The Archbishop of Oviedo, Jesús Sanz Montes, urged the four newly ordained priests and the six deacons to «let themselves be surprised by God» in their service to the community. «May your lips be singers of words of life, may your hands distribute the grace that saves and liberates, may your eyes reflect mercy in your gaze, and may love always beat in your hearts,» he said.
The Cathedral of Oviedo hosted the imposition of the Sacred Orders, presided over by the Archbishop of Oviedo, where four deacons received the priesthood, and six seminarians received the diaconate –two of them from the Metropolitan Seminary of Oviedo and four from the Redemptoris Mater Missionary Seminary of Oviedo–.
Sanz Montes told them that only by «letting themselves be surprised» can they be «ministers of God and servants of their brothers, as pilgrims of the Lord’s will.» The archbishop emphasized the importance of the arrival of the Holy Spirit as a «fulfilled promise» that transforms the life of the Church and of each believer.
The prelate recalled the biblical story of the Tower of Babel, pointing out how «uniformity can divide us and diversity can create communion.» In contrast, he cited the example of what happened on the day of Pentecost, when even «speaking in many languages, everyone understood the wonders of God.»
In his homily, Sanz Montes recalled the words of Pope Leo XIV, who emphasized in a recent ordination that God «has never tired of gathering his children, however different they may be, and of constituting them in a dynamic unity.» Sanz Montes stressed that the priesthood is not «a privilege,» but a service to «flesh-and-blood people.»
THE NEW PRIESTS
Dimas Fernández Fernández, a native of Valdesoto (Siero) and 37 years old. He entered the Metropolitan Seminary of Oviedo in 2018 and has served as a deacon in the parish of San Pablo de la Argañosa (Oviedo).
Juan Bautista González Crespo, born in Barbate (Cádiz) and 29 years old, completed his training at the Redemptoris Mater Missionary Seminary of Oviedo, where he entered in 2014 and has served as a deacon in Luarca.
Joâo Otávio da Silva, originally from Caconde (Sao Paulo – Brazil) and 28 years old, entered the Redemptoris Mater Missionary Seminary of Oviedo in 2018 and has served as a deacon in the UP of Villayón-Coaña.
Jonathan Solano Monge, born in Cartago (Costa Rica) and 38 years old, arrived at the Redemptoris Mater of Oviedo in 2016 and has served as a deacon in the Pastoral Unit of Las Regueras.
THE DEACONS
Rafael García Fernández, a 46-year-old native of Oviedo who entered the Metropolitan Seminary in 2018. He has been performing pastoral assistance tasks in the parish of La Fresneda.
Edgar Michel Perales Barboza, born in Cajamarca (Peru) and 26 years old, studied ecclesiastical studies at the Chiclayo Seminary, and then entered the Metropolitan Seminary of Oviedo in 2021 to complete his theological training. He has been collaborating in the pastoral activity of the UP of Villaviciosa.
Jhon Ángel Terán Quintero was born in Caracas (Venezuela) and is 28 years old. He entered the Redemptoris Mater Missionary Seminary of Oviedo in 2017 and, after completing his theological studies, spent two years as a missionary in Córdoba and Jaén.
Modesto Eliezer Mateo Aristy was born in Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) and is 27 years old. He entered the Redemptoris Mater Missionary Seminary in his country in 2016 and in Oviedo in 2018. After completing his theological studies, he served as a missionary in La Coruña.
Luis Guillermo Holguín Millán was born in San Andrés Islas (Colombia) and is 33 years old. He entered the Redemptoris Mater Missionary Seminary in Oviedo in his native country in 2015 and later in Australia. He arrived in Oviedo in 2017 and spent two years in Chile as a missionary.
Geoffrey Bravo Zarpán was born in Lima (Peru) and is 37 years old. He arrived at the Redemptoris Mater Missionary Seminary of Oviedo in 2016. After completing his theological studies, he was sent on a mission to Mexico City.
