The men represent a culturally diverse group. Four of the men are from Poland, three from Mexico, two from South America; and one each from Asia (Viet Nam), Africa (Tanzania) and the United States (Michigan).

The average age is just over 30 years old. Half the group began their seminary studies in their native countries of Columbia, Ecuador, Mexico, Poland and Tanzania. One of the candidates went through the entire seminary system here, including Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary. Three of the candidates began their journey to priesthood at Casa Jesús, a house of formation and discernment for Hispanic men considering the priesthood run by the Archdiocese of Chicago. Two of the candidates studied English for one year in Bishop Abramowicz Preparatory Seminary, an Archdiocesan house of discernment and formation for Polish men.

NOTE: In compiling these sketches of the newly ordained, excerpts from interviews in The Catholic New World were included with permission.

Thomas Belanger, 38

Parents: Mary Belanger and the late Jean Maurice Belanger of Grosse Pointe Woods, MI. In pursuing his vocation to the priesthood, Belanger – a native of Grosse Pointe Woods – began his religious studies in Chicago at DePaul University before completing his seminary studies at the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary. In preparation for his ordination, he served at St. Lawrence O’Toole Parish in Matteson. His first priestly assignment will be at St. Philip Neri Parish, 2132 E. 72nd St., Chicago. Belanger will celebrate his first Mass of Thanksgiving at 11:15 p.m. on Sunday, May 21, at St. Clement Parish on Chicago’s north side. Belanger spent four years under temporary vows as a Capuchin Franciscan, and worked in homeless shelters, food pantries and drug treatment programs in Detroit, Milwaukee, Toronto and Chicago. Belanger, who hopes to work with people suffering from addictions, said those experiences and his knowledge of the diversity of Chicago will serve him well.

Arkadiusz Falana, 27

Parents: Stanislaw and Teresa Falana of Poland. In pursuing his vocation to the priesthood, Falana – a native of Poland – began his seminary studies in Chicago at St. Joseph College Seminary before completing his studies at the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary. In preparation for his ordination, he served at St. Francis Xavier Parish, Wilmette. His first priestly assignment will be at Queen of All Saints Basilica, 6280 N. Sauganash Ave., Chicago. Falana will celebrate his first Mass of Thanksgiving at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 28, at Queen of All Saints Basilica. Falana believes that the youth are the future of the church. “I would like to emphasize the words of Pope John Paul II who said to young people, ‘I ask you to open your hearts generously to him; do not delay your response. The Lord will help you to know his will; he will help you to follow your vocation courageously.’ Thus, do not be afraid but trust the Lord. I trust him completely.”

Pawel Komperda, 25

Parents: Kazmierz and Anna Komperda of Chicago. In pursuing his vocation to the priesthood, Komperda – a native of Poland – began his seminary studies in Chicago at St. Joseph Seminary before completing his studies at the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary. In preparation for his ordination, he served at St. Francis of Assisi Parish on the near west side of Chicago and at Prince of Peace Parish in Lake Villa. His first priestly assignment will be at Prince of Peace, 135 S. Milwaukee Ave., Lake Villa. Komperda will celebrate his first Mass of Thanksgiving at 12:15 p.m. on Sunday, May 21, at St. Bruno Parish on Chicago’s southwest side. Pawel Komperda has the distinction of being the only member of the 2006 ordination class who went through the entire archdiocesan seminary system, starting his freshman year of high school. That happened only a short time after he came to Chicago from Poland with his family at age 12.

Jesús Medina Carreon, 31

Parents: Jesus Medina Ramirez and Andrea Carreon De Medina of Mexico. In pursuing his vocation to the priesthood, Medina Carreon – a native of Mexico began his seminary studies in Mexico at the Seminario Diocesano De Santa Maria De Guadalupe before completing his studies at the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary. In preparation for his ordination, he served at St. Nicholas of Tolentine on Chicago’s southwest side. His first priestly assignment will be at St. Bede the Venerable, 8200 S. Kostner Ave., Chicago. Medina Carreon will celebrate his first Mass of Thanksgiving at 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 21, at St. Nicholas of Tolentine. “One of my hopes for the Catholic Church is that those people who have deserted for any reason may come back to the church,” he said. “As a future priest I have the responsibility of reviving the faith of those who declare that they have it but not live it.”

Bolivar Molina Ramirez, 28

Parents: Hernan B. Molina and Andrea Carreon de Medina of Mexico. In pursuing his vocation to the priesthood, Molina Ramirez – a native of Ecuador – began his seminary studies in Ecuador at the Guayaquil Mayor Seminary before completing his studies at the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary. In preparation for his ordination, he served at St. Agnes Parish, Chicago Heights. His first priestly assignment will be at Good Shepherd Parish, 2719 S. Kolin Ave., Chicago. Molina Ramirez will celebrate his first Mass of Thanksgiving at 1 p.m. on Sunday, May 28, at St. Mary of the Lake Parish on Chicago’s north side. Bolivar Molina Ramirez did not make his first communion until he was about 15 years old, but he had been considering whether he had a call to the priesthood ever since then. He wants to teach religion, perhaps following the example of his religious education teacher, who nurtured his vocation.

Hugo Morales, 39

Parents: Agustin and Clementina Morales of Mexico. In pursuing his vocation to the priesthood, Morales – a native of Mexico – completed his undergraduate studies at Cardinal Stritch University, Milwaukee, WI and graduated from Sacred Heart School of Theology, a major seminary connected to Stritch University in Hales Corner, WI. The two institutions make up a system designed for the education and training of older vocations to the priesthood. His first priestly assignment will be at Mary Queen of Heaven Parish, Cicero. Morales will celebrate his first Mass of Thanksgiving at 2:15 p.m. on Sunday, May 21, at St. Anthony Parish, Cicero. Hugo Morales was born and raised Catholic, and involved as a layman in church life. But when he was serving on the baptismal preparation team at St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Cicero, he tried to avoid speaking to the parents and godparents who wanted to have babies baptized because he felt ill qualified to speak in public. He did it anyway, and was surprised to receive applause. “After this experience I got more and more involved in different ministries in the parish, I became lector and communion minister,” Morales wrote. “Little by little I felt more attracted to do what only a priest can do when he celebrates the Eucharist.”

Phi Nguyen, 34

Parents: Canh Cong and Phuoc Tran Nguyen. Before pursuing priesthood, Nguyen completed his elementary and secondary education in his native Viet Nam. He began his seminary studies at St. Joseph College Seminary at Loyola University before completing his studies at the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary. In preparation for his ordination, Nguyen served at Our Lady of Mercy Parish on Chicago’s north side. His first priestly assignment will be at St. Damian Parish, 5300 w. 155 th St., Oak Forest. Nguyen will celebrate his first Mass of Thanksgiving at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 20, at St. Henry Church, 6325 N. Hoyne Ave., Chicago. “As a grandson, a son, a brother, and a soon to be priest, I strongly believe that the love, care, and support from my grandparents, parents, and my siblings have played a very special role in my vocational life,” Nguyen said. “ When I receive the countless blessings from God through my family, my fellow citizens, men and women, and people around me, I turn my mind and heart to the young people who seem not to see clearly the love of God in their lives.”

Benedykt Pazdan, 25

Parents: Piotr and Zofia Pazdan. Before pursuing priesthood, Pazdan completed his elementary and secondary education in his native Poland. He began his seminary studies there at the major seminary in the diocese of Pzeszow before coming to the Unites States. He studied for one year in Bishop Abramowicz Preparatory Seminary before completing his studies at the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary. In preparation for his ordination, Pazdan served at St. Tarcissus Parish in Chicago. His first priestly assignment will be at St. John the Evangelist Parish, 502 S. Park Blvd., Streamwood. Pazdan will celebrate his first Mass of Thanksgiving at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, May 21, at St. Helen Church, 2315 W. Augusta Blvd., Chicago. Pazdan believes God has blessed him with a love of music, which he hopes will be one avenue to bring the Gospel message to young people. “This is my hope for the future of the Catholic Church that we can somehow present the Good News to the youth in such a way that it will be more attractive to them so that they can come to appreciate it more deeply in their lives and see that only Jesus Christ can satisfy their deepest longings,” he said.

Avitus Rukuratwa, 34

Parents: Ariadina Kiguta and the late Leonard Kiguta. Before pursuing priesthood, Rukuratwa completed his elementary and secondary education in his native Tanzania. He began his seminary studies there at Consolata Institute of Philosophy, before completing his studies at the University of St. Mary of the Lake/ Mundelein Seminary. In preparation for his ordination, Rukuratwa served at St. Benedict Parish in Blue Island. His first priestly assignment will be at Sacred Heart Parish, 1077 Tower Rd., Winnetka. Rukuratwa will celebrate his first Mass of Thanksgiving at 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 20, at St. Columbanus Church, 331 E. 71 st. St., Chicago. Avitus Rukuratwa has felt a call to the priesthood since he was a child in Tanzania, where he was an altar server and choir member. He felt the desire to be a priest and joined a congregation devoted to caring for the sick, but after a few years decided that he was called to serve as a missionary, ministering to people from a different culture and different geographical location. Soon he had the opportunity to work with the Archdiocese of Chicago through a friend, and decided to minister here.

Adán Sandoval, 32

Parents: Ruben Sandoval and Maria Duron Sandoval. Before pursuing priesthood, Sandoval completed his elementary education in his native Mexico and his secondary education in California. His preparation for priesthood began nine years ago at Casa Jesús, a house of formation and discernment for Hispanic men considering the priesthood run by the Archdiocese of Chicago. He began his seminary studies at St. Joseph Seminary at Loyola University, before completing his studies at the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary. In preparation for ordination, Sandoval served at St. Christina Parish in Chicago. His first priestly assignment will be at St. Michael Parish, 14327 Highland Ave., Orland Park. Sandoval will celebrate his first Mass of Thanksgiving at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 21, at Notre Dame De Chicago Church, 1334 W. Flournoy, Chicago. “Right now, my main focus will be on learning how to be a holy and effective priest,” said Sandoval. With 10 brothers and sisters and 27 nieces and nephews, all in the Chicago area, Sandoval will likely have lots of support. He hopes, he said, that the church in Chicago will recognize its richness. “We need to really understand the message of the Gospel,” he said. “The church in Chicago is so beautiful because it is so large and so diverse.”

Artur Sowa, 25

Patents: Bronislaw and Danuta Sowa. Before pursuing priesthood, Sowa completed his elementary and secondary education in his native Poland. He began his seminary studies in Poland at Wyzsze Seminarium Duchowne, before coming to the United States. He studied English for a year in Bishop Abramowicz Preparatory Seminary here before completing his studies at the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary. In preparation for ordination, Sowa served at St. Francis of Assisi Parish. His first priestly assignment will be at St. Julie Billiart Parish, 7399 W. 159 th St., Tinley Park. Sowa will celebrate his first Mass of Thanksgiving at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 20, at St. Julie Billiart Church. Sowa studied English in Bishop Abramowicz Preparatory Seminary for a year and then continued his studies at Mundelein Seminary. “I am grateful to God for the gift of vocation I received and I hope to serve him and his people for years to come,” he said.

Fernando Zuleta, 30