Five men opt for priesthood

Staff report

The Vocations Department for the Diocese of Oakland has good news.

It has 28 men studying to become priests for the diocese. While four men were ordained this year, five more have entered the seminary and have begun their training. Another seminarian elected not to continue.

That the diocese has maintained its number of seminarians is “Good news,” said Father Kenneth Nobrega, vocations director. It “is the fruit of many prayers and sacrifices offered by the faithful people of Oakland for vocations.”

Typically, Father Nobrega explained, seminarians must have an undergraduate degree before entering St. Patrick’s. Recently, though, St. Patrick’s has begun offering a bachelor completion program for those meeting certain criteria.
 
Luis Enriquez Espinoza

Age: 23

Hometown: Chilchota, Michoacan, Mexico

Seminary attending: Seminario Hispano, Tlalpan, Mexico City

Doing now: Taking classes; doing parish ministry in the Archdiocese of Mexico

What was an important factor in discerning his vocation: He was especially influenced by a retreat that he attended where he felt that God really touched his life, healing his heart and freeing him from spiritual anxieties that he had carried.
 
 
Ruben Hernandez

Age: 19

Hometown: Richmond

Seminary attending: Mount Angel Seminary, St. Benedict, Oregon

Doing now: Taking classes to get my bachelor of arts degree.

What was an important factor or event in discerning your vocation: “My confirmation, because that’s where I found out that I wanted to become a priest.”
 
 
Joseph Tuan Anh Le

Age: 37

Hometown: Cam Ranh, Khanh Hoa, Vietnam

Seminary attending: St. Patrick’s Seminary, Menlo Park

Doing now: Pastoral year at Our Lady Queen of the World parish, Bay Point

What was an important factor in discerning your vocation: “To listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit and to live out God’s will by protecting human life and dignity because God is the source and the author of life, not man.”
 
 
Mario Rizzo

Age: 24

Hometown: Lafayette

Seminary attending: St. Patrick’s Seminary, Menlo Park

Doing now: Full-time seminarian and cantor at St. Monica parish, Moraga

What was an important factor in discerning your vocation: “Father Wayne Campbell, pastor of St. Monica, has been extremely inspirational. He has motivated and challenged me throughout my ministry of cantoring to share my gift of music with our community.”
 
 
Joel Rojas

Age: 25

Hometown: Manila, Philippines

Seminary attending: Saint Patrick’s Seminary, Menlo Park

Doing now: First-year theology at Saint Patrick’s.

What was an important factor in discerning your vocation: “I want to become a priest because I want others to know Christ. I want to share myself to His church by becoming a priest to glorify the Lord, to serve His people and for the salvation of our souls.”

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