St. John's Seminary Celebrates Ordination of Fourteen of Its Graduates

CAMARILLO, Calif., June 16 /PRNewswire/ -- St. John's Seminary announced today
that fourteen of its graduates have been or will soon be ordained priests,
including six for the Los Angeles Archdiocese, four for the Diocese of Orange,
and four others for religious communities and dioceses around the world.

All have completed their theological formation at St. John's Seminary,
including internships at parishes and completion of services as transitional
deacons.

"The diversity of this group of men is a testament to the global reach and
inclusive nature of the Catholic faith. Our faculty and staff are pleased and
proud to have worked with our seminarians, now priests, and are excited as
they report to their parishes, to the love of Jesus Christ, and to people,"
says Monsignor Craig A. Cox, the Rector/President at St. John's Seminary.

A brief profile on each new priest follows. Please contact us for photographs
and more information.

Reverend Francis Aguilar
Born: 1973, Quezon City, Philippines
Parents: Ignacio Berigay Aguilar and Carmela Violeta Mulligan
Villafranca Aguilar
Education: Buchanan Elementary School, Los Angeles
Luther Burbank Junior High School, Burbank
Benjamin Franklin High School, Los Angeles
UCLA - BA in Political Science
Prior Occupation: Executive Recruiter
Home Parish: Holy Trinity, San Pedro
First Assignment: St. Pius X, Santa Fe Springs

On Becoming a Priest: "I have always wanted to serve God and God's
people. In a profound way, my dad inspired me (unbeknownst to him)
because as a future spiritual father, I learned from my dad what it means
to be joyful, loving and selfless. I am excited to share the love and joy
that I experienced within my family to the rest of the people I will be
serving."

Reverend Marc Rene Dauphine
Born: 1970, Rochester, Minnesota
Parents: Richard Tierney Dauphine and Susan Elizabeth Miller
Dauphine
Education: Carmel River School, Carmel
All Saints Day School, Carmel Valley;
Robert Louis Stevenson High School, Pebble Beach
Stanford University - BS in Biological Sciences
Prior Occupations: Cell Biology Technician
Registered Organic Farmer
Resident Oblate of the New Camaldoli Hermitage
Home Parish: Carmel Mission Basilica, Carmel
First Assignment: St. Patrick, Watsonville

On Being a Priest: "I've felt inspired and encouraged so many times
through the sacred Word of Scripture that I've always wanted to be able to
learn it better and to share it more, and the priesthood gives me that as
part of the job description! Also, I really like the idea of being part of
the most significant moments of life: birth, marriage, death, so that we
appreciate life for the precious and wonderful thing that it is. I love to
share my life with others in the context of a parish family."

Reverend Christopher Brian Fagan
Born: 1952, Whittier, California
Parents: Joseph Thomas Fagan, Sr. and Dorothy Flavia Fitzgerald
Fagan
Education: St. Mary of the Assumption Elementary School, Whittier
Whittier Union High School, Whittier
Pomona College
University of San Francisco, School of Law
Prior Occupation: Attorney
Home Parishes: St. Paul the Apostle and St. Sebastian, Los Angeles
First Assignment: Saint Mary, Palmdale

On Becoming a Priest: "When I was a kid, I wanted to be either an
archaeologist or an astronaut. By the time I finished college, I thought
that becoming an attorney would be the best way I could support myself.
Although I enjoyed my work as a lawyer for twenty-four years, my volunteer
work in the parishes, working with the homeless and the elderly,
advocating social justice issues, and preparing and coordinating
liturgies, caused me to reconsider my vocation. The parish work gave me a
sense of joy that, upon prayerful reflection and with spiritual direction,
helped me realize that God was calling me to serve him and his people in a
different way, as a priest."

Reverend Julio Cesar Gonzalez Bautista
Born: 1977, Tuxcacuesco, Jalisco, Mexico
Parents: Agustin Gonzalez Almaraz and Efigenia Bautista Perez
Education: The Seminario Diocesano de Colima, de La Sangre de
Cristo
Home Parish: Saint Anthony of Padua, San Gabriel
First Assignment: Saint Charles Borromeo, North Hollywood

On Becoming a Priest: "My reason for becoming a priest is Jesus Christ.
He called me and I answer with all my limitations and strengths. My
vocation belongs to him because he has freely given this gift to me. I
want to be priest to serve God's people with love, compassion and
commitment. I am only going to be able to serve with his help. I look
forward to serving the People of God through the sacramental life,
especially the celebration of the Eucharist. I hope I can be a truly holy
priest."

Reverend Mario Alonso Juarez
Born: 1979, Bellflower, California
Parents: Arturo Juarez and Guadalupe Flores
Education: J. Jesus Gonzalez Ortega Elementary School, Valparaiso,
Zacatecas, Mexico
20 de Noviembre Junior High School, Valparaiso,
Zacatecas, Mexico
Valley High School, Santa Ana
Santa Ana Community College
Saint John's Seminary College
Home Parish: Our Lady of Guadalupe Delhi, Santa Ana, until the last
four years
Saint Pius V Church, Buena Park
First Assignment: St. Edward the Confessor Parish, Dana Point

On Being a Priest: "I perceive my calling to the priesthood to be a gift
from God. By embracing this calling, I am not simply responding to a call
rather I am responding to the unconditional love of God manifested in his
calling. Therefore, it is with great conviction that I respond yes to the
Lord and have strong faith that he has and will continue to walk with me
every step of the way. Thus, it is my desire to be ordained a priest for
the Diocese of Orange and be able to share with others God's love through
priestly ministry."

Reverend David Klunk
Born: 1959, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Parents: Richard and Marilyn Klunk
Education: St Hedwig Grade School, Los Alamitos
Los Alamitos High School, Los Alamitos
CSULB - Bachelors in Environmental Health Science
University of California at Irvine - Hazardous
Materials Management
Trinity College - Masters in Pastoral Counseling
Prior Occupation: City of Santa Fe Springs Fire Department
Home Parish: St Bonaventure, Huntington Beach
First Assignment: Our Lady Queen of the Angels Catholic Church, Newport
Beach

On Becoming a Priest: "My vocation story started with the death of a close
friend. His untimely death prompted me to take a closer look at my life.
I recognized my selfish behavior and also found in the tragedy of his
death the motivation to live a better life. After exploring several
different faith traditions, I had a profound encounter with the love of
Jesus Christ and my life was changed. I found in Christ the strength to
be the best I could be. Responding to God's call soon led me back to the
Catholic faith. Several years later, while working at the fire department
and volunteering in youth ministry and jail ministry, a nun asked me a
question that I'll never forget: 'Was I allowing good to be the enemy of
best?' I thought about her question for some time. I was doing good work
at the fire department and in youth ministry, but was I allowing this good
work to keep me from what God was calling me to do. After much prayer I
recognized that the best for me was to heed God's call to become a
Catholic priest. For me, the love of Jesus Christ has compelled me to do
my best and be what I'm supposed to be...a Catholic priest."

Reverend Gustavo Lopez, O.S.J.
Born: 1969, Hollywood, California
Parents: Elias Lopez and Graciela Chavez de Lopez
Education: Saint Mary of the Assumption School, Whittier
Don Bosco Technical Institute, Rosemead
University of California, Irvine
Home Parishes: Saint Mary of the Assumption, Whittier
Saint Andrew (Byzantine), El Segundo
First Assignment: Saint Joachim, Madera, California

On Being a Priest: "I am called to be an instrument of Christ; to do the
ordinary tasks of priestly ministry with trust and obedience in Divine
Providence; to be a source of unity to the communities where I will
serve; to assist the people of God in their sanctification through the
celebration of the sacraments and the preaching of the Word; and to lead
them rejoicing into the house of the Lord."

Reverend Francis Ng
Born: 1956, Hong Kong
Parents: Shiu Cheung Ng and Yik May Ho
Education: St. Louis High School, Hong Kong
CSULB
St. Vincent College - BA in Psychology
Prior Occupations: Restaurant management
Advertising Specialties Institutes (import & export)
Home Parish: Holy Family Cathedral, Orange
First Assignment: St. Justin Martyr, Anaheim

On Being a Priest: "At St. John's Seminary, I have learned a lot of skills
on how to preach, research theology and find explanations of the
Scripture's subtext. I also developed a habit of praying with the
community during the formation years. The field education and internship I
did helped me determine that this is the life for me, to be the witness of
God's love among the people of God. I think the most important knowledge I
learned was how to deal with stressful situations and be responsible for
my own well being. When I become a priest and work in the parish, I will
thrive in a busy parish life."

Reverend Khoi T. Phan
Born: 1978, Vietnam
Parents: Thanh Ngoc Phan and Na Thi Ta
Education: Tan Hiep A2 Elementary School, Vietnam
Sierra Vista Intermediate School, Irvine
Irvine High School, Irvine
University of California, Irvine
Divine Word College Seminary, Iowa
St. John's Seminary, Camarillo
Home Parish: St. Cecilia Church, Tustin
First Assignment: St. Pius V, Buena Park

On Being a Priest: "Psalm 62 proclaims, 'My soul rests in God alone, from
whom comes my salvation,' and St. Augustine's written Confessions state,
'O Lord, you have made us for thyself, and our hearts are restless until
they rest in thee.' These quotes reflect my desire and inspiration to be a
priest."

Reverend Matthew Spencer, O.S.J.
Born: 1978, San Diego
Parents: Thomas Michael Spencer and Michele Marie Oesterle
Spencer
Education: Our Lady of the Angels School and Blessed
Sacrament School, San Diego
home schooled through eighth grade
Sierra High School, Tollhouse, California
California State University, Chico - BS in Computer
Science
Prior Occupation: Software Engineer/Software Architect
Home Parish: St. Joachim Church, Madera, California
First Assignment: Our Lady of Guadalupe, Bakersfield

On Being a Priest: "It seems easy to get caught up in the midst of the
flurry and excitement of preparations for ordination. Yet in these weeks
preceding ordination, I find myself focusing more and more on the
incredible reality that God has called me to be a priest, to be a servant
of the Church, and to live my priesthood in the spirit of my
Congregation, the Oblates of St. Joseph. I pray that I might be faithful
to this profound gift and responsibility that God entrusts to me, that I
might spend my life sharing the Gospel and good of the Church!"

Reverend Richard Sunwoo
Born: March 31, 1978 - Mong Mong City, Guam
Parents: David Young-nam Sunwoo (Deceased); Angela Cho and
Edmond Cho
Education: Holy Trinity School
Bishop Montgomery High School
St. John's Seminary College
St. John's Seminary
Home Parish: St. Raphael Korean Catholic Center, Norwalk, California
First Assignment: St. Lawrence Martyr, Redondo Beach

On Becoming a Priest: "I am humbled to be a new priest and know that I
have to pay my dues and earn my keep - so to speak. It is my goal to try
to be as good as those priestly heroes that have been present in my life.
May we strive to live the Gospel!"

Reverend Joseph Van Vu
Born: 1966, Long Khanh, Vietnam
Parents: Mr. Hung Van Vu and Mrs. Mat Thi Dang
Education: Dieu Cai High School
St. John's Seminary College
Home Parish: St. Lucy, Long Beach
First Assignment: Holy Trinity, San Pedro

On Being a Priest: "My calling to study for the priesthood began when I
was an altar boy. I had a wonderful chance to observe and serve the
priests who celebrated Masses. Day by day, it seemed to me that God was
inviting and calling me to be a priest and serve Him and His people. I
also hope that as a humble priest, I will bring the Word of God to others
so that all people can see God in their daily lives."

Reverend Budi Wardhana
Born: 1975, Jakarta, Indonesia
Parents: Indrawan Jusuf and Elisa Maliwa
Education: Marsudirini Elementary School, Jakarta
Kanisius Jesuit High School, Jakarta
University of Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia - B.A.
in business
Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio - M.B.A.
in marketing
Prior Occupation: Entrepreneur of an on-line Indonesian grocery store
Home Parish: St. Stephen, Monterey Park; St. Luke, Temple City
First Assignment: St. Rose of Lima, Simi Valley

On Becoming a Priest: "Our people today live in a busy, noisy and
materialistic culture. The world tells us that there is no God. We then
lose hope as we face our struggles. As a priest, I want to bring Jesus. He
is our hope. He is a living God. I will bring Jesus's love and forgiveness
in the Eucharist, sacrament of reconciliation, and my life. I want to make
a difference in the lives of young people and give them hope in Jesus. He
is our best!"

Reverend Kelly Kay Yalmadau
Born: 1981, Falalop Ulithi, Yap State, Federated States of
Micronesia
Parents: Cyril Halchir and Anna Chimodol
Education: Falalop Ulithi Elementary School
Outer Islands High School
University of Guam
St. John's Seminary College
Home Parish: Queen of Heaven Parish, Falalop Ulithi, Yap State,
Caroline Islands
First Assignment: To Be Announced in July

On Becoming a Priest: "What a great pleasure to be called by the Lord to
be a fisher of men! It's a privilege and honor to join this special
fishing trip. I am humbled and at the same time comforted and consoled
that the Lord can catch many, even through an insufficient and
inexperienced fisherman like me."

About St. John's Seminary
St. John's Seminary is a multicultural community of seminarians pursuing
advanced professional degrees leading to ordination and pastoral ministry
(Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministry) and teaching
Catholic theology (M.A.). Seminarians come from diverse backgrounds, ages and
professions. The St. John's Seminary campus includes the Edward Laurence
Doheny and the Carrie Estelle Doheny Libraries, providing seminarians with
excellent access to research materials and services. For more information on
St. John's Seminary please call the Office of Advancement at (805) 482-2755
ext 2035 or write advancement@stjohnsem.edu
Contact: John Lockhart
jlockhart@stjohnsem.edu
(805) 389-2037

SOURCE St. John's Seminary College

John Lockhart of St. John's Seminary, +1-805-389-2037,
jlockhart@stjohnsem.edu