Newly ordained priest finds happiness in his vocation

Friday, Jul. 01, 2016

SALT LAKE CITY — Fr. Jorge Martinez celebrated his Thanksgiving Mass – his first Mass as an ordained priest – June 25 at Sacred Heart Parish in Salt Lake City, the day after he was ordained by Archbishop John C. Wester in the Cathedral of the Madeleine.

Sacred Heart Catholic Church was filled with parishioners from Veracruz, Mexico; Saint George, where he had served as a seminarian; Saint Francis of Assisi Parish, where he has been assigned as parochial vicar; from the Cathedral of the Madeleine and from Sacred Heart, as well as seminarians of the diocese and members of the Knights of Columbus.

Among the concelebrants of the Mass were Fr. Martinez’s friends Father Rafael Majano of Omaha, Neb., and Father Oscar Navarrete Soto de Tijuana; Father Eleazar Silva, pastor of Sacred Heart; and Father Jorge Roldan, parochial vicar of Saint Mary of the Assumption Parish in Park City.

Father Silva, who gave the homily, told a story about a small church in the mountains with a priest who was an alcoholic. “Everyone loved him, but his addiction made him make a lot of mistakes. … People were very cruel and demanded that the archbishop correct him,” said Fr. Silva.

The archbishop, who was Saint John XXIII, went to talk to the priest.  

“He asked the priest to confess him. … After his shock, he agreed and went to the confessional with him. ... What was said is not in St. John’s biography but after that the priest never drank again,” said Fr. Silva, adding that this true story is narrated in St. John XXIII’s biography.

Continuing with his homily, Fr. Silva said the Gospel for the day (Lk 9:51-62) recounted the temptations people face on earth, but “Our Lord always chooses the only way that He knows that is best for all His people,” and that way is mercy, “feeling love for us no matter what.

Fr. Martinez was ordained during the Year of Mercy, Fr. Silva pointed out, adding that he felt that he couldn’t offer any advice to the newly ordained priest.

“We all live in a cruel world that is fast to judge … fast to take revenge. Before we ask forgiveness, we judge. … The only thing that I want to tell Fr. Jorge is that in his priesthood life there are going to be many moments in which he might think that he might need to make fire rain from heaven. … but no, that’s not God’s will. When he is ministering his new flock he needs to always keep in mind that he needs to choose mercy,” said Fr. Silva.

During his comments, Fr. Martinez thanked everyone for being at the ceremony with him.

“Some of you I just met, others I have known for many years, but I thank you for all your prayers; it is through them that I am here,” said Fr. Martinez, who was very emotional and happy throughout the celebration. 

“I’ll keep all of you in my prayers. I am here today because God called me to be your servant. … I have discovered in him my happiness,” said Fr. Martinez.

Among those at the celebration were Silvia and Fatima Rodriguez, mother and daughter, who came from Fr. Martinez’s hometown of Misantla, Veracruz, Mexico to be with the newly ordained priest.

Silvia Rodriguez’s husband taught Fr. Martinez in high school; since that time they established a solid friendship that has just gotten stronger through the years.

“Even when he was away there was always communication,” said Silvia Rodriguez.

For them being able to be there that day was a blessing.

“It’s very beautiful. Because his parents couldn’t be here I told him that I would love to tell him in his mother’s name that we are very, very happy for him,” said Silvia Rodriguez, with tears of joy in her eyes.