Barely three months after his ordination, Father Julio Gonzalez is working on feeling more comfortable when celebrating the Eucharist and confession in English at St. Charles Borromeo Church in North Hollywood. Father Francis Aguilar is doing the same at Santa Fe Springs' St. Pius X Church, but in Spanish.

Fathers Richard Sunwoo and Budi Wardhana are adjusting to their new schedules and working to promote vocations to youth and young adults at their respective parishes, St. Lawrence Martyr in Redondo Beach and St. Rose of Lima in Simi Valley.

These recently-ordained archdiocesan priests, plus fellow ordinands Fathers Joseph Van Vu and Christopher Fagan, were honored during the 59th annual Ordinati Day luncheon at the Proud Bird Restaurant in Los Angeles, sponsored by the eight local branches of the Serra Club. The Westside Serra Club hosted this year's event, also attended by parents, friends and parishioners.

The Serra Club is an organization of men and women to foster, affirm and promote religious vocations within the Catholic Church. As part of their mission they offer their time and moral support --- and, on occasion, financial aid --- to seminarians during their formation, Dominick Pizzulli, the Westside Club's treasurer, told The Tidings.

Speakers at the event, including Cardinal Roger Mahony, elicited laughter from the audience with humorous remarks and stories.

After talking about the "vitality and continuing life of the church" shown with the "wonderful increase of vocations with the 24 new seminarians" that began studies at Camarillo's St. John's Seminary and Juan Diego House in Gardena, Cardinal Mahony challenged Serra Club members.

"What did I ask you last year?" he asked. "That each club should bring one seminarian in to the next Ordinati Luncheon. So how are we doing, guys?"

Nervous laughter filled the room. "I will ask the same for next year," the cardinal continued.

Msgr. Craig Cox, rector-president of St. John's Seminary, who presented the ordinands after the cardinal's remarks, noted that Pope Benedict XVI has declared this as the Year for Priests, "which is a great blessing for the entire church," he noted. "But I believe that every year is the Year for Priests."

The ordinands' speeches were filled with humor and gratitude.

"I know there will be a blessing time at the end of the ceremony, so I have a pen you can use to write down your wishes," Father Wardhana told the audience while taking a pen out of his pocket. Previously he had shared how he had gone fishing with some friends in Baja California and how, after he blessed the fishermen, they caught 150 fish. He showed photos of the event.

"Talking about being Christlike," he mused. "What can be more Christlike than a miraculous catch of fish?" he asked as the room erupted with laughter.

At St. Rose of Lima, Father Wardhana recently began a young adults group and hosted the first barbecue for them in an effort to attract younger parishioners.

Father Sunwoo expressed his gratitude for "charity and the generous people of God" in his early stages of priesthood. "All I can say is, wow! All of this is very overwhelming.

"The problem with the six of us is that we don't know what we're doing, but you allow us to do for you," he chuckled. "So thank you very much for your work and prayers."

Father Fagan thanked his parishioners and the priests who have supported him.

"Life is full of miracles," said the former attorney and new priest at St. Mary Church in Palmdale who admitted he still has a lot to learn. "God has mercy, even on attorneys," he quipped.

As a token of gratitude and appreciation, the priests were given an alarm clock --- "so that you can be on time," Msgr. Cox smiled.

For more information about the Serra Clubs, visit www.serraus.org.