The men were ordained before a packed crowd at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. The ticket-only liturgy was the first full-capacity presbyteral ordination Mass at the Cathedral in three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Archbishop Gomez, who recently recovered from COVID-19, acknowledged the unique difficulties — pandemic included —  that this new group of priests will face.

“It is a time… of fear, uncertainty, and death,” he said in his homily. “Jesus is sending all of us out into a world that sometimes no longer remembers God. These times call for courage and sacrifice. Most of all, these times call for love.” 

The Gospel was proclaimed by a familiar face to the new priests: Deacon Cesar Galan, a member of the LA priests’ Class of 2023, who was ordained a transitional deacon by Bishop Robert Barron just one week earlier. 

Newly ordained Father Ramon Reyes embraces his sister at the June 4, 2022 Ordination Mass. (Victor Alemán)

The eight new priests — Fathers Guillermo Alonso, Juan Martinez, Juan Gutierrez, Daniel Lopez, Justin Ordoveza, Ramon Reyes, Daniel Vega, and Kamil Ziolkowski — celebrated their first Masses on Sunday, June 5, in their home parishes. Their first parish assignments take effect on July 1.

To learn more about these men in their own words, visit angelusnews.com/tag/new-la-priests-2022/.