The seven men ordained for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in 2002 and 2003 each tell a unique story of journey --- sometimes from unique professions and from far-off lands, awakening as to the implications of priesthood and ministry to those in need, and a personal fulfillment of a life long dream.

Each priest credits unbelievable support of other priests with making the difference --- and the invariable support of family and close friends. And equally important, they credit the training and network of services in spiritual direction, guidance and counseling provided by the archdiocese with helping them become better priests. Sometimes they say that nothing could have prepared them for what they would find after the welcoming at the door of their new parishes.

Theirs is a new world impacted by accusations of clergy sexual abuse, announced almost on the eve of their ordinations. But they seem to be riding through the crisis as best as priests, religious and laity can at this time and remaining faith filled people together with their parishioners as one body.

Father Gilberto Monico, 43;
Our Lady of Grace Church,
Encino
Born on a small farm in San Jose de Avila, Jalisco, Mexico, and one of thirteen children and only seven surviving boys, Father Gilberto Monico felt very responsible for his parents. He and his family members knew that farming in Mexico held little future promise nor did his life-long dream of entering the seminary.

So his family began the move to South Gate leaving one son behind on the family farm. Gilberto and his brothers and sisters worked to earn the money for a house for his parents. Gilberto entered seminary training in Mexico and then slowly transitioned to internships in parishes in Los Angeles, including Sacred Heart, Lincoln Heights, and he began studies at St. John Seminary College.

His greatest supports have been his family and his pastor, Father Austin Doran, of Our Lady of Grace Parish, Encino. His parents do not need his help as much now since they are settled but they are a worry.

His challenges are not all behind him. Languages are a challenge still but he is learning. "What has made me the most happy is to celebrate the Eurcharist," and one of his greatest joys is that the people of Our Lady of Grace "have accepted me." They send me a note and lovely words --- they know that I don't understand everything but they are open to me."

Father Thinh Pham, 35;
St. John of God Church,
Norwalk
Father Thinh Pham is no stranger to conflict. Born in Saigon, Vietnam, he and his parents and seven siblings moved first to Paris and then eventually emigrated to the United States when he was a young boy. Thinh completed his studies and taught French at California State University Los Angeles. At about the same time he considered a life-long dream of priesthood.

On the day of his ordination into the deaconate he received his Book of Gospels and he and his classmates were given the simple command: "Preach what you believe!" And he has tried to follow that command since. It was put to a test not long after, too.

In his parish of St. John of God each of the resident priests was assigned a Mass at which he was to preach about the church sex abuse scandal. The preparation for the homily was very difficult and all he could think of was that if he were to walk down the street would people wonder if he were an abuser, too. But he gave the homily and more than once nearly broke down in giving it. After Mass that Sunday morning so many parishioners came up to him and hugged him, giving words of support. Then a young mother with her two-year boy came up to him and said gently to her son, "Give Father a hug!"

"We worry more than the people do," say Father Pham. "Father Thinh is only coming from the grace and gift of vocation, not from himself. And the people are valuable as priests, too." This is not a one-man show anymore," he often tells parishioners.

Father Thinh credits all he has learned these last two years especially to Msgr. Bernard Leheny, his pastor. "I have a wonderful pastor, and the priests of the house are wonderful, one priest after the other. I believe that if you cannot manage the househould, then you can never take care of the world. We have a great rectory. Father Bernie lets me do what I feel called. The joy of journeying is being with the people."

Father Slawomir Szkredka, 29;
St. Genevieve Church,
Panorama City
Of Hugarian and Lithuanian extraction, the family of Father Slawomir Szkredka lived in Poland for centuries. Father Slawomir was born in a small city close to Krakow, where his mother continues to live.

As a young man he came to the United States and attended a seminary in Michigan, which trained priests for Poland and other parts of the U.S. After about three years of study in Michigan he came to Los Angeles to complete his training. He was also sent to Mexico to study Spanish before ordination.

Father Slawomir feels that his training and preparation were excellent; there were not a lot of surprises following ordination. He does his general share of duties in the parish hearing confessions, saying Masses, conferring the sacraments, counseling parishioners, and he also teaches religion at next-door St. Genevieve High School.

This past semester he taught history of the church and has also taught social justice and morality during previous semesters. Father Slawomir loves working with young people and says that his greatest challenge, and most time consuming preparation, goes into those classes, and it is one of the most rewarding experiences of his priesthood, too.

"The longer I am a priest the better," says Father Slawomir, whose name means "in praise of peace" in Hungrarian or Slavic languages. He knew God was calling him to the priesthood. That is why he wanted to be ordained. "But I honestly didn't like it at first," he admits. "I felt like I was being treated like 'the baby priest.'"

Now, at last, that part is over. The attraction to the newness of priesthood is over and people can just get the message. "I don't want to get in the way of the message," he emphasizes.

Father Chris Bazyouros, 30;
St. Joseph Church,
Hawthorne
Half Greek and half Irish on his father's side, and Croatian on his mother's side, Father Chris Bazyouros grew up in Azusa in St. Frances of Rome Church. "It has been a special privilege to serve in the archdiocese where I grew up," he says.

And in his ministry in St. Joseph Parish, Hawthorne, he sees the opportunity to serve even more. "This is such a huge parish. It's my biggest challenge," he says. "There are so many groups and so much to do that you could walk around and feel lost here. I am working a lot on marriage preparation, walk-in counseling, sacramental preparation, in the school, altar servers, liturgy and environment, trying to set up the vocation committee. What I like best is the getting involved in people lives."

"Whatever we do together I am hoping they will find some benefit."

His greatest joy, he says, is how "life in the parish has most energized me." He is amazed at "how fast the year has gone by." And he has learned that "I am not meant to do everything. I am meant to facilitate the process. When I am most frustrated is when I forget who is in charge here."

Father Jim Bevacqua, 44;
Holy Trinity Church,
San Pedro
Father Jim Bevacqua grew up in Ohio, and came out west after college. The oldest of five children, he had a variety of jobs on the west coast and worked as a senior vice president in charge of production at Touchstone Studios before entering the seminary.

One of greatest joys of his priestly ministry is that of living and working in parish life. And the fast moving months since ordination in May have been a sign of the fact that he and the parishioners of Holy Trinity have "bonded really well and the people have helped me grow."

He has enjoyed visiting classrooms in the parish school, getting involved in student leadership groups, attending functions in the parish, administering the sacraments, and most of all celebrating Mass daily and on Sundays.

Father Jim feels that he learned a great deal from his experiences in his active home parish, St. Monica in Santa Monica.

Life since ordination has not been without its challenges. The isolation of the seminary can be difficult to break from. But Father Jim did not have long to become acclimated after he moved in. He had arrived and not yet unpacked his belongings when young parents arrived at the office doors looking to speak with someone. Their young son had just passed away, and for once in his life he did not have the words. He could only listen, and he learned that sometimes all a person can do is listen.

He acknowledges that he is a perfectionist by nature, and now the challenge is to simply to let go. Seminaries are very busy places but he knows he needs to concentrate now on the right kind of busyness. "I feel incredibly blessed and inspired to serve the people," he says.

Fr. Abel Loera, 32;
St. Gertrude Church,
Bell Gardens
Born in Guadalajara and as one of 11 children, Father Abel Loera concedes he has learned a great deal since his ordination in May 2003. He was 15 when he came to the United States to work and did not complete all of his studies, but had a dream of priesthood. His own father had died when Abel was 11 years old. Today one sister lives in Fontana, he ministers in Bell Gardens, and all the rest of the family lives in Mexico. His home parish is St. Louis of France in La Puente.

Since his ordination his happiest day of the week is Sunday. He loves being with the people on Sundays. "Their presence has given me a lot of joy," says Father Abel, as he journeys with the people sharing their sorrows and joys together.

Sunday is also one of his most difficult days --- coming home to a rectory after a crowded schedule of six Masses every Sunday, and then it is suddenly quiet, eerily quiet. So his priest friends have been the greatest supports for him, as well as his pastor, Msgr. Henry Gomez.

Another overall challenge for Father Abel, all through seminary and this first year of priesthood, has been time management. At the beginning he "was always saying 'yes' to everything when asked." He also has worked hard on developing his English skills, which were not that good entering St. John's, but have improved through years of seminary training and assisting in parishes.

He also never realized how busy and hectic the life of the priest can be on a daily basis. His pastor has been very helpful and supportive. "I am not Christ," says Father Abel. "I cannot change the world."

And every time he visits the cathedral he remembers his ordination, when his whole family came to be with him. "I try to keep that ordination in my heart," he says. "It is hard, but it is a gift, something very, very special."

Father Sam Ward, 33;
St. Emydius Church,
Lynwood
For Father Sam Ward, seminary preparation for the priesthood seems to have been much more than adequate, as he reflects back upon his training and internships in preparation for ordination last May. And yet at other times, "Padre Samuel" says he felt totally unprepared for some of the needs he has had to meet among his people of St. Emydius in Lynwood.

Many truly faith-filled people also come to his parish looking for the practices and beliefs that brought comfort in their home countries --- in some cases, semi-superstitious practices such as use of spiritualists, black magic, card readers. They are "people of faith," he says, but they utilize these practices, too. He was not prepared for the melding of faith and "spiritualism."

Father Ward grew up in St. Jude and St. Maximilian parishes in Westlake Village. Ventura County is his "home," and he is the third of four boys in his family. Prepared by education from UC Irvine in 1995, he started out teaching pre-school and coaching young people. But it was his great love of priesthood and priestly life that drew him to enter the seminary and the ability to enter into his people's life in such a special way.

"We don't need to invent or go to other things," he says. "We have a 2,000-year-old treasury of devotions and pilgrimages, processions. We don't need to go outside this." So there have been some challenges for this young priest, but the challenges are small in comparison with the joys. And the learning lesson in these experiences has been profound for him, too.

"Being a priest in general has been such a joy," says Father Ward. "There have been obviously the highs and lows. Celebration of the sacraments and being able to be in the highs and lows of people's lives has been important. These people literally place their hearts in your hands."

And the workload can be endless, too. Ministering in a large, mostly Spanish-speaking parish means that the needs are endless. He has to constantly remind himself that that he is not the Messiah.

"There are tremendous needs out there. And I can do what I can do, but you realize that the needs are so much greater," he adds.

What gives him energy? Prayertime, spiritual direction, and knowing that he has to be faithful to both. And with all the highs and lows, if he had it do to over, "it would still be priesthood for me."