PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: June 23, 2016
Contact: Renee Salvador, Marketing Director
562-435-4496 ext. 1241, [email protected]
St. Anthony High School Graduate Ordained Priest
Los Angeles, CA. On Saturday, June 4th, St. Anthony High School alumnus Paolo Garcia, Class of 2002, was ordained a Catholic priest during a Mass and Ordination Ceremony celebrated by His Eminence Archbishop Jose H. Gomez, at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles, California.
Reverend Paolo Martin Jacinto Garcia was among nine other men who entered the priesthood that day, offering their first blessings in the Cathedral Plaza immediately following the Mass of Ordination. Among those proudly in attendance were St. Anthony High School’s President Gina Rushing Maguire, Principal Mike Schabert, and Campus Chaplain Fr. Raymond Marquez. All three unanimously decided over a year ago to postpone the high school’s traditional graduation date on the first Saturday of June to enable them to attend this very important ordination ceremony.
According to President Maguire, “We have been following Paolo Garcia’s path to the priesthood for many years and our entire school community was so excited when we heard the news that his ordination day was coming. There was never any question that as many of us as possible would be there that day to celebrate Paolo’s vocation and cheer him on as he started his priestly ministry. It has been many years since a St. Anthony High School graduate made that commitment, and we are so proud of Fr. Paolo Garcia, Class of 2002.”
Fr. Garcia’s home parish is St. Lucy in Long Beach, close to the home of his St. Anthony High School alma mater. His first assignment however has him leaving the beach town and heading inland to reside in Rowland Heights, where he has been assigned to serve as Associate Pastor at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish.
St. Anthony High School offers a co-educational college preparatory curriculum with a wealth of extracurricular activities and leadership development opportunities. More information is available on the school's website: www.LongBeachSaints.org or by contacting the high school at 562-435-4496.