Archbishop Cordileone ordains three to priesthood

(L-R) Father Ernesto Jandonero, Father Michael Rocha and Father Kyle Faller at their ordination at St. Mary's Cathedral May 18. In his homily, Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone told them priestly joy was only found by seeking to please God. (Photos by Dennis Callahan/Catholic San Francisco)

Nicholas Wolfram Smith
May 18, 2019

Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone reminded three seminarians before their ordination that prayer is at the heart of a priest’s relationship to Christ. 

In his homily during the archdiocesan priestly ordination Mass on May 18, Archbishop Cordileone told the men to “‘Pray without ceasing’: make this always the center of your life, that it may animate all you do and are as Christ’s priest for his people.”

Fathers Kyle J. Faller, Ernesto M. Jandonero and Michael P. Rocha were ordained Saturday morning at St. Mary’s Cathedral by Archbishop Cordileone. Cardinal William J. Levada, retired Auxiliary Bishops Ignatius C. Wang and William J. Justice, Auxiliary Bishop Robert F. Christian, OP and retired Bishop of Santa Rosa Daniel F. Walsh concelebrated the Mass, along with more than 60 other priests.

Archbishop Cordileone emphasized that prayer makes possible a priest’s pastoral attentiveness and holy service to God and his people. Without it, he said, priests fail in their calling to follow the Lord. 

The archbishop closed his homily by quoting Pope Francis on the “one truly important thing in the life of the priest.

“‘Carry out with joy and charity, with sincerity, the priestly work of Christ, solely intent on pleasing God and not yourself. Priestly joy is found only by going down this path: seeking to please God,’” he said.

Following the homily, the Rite of Ordination began, with the three seminarians promising to uphold all the duties and responsibilities of priesthood. After they prostrated themselves before the altar, the archbishop and each priest placed their hands upon them and then Archbishop Cordileone said the prayer of consecration over each. Afterwards, they were vested in new stoles and chasubles and concelebrated the Mass. 

During the reception afterward in the cathedral hall, the new priests received congratulations and offered their blessing to those who had attended. 

Sitting a few feet from her son, Emilia Rocha told Catholic San Francisco that she was “very happy. This is such a blessing and he’s very excited,” she said.

Rocha said she had prayed for Father Rocha’s vocation since he was a child and told her he would become a priest.  

“I feel I’m blessed,” she said. “I’m not worthy to have a son as a priest. He’s going to be a good priest and I pray for him and all priests.”

Father Kyle Faller is the second son in his family to become a priest: his older brother Father Cameron Faller, ordained in 2015, is currently parochial vicar at Church of the Epiphany and is the incoming vocations director for the archdiocese.

Bonnie Faller, their mother, said it was “very emotional seeing them both together” on the altar during the Mass.

While she never anticipated having one son become a priest, let alone two, she said the brothers had been raised from childhood to be open to hearing God’s call, wherever it would lead them.

“I think in this day and age to have a young person listen to the call and do it is unexpected. I’m proud of them for listening,” she said.

Father Patrick Summerhays, the archdiocesan vocations director, said the trio of ordinations was “a joyous day for the whole archdiocese.

“They’ve learned to love the people of God in the local church and are ready and very excited to serve on a full time basis,” he said.

Father Summerhays asked that the archdiocese continue to pray for the newly ordained men as they “grow in ministry and learn to be Christ’s priests for his local church.”

All three men have been given assignments as parochial vicars in the archdiocese. Father Faller has been sent to St. Pius in Redwood City, Father Jandonero has been assigned to St. Hilary in Tiburon, and Father Rocha will go to Church of the Epiphany in San Francisco.

During the rite of ordination, all priests present participate in laying their hands on the candidates for ordination to the priesthood.


Archbishop Cordileone with Father Jandonero


Father Rocha and Father Jandonero distribute Communion at their Mass.


The archbishop with the three new priests.


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