More than 140 clergy, religious and parishioners gathered at the Sportmen's Lodge in Studio City Sept. 11 for the 57th annual Ordinati Day luncheon honoring five recently-ordained archdiocesan priests. Hosted by The Serra Club of Pasadena, the event drew Serrans from eight local clubs from San Pedro to Santa Barbara.
In her welcoming remarks, Nancy Kailey, Pasadena Serra Club president, said the annual event was the culmination of Serrans' "work and prayers: to foster and affirm vocations to the priesthood and religious life.… These newly ordained represent the hope and the future of our church. We are grateful for these men for responding to the Lord's call and following in the footsteps of Jesus."
Cardinal Roger Mahony, speaking briefly before the presentation of ordinands, emphasized that all the people of God can help to foster vocations. "We are all vocation directors," stressed the cardinal. "It's really important to remember, especially as we honor our five new priests. They're in a particularly good place in their lives, in their priestly ministry, to encourage and invite others to consider priesthood and religious life. So, all of us have a role."
Rector of St. John's Seminary, Msgr. Craig Cox, who individually introduced the ordinands following the luncheon, said archdiocesan parishioners were "richly blessed" by this year's five new priests --- hailing originally from Macau, Mexico, Vietnam and the San Fernando Valley.
Mexican native Father Rafael Venegas Raygoza, assigned to Holy Family Church in Glendale (his seminary classmate Father Edward Carlton Benioff's home parish), said his parishioners' zeal for early morning Mass and confession is inspiring.
"So far, being a priest, I love the life. It is more than what I was expecting, especially in the sacraments," said Father Raygoza. "I never thought I would find a parish which has confessions three times a week."
Father Benioff, who ministers at Holy Trinity Church in San Pedro, said the highlights of his ministry since ordination June 2 have been hearing confessions and presiding at funerals. "Jesus came to destroy sin and death. In the confessional, you see sin broken down and, at funerals, you see death destroyed," he said.
Father Marco Antonio Durazo, who was accompanied to the celebration by Santa Clara parishioners from Oxnard filling two tables, said he was proud to serve among "very faithful people, willing to walk with me in this ministry." A former architect who lent his expertise in the remodeling of an adoration chapel at St. John's, he told The Tidings he's now "dedicated to building the church, the People of God."
Father Jay Jay Wu, a former permanent deacon and now an associate priest at Holy Angels Church in Arcadia, said he has found his new parish "very welcoming." The Macau native said he sees his role as a missionary priest, noting "the archdiocese is really like a missionary land, a multi-cultural place."
Father Anh-Tuan Nguyen, assigned to Our Lady of the Assumption in Ventura, said he feels very blessed to be in his hospitable parish. He told the Serrans, "The honeymoon time is still going on, but we still need your prayers even though we are already ordained."
Father Jim Forsen, archdiocesan vocation director, commented to the ordinands that the Serrans were assembled to bear witness to "the freshness of your priesthood. …You are not just our hope, but for all the Serrans here, you are their proud boast."
Serrans James and Nancy Armitage from Sts. Felicitas and Perpetua Church in San Marino, who joined Serra soon after their marriage in 1981, were among Pasadena Club members in attendance sharing in the Ordinati Day celebrations. "We're here to support priests, to pray for vocations, to be behind the scenes and help in any way we can," said James. |