WWW.THEFLORIDACATHOLIC.ORG July 2020
FLORIDA Catholic
MIAMI ARCHDIOCESE
ANA RODRIGUEZ-SOTO
Florida Catholic staff
MIAMI Their ordination cere- mony, like their "yes" to priesthood, was a bit delayed. But Fathers An- drew Tomonto and Ryan Saunders both agree that it ultimately hap- pened in God's good time. Their ordination ceremony took place June 27, 2020, more than a month after the usual date, with reduced attendance and no post- ceremony first blessings due to the COVID-19 precautions. In his homily, Archbishop Thom- as Wenski noted that the archdio- cese usually ordains its priests in May, on the Saturday of Mother's Day weekend, as "a kind of gift to the mothers of our priests." Since this year the ceremony took place the weekend after Father's Day, he said, it could be considered "a be- lated Father's Day gift to this local Church of Miami." Local being a key word this year, as both of the newly ordained are south Florida-born and raised, products of Catholic elementary and secondary schools. Both also felt God's call early but postponed entering the seminary until gradu- ating from college - and, in Father Saunders' case, pursuing a parallel interest in politics. Here are brief profiles of Miami's newest priests.
FATHER ANDREW TOMONTO
"It's in his blood," Elsa Tomonto said of her eldest son's vocation to the priesthood. Father Tomonto's grandfather, the late Bob Tomonto, was a perma- nent deacon at the family's home parish of St. Louis in Pinecrest. He and his wife, Irene Tomonto, joined the Christian Family Movement in the 1960s. At St. Louis, they created the Covenant Experience, a parish- based enrichment program for married couples. "I've always had very, very good priests in my life," said Father Tomonto, who was born in Mercy
Home-grown vocations
Newly ordained Father Ryan Saunders, center left, and Father Andrew Tomonto, center right, pose for a photo with Archbishop Thomas Wenski, center, and the outgoing and incoming archdiocesan vocations directors, respectively Father Elvis Gonzalez, far right, and Father Matthew Gomez, far left. Archbishop Thomas Wenski ordained two South Florida natives to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Miami June 27, 2020. The ceremony had been postponed from May due to the COVID-19 outbreak, and was still punctuated by mask-wearing and social distancing among the limited number of both faithful and priests in attendance. (PHOTOS BY ANA RODRIGUEZ-SOTO FC)
PLEASE SEE ORDINATION, 8
Archbishop John C. Favalora, emeritus of Miami, congratulates newly ordained Father Andrew Tomonto. Archbishop Thomas Wenski ordained two South Florida natives to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Miami June 27, 2020. Msgr. Terence Hogan, pastor of Mary Help of Christians in Parkland, congratulates newly ordained Father Ryan Saunders, whom he hired as master of ceremonies and associate director of the Office of Worship when he was rector of St. Mary Cathedral.
Miami's newest priests are native to South Florida, products of local Catholic schools
Hospital. But Elsa Tomonto didn't neces- sarily want her son to become a priest. "She's a Colombian mom who wants to be a Colombian grandmother," he explained. His becoming a priest would cut her chance at that by one-third, as An- drew is the eldest of three sons.
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