36 New Priests for the Prelature of Opus Dei

On May 24th, Bishop Javier Echevarría ordained thirty six of the Prelature’s faithful to the priesthood. Two of the new priests offer reflections on what this step means for them. With links to 20 photos from the ceremony and the Prelate's homily.

The 36 candidates for priesthood at their ordination to the diaconate.

05/22/2008

The new priests come from fifteen countries: Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Spain, the Philippines, France, Guatemala, Italy, Kenya, Lebanon, Mexico, Peru, Poland, Portugal and Venezuela.

Although most of them have been living outside their own countries for a number of years, they all have kept close ties to their country of origin. “I am eager to do all I can to help the young people in my country,” says Dominique Helou , from Lebanon. “Unfortunately, many of them often abandon our country or lose hope in it. I think we Christians have to give strong testimony there. Lebanon’s future is in our hands.”

Dominique was a high school teacher in France and Lebanon. Now his job will be to “give spiritual help to souls, preach, hear confessions and administer the other sacraments.” At times he is overwhelmed at the prospect of his new role, but he is encouraged by the thought that “a coffee pot can be made of gold, silver or tin. It doesn’t matter: all that matters is the coffee that is produced. I see myself as a ‘coffee pot.’ God will make use of me to dispense his grace to souls. All I have to do is serve good coffee. I find great peace in this thought.”

A view of Beruit, the capitol of Lebanon.

Dominique will carry out his pastoral work in Lebanon, where Opus Dei began working ten years ago. “As in other parts of the world,” says Dominique, “the Prelature’s task is to impart human and spiritual formation through activities for persons of quite varied social conditions. But I also want to emphasize that the most important apostolic work is that which each member of Opus Dei carries out with people at his or her side at work.”

Also being ordained is José Antonio Brage from Spain. At 18 he entered the Spanish Naval Academy in Pontevedra, and soon he had an opportunity to visit ports in over 20 countries. “I came to realize,” he says, “that the greatest poverty in the world is the absence of God. Bringing Christ to others is the greatest good we can do for them, and this is the priest’s mission.”

A frigate of the type on which José Brage served.

“Often friends have asked me if I found it hard to live a spiritual life of mental prayer, Mass, praying the Rosary, when constantly on the go. The truth is just the opposite. I always say that the best periods of prayer in my life have been while walking on the open deck at sea. The sea tells you a lot about God. I remember something from my first years in the Navy. Next to the entrance to the Naval Military chapel there is a plaque with this inscription: Let the one who doesn’t know how to pray pass through these seas, and he will soon learn to do so. One has only to open the eye’s of one’s soul.”

The names of the thirty six new priests and their countries of origin are:

Avelino Picón (Spain)

Marc Chatanay (France)

Juan Manuel de Ojeda (Spain)

Iñaki Landa (Spain)

Gabriel de Castro (Spain)

Pedro Regojo (Portugal)

Dominique Khoury-Hélou (Lebanon)

José Antonio Brage (Spain)

Manuel García de Madariaga (Spain)

Marcos Antini (Brazil)

Sergio Gascón (Spain)