The Seville Cathedral hosted this Saturday, June 13, the ordination of five new priests for the Archdiocese. The newly ordained are Pablo Bernal, Pablo Noguera, Cristian Rodríguez, José Manuel Ruiz, and José Alberto Torres. The Eucharist was presided over by Monsignor José Ángel Saiz Meneses, Archbishop of Seville, accompanied by other ecclesiastical figures such as Auxiliary Bishop Monsignor Teodoro León and Archbishops José Rodríguez Carballo and Roberto Octavio González Nieves.
Following the presentation of the candidates by the rector of the metropolitan seminary, Andrés Ybarra, Archbishop Saiz Meneses proceeded with the election for the order of priests. During his homily, the prelate emphasized that the priesthood originates from God and not from human projects, reminding the new ministers that their work is based on divine faithfulness and not on their own abilities.
Monsignor Saiz Meneses defined the priest as a "Shepherd, not a functionary; servant, not owner; witness, not protagonist," urging the ordinands to focus their existence on serving God and their brethren, following Jesus' example. He stressed that the priestly vocation is born from the "compassionate love of Jesus for his people," not from an organizational need, and should manifest in a compassionate gaze towards the most vulnerable, as proposed by Pope León.
The chosen candidates expressed their commitment to preach the Gospel, celebrate the sacraments, and live united to Christ, also promising respect and obedience to the archbishop. The imposition of hands by the archbishop and the present priests, along with the prayer of consecration, culminated the sacrament. The ceremony included rites such as the imposition of the stole, the chasuble, the anointing of hands with holy chrism, and the presentation of bread and wine.
The celebration concluded with the first concelebration of the new priests alongside the archbishop and the presbytery. Monsignor Saiz Meneses bid farewell to the newly ordained with the wish that they "Be holy. Be faithful. Be priests according to the heart of Christ," entrusting them to the intercession of the Virgin of the Reyes and other saints.
