Rome, May 23, 2026. Bishop Fernando Castro Aguayo of Margarita (Venezuela) conferred priestly ordination on 18 deacons of the Prelature of Opus Dei, from 12 different countries. The ordination took place at the Basilica of Saint Eugene in Rome, where the newly ordained priests were surrounded by the prayers and affection of family and friends.

In his homily, the Bishop of Margarita expressed his joy with a tribute to the Roman Pontiff: “My heart goes out to Pope Leo XIV, who has been a champion of peace in the world from the very beginning. He asked Christians to be, with whatever light the Lord may grant us, ‘craftsmen of peace’ and promoters of harmony, respect, and fraternity in the world.”

Addressing the ordinands in that same spirit, Bishop Castro Aguayo added: “Let us be confident that when we strive to live our priesthood with the charism we have received from Saint Josemaría, we are sowing the Gospel; we are constantly inviting men and women to live a holy life. And wherever the Gospel takes root, and with it the desire for holiness, a change of heart and conduct follows, and the logic of truth, justice, and charity begins to prevail. In this way, sure and steady steps are taken along the path of peace.”

For this reason, the bishop concluded, “hidden within fidelity to the priesthood lies the power of peace that the world and the Church so urgently need.”

At the close of the ceremony, the Prelate of Opus Dei, Monsignor Fernando Ocáriz, took the floor to emphasize that “the priesthood is a great gift for you and for the whole Church, and it encourages us to live what Saint Josemaría recommended: ‘let us always remain in a spirit of thanksgiving.’”

He also congratulated the new priests and addressed a special word to their parents: “You helped nurture in your sons the gift of their priestly vocation.” He concluded with an invitation to “pray fervently for the Pope and for his intentions, which embrace the whole Church and the whole world, and at this particular moment, especially for peace.”

After the ceremony, Bishop Castro Aguayo shared that he had a chance to speak with Pope Leo XIV, who sent his blessing to all of them, especially the newly ordained priests.

• Watch the ceremony here.

The new priests are:

• José María Álvarez de Toledo Martín de Peralta (Spain)
• Joseph Michael Nicolas Arbilo (Philippines)
• Tobechukwu Ugochukwu Attoh (Nigeria)
• Alfonso Carlos Aza Jácome (Spain)
• Pablo Bistué Muñoz (Spain)
• Alfonso Cabrera Salinas (Cameroon)
• Pedro José de León Chávez (Guatemala)
• Francisco de Paula Febres-Cordero Carrillo (Venezuela)
• Josimar Pereira Freitas (Brazil)
• Juan Martín Gismondi (Argentina)
• José Tomás Larraín Correa (Chile)
• Anthony Oluchukwu Momah (Nigeria)
• Peter Leonard Otieno Ndeda (Kenya)
• Charles Ejike Ozoene (Nigeria)
• David Serrano Ariza (Colombia)
• Federico Angelo Carlo Skodler (Italy)
• Víctor Torre de Silva Valera (Spain)
• Augustine Onyekachi Ufoegbune (Nigeria)

Some of the ordinands’ stories

Joseph Michael (Josh) Arbilo, 33, was born in Manila, Philippines. He graduated from the University of Asia and the Pacific in 2016 with a Master of Arts in Humanities degree. He finished his high school in PAREF Southridge School and returned there in 2022 to work as a mentor and religion teacher for three years. He is currently pursuing a doctorate degree in liturgical theology in Rome. “Priests, through sacramental ordination, are able to lend Christ their voice, hands, body and soul, in the service of God's people. It is a daunting thought,” Arbilo says. “But we can rely on God's grace and the prayers of so many.”

Federico Skodler is 48 and was born in Trieste, Italy. He studied Philosophy and spent several years as a learning support teacher in Italian state schools. An associate member of Opus Dei, he also has a lifelong passion for buses: “As a child, I loved watching lorries at work on building sites. That gradually turned into a fascination with urban buses, and I ended up becoming something of an expert.” When he discovered others shared his interest, he joined an association dedicated to preserving the heritage of local public transport. It’s an unlikely inspiration for a priestly vocation, but Federico has made it his own: “What’s always fascinated me about buses isn’t the machine itself, but how they take people where they need to go. As a deacon, and soon a priest, I hope to do something similar: walk with people on the only journey that truly matters, the one that leads us to holiness, where our real happiness lies.”

Alfonso Cabrera Salinas grew up in Córdoba, Spain, and is a numerary member of Opus Dei. After studying in his home city, he spent ten years in Cameroon, working and contributing to the apostolates of the Work. The experience shaped his path to the priesthood in ways he never expected. “I’m the youngest of nine,” he says, “and growing up in my family taught me to trust providence, even when the road ahead isn’t clear. I’ll always be grateful for those years in Cameroon. I got to see the richness of the Church and the Work from the inside, in a marvelous place, very different from the one I grew up in.

David Serrano was born in Bogotá, Colombia in 1997. He spent several years teaching philosophy at a school there before moving to Rome, where he is now doing research at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross. He has a special affection for the Eternal City after nearly seven years living in it: “When I first arrived, Bishop Javier Echevarría told me that Rome’s greatest treasure is the Pope. I’ve never forgotten that. Living here has taught me that being Roman means, more than anything else, being close in heart to the successor of Peter. I hope my priestly ministry will carry that spirit; being a bridge that helps people feel at home in the Church, and discover in that great family the love God has for them.”

Tobe Attoh grew up in Lagos, Nigeria, where he studied and worked before coming to Rome for his theological studies. His first encounter with Opus Dei goes back further than most: “I was four years old when I first heard of the Work, because of an amazing dessert my mother made. She told us she’d gotten the recipe from some women of Opus Dei.” Years later, attending the beatification of Álvaro del Portillo gave that childhood memory an entirely new depth: “I felt the universality of the Work and the warmth of the people there, and suddenly understood what my mother had been pointing to all those years before.”

Víctor Torre de Silva was born in Madrid, Spain in 1998 and studied Philosophy at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome. Before his priestly formation, he taught philosophy at a high school in Madrid, and that experience has stayed with him: “Teaching and proclaiming the Gospel aren’t two totally different things. Both are about helping people open themselves to truth and to God’s love, which is what gives human life its meaning. I hope my priestly ministry will be a continuation of that same search and that through it, many people might discover the joy of knowing they are loved and called to love in return.”