The 14 new priests lie flat on the floor, an act of total surrender to God, during their ordination at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral yesterday. (CDN PHOTO/ CHRISTIAN MANINGO)
Cebu has 14 new priests after Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma ordained them yesterday in solemn rites and liturgical celebration at the jampacked Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral in downtown Cebu City.
The batch of new priests holds the most number of individuals admitted into the priesthood since Palma was installed as Cebu’s fourth archbishop in 2011.
In the history of the archdiocese, the biggest batch of ordinandi was in 1994 when Archbishop Emeritus of Cebu Ricardo Cardinal Vidal ordained 19 priests.
Cebu currently holds the most number of priests in the Philippines with 401 diocesan clergy, about 300 priests from different religious congregations, and over a thousand religious sisters.
“Cebu is blessed. It has the most number of clergy in the country; truly the the cradle of Christian civilization in the Far East,” said Palma in his homily.
The prelate said it’s but proper to praise and thank the Lord for His immense blessings to Cebu.
“God’s love for us is just so tremendous. He just gave us two new auxiliary bishops, a saint in San Pedro Calungsod, the opportunity to host the International Eucharistic Congress, and now this 14 new priests,” he said.
Palma encouraged all priests and lay persons to treasure the gift of priesthood.
“It is God who calls people to become priests. It is God who chooses us. What a beautiful gift to the family and to the Archdiocese of Cebu,” he said.
Palma placed his hands on each new priest to invoke the blessing of the Holy Spirit. Their hands were blessed with sacred oil so they may be strengthened in their ministry.
Then the newly ordained priests lay prone on the floor in an act of total surrender to God as the congregation sang the Litany of Saints in Latin.
The archbishop reminded the new priests to “believe what you read, teach what you believe, and practice what you teach.”
Among those who concelebrated with Palma were Archbishop Emeritus of Cebu Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, Cebu Auxiliary Bishops Dennis Villarojo and Emilio Bataclan, retired Bishop Antonio Rañola, and about a hundred priests.
The newly ordained priests are Ralph Argoncillo, Villy Jean Cortes, Jose De Dios, Zenon Guanzon, John Temothy Judalco, Moenil Lapa, Rogen Leyson, Rabi Mabala, Arthur Manalo, Joseph Paul Pugasan, Josephus Remonde, Andrei Mikhail Tabotabo, Nissan Toring, and Fran Villegas.
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