Valley's newest Catholic priest ordained in Harlingen

HARLINGEN — A 14-year journey culminated with one simple moment.

Deacon Cesar Uriel Partida was presented Saturday to Bishop Daniel Flores in front of a standing-room-only congregation at St. Anthony Catholic Church as a candidate for the priesthood.

After Flores deemed Partida worthy, he accepted him into the priesthood, making him the first priest ordained in Harlingen since Monsignor Gustavo Barrera was ordained in 1979, at St. Anthony’s as well.

"It’s such an amazing feeling that it’s difficult to describe," Partida said after the nearly two-hour ordination celebration.

"At that moment when Bishop Flores prayed over me, I felt the power of the Holy Spirit. I felt the love of the congregation … of my family, friends and other priests."

Nearly 50 clergy took part in the celebration as 33 priests and 15 deacons and seminarians attended the Mass. Parishioners filled the church to standing room only.

Partida spent 14 years studying in the seminary and was assigned as a deacon to St. Anthony’s more than one month ago by the bishop.

Partida’s ordination was the first in the Diocese of Brownsville this year. Flores said there would be three more in May.

"We usually have these ordinations at our biggest church, which would be the Basilica in San Juan," Flores said. "But since I decided to assign father Cesar to St. Anthony’s I thought it would be appropriate to have the ordination here for everyone in the parish to witness."

Partida will be the parochial vicar at St. Anthony’s where he’ll assist church pastor the Rev. Larry Klein.

"All priests are influenced by their families," Flores said. "Families do their part by offering their son and letting them do the work God has called them to do."

Partida’s parents were ecstatic to see their son join the ranks of the priesthood.

"We’re feeling a lot of joy and happiness right now," Javier Ramiro Partida said. "It’s such a privilege and great responsibility to have a priest in our family. We just pray now that he learns to love and care for his community."

The ceremony consisted of the singing of the litany of saints as Partida lay face down on the floor representing an offering of himself to the church and the community and the laying on of hands and prayer by the bishop.

Partida was then dressed in vestments that once belonged to his uncle, who was a priest in Mexico before passing away.

"It’s amazing how the Lord transforms a human being," Partida said. "As I laid there on the floor, I recalled my journey to this point. I’ve dreamt of the moment when I would be able to serve God’s people. It’s a new chapter in my life and in my heart, I know it’s the greatest chapter."

Last year only three priests were ordained in the diocese, Flores said.

According to www.georgetown.edu, the number of priests in the United States has dwindled by nearly 20,000 in the last 45 years.

In 1965 there were 58,632 priests in the United States, according to the website. In 2011, there were 39,466, according to the website.

In the same time frame, the number of religious sisters has gone down as well from 179,954 in 1965 to 55,944 in 2011, according to the same website.

Conversely, the Catholic population has increased since 1965, according to the website.

In 1965, the official Catholic Directory listed 45.6 million Catholics in the country. In 2011, the directory lists 65.4 million.