In the midst of the pre-conclave atmosphere, with an eye toward the election of the new pope, the Catholic Church experienced another moment of profound hope with the ordination of 23 new Legionaries of Christ priests on May 3 in St. Paul Outside the Walls Basilica, one of the four great papal basilicas in Rome.

The ceremony, which was initially to be conducted by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, camerlengo of the Catholic Church, was delegated to Bishop Pedro Pablo Elizondo Cárdenas, Mexican bishop of the Diocese of Cancún-Chetumal, due to Farrell being engaged in his official duties at this crucial time for the Church.

A Church in full renewal

In his homily, Cárdenas emphasized the urgent need for priests “who know how to come out of themselves, out of their comfort zones. It needs priests, not men settled into their surroundings and living in comfort.”

He also emphasized that the Catholic Church is undergoing a full renewal process and requires priests who are “zealous and deeply rooted, courageous, not complacent or idle, who know how to undertake things, be active and take initiative, who know how to give everything for the mission.”

He therefore called on the new priests to dedicate their lives to prayer, reminding them that “a vocation is born in prayer, matures in prayer, and bears fruit in prayer.”

The priests come from various countries: one from Argentina, three from Colombia, one from El Salvador, nine from Mexico, two from Venezuela, one from the United States, and two from Brazil. From Europe, two were ordained from Germany, one from Spain, and one from France.

An increase in vocations

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This day also marked a significant milestone for the Legionaries of Christ. According to its website, the congregation had 1,309 members at the end of 2024, of whom 1,033 are priests, 24 more than in 2023.

Mexico is the country that contributes the most members to the congregation, after the United States and Spain. The Legionaries of Christ’s formative process lasts 12 years before priestly ordination.

Currently, the congregation has a permanent presence in 23 countries and is organized into nine territories as well as two areas headed by a delegate. It also has a community of student priests in Rome, an International Pontifical Seminary in the same city, and an interdiocesan seminary and theological institute in São Paulo, Brazil.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.