Cardinal DiNardo to ordain four men to priesthood for Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, June 3
May 31, 2017
ARCHDIOCESE OF GALVESTON-HOUSTON
For immediate release
WHAT: Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston welcomes four new priests with upcoming Ordination
WHEN: Saturday, June 3, 2016, 10 a.m.
WHERE: Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, 1111 St. Joseph Parkway, Houston
CONTACT: Jonah Dycus, Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, Office of Communications; 713-652-8270 (office) or 281-865-8019 (mobile); e-mailjdycus@archgh.org
Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston welcomes four new priests with upcoming Ordination
HOUSTON – Daniel Cardinal DiNardo will ordain Michael Applegate, Jonathan Moré, Truong Son Nguyen and Michael McFall to the priesthood at 10 a.m. on June 3 at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, 1111 St. Joseph Pkwy. in downtown Houston.
Applegate was born in Hobbs, New Mexico and currently resides in Kingwood, where his family has lived for more than 15 years. He is the third child of a family of four boys.
Applegate said he heard “the call” to the priesthood his junior year in high school.
“My parents encouraged us to attend Mass as a family and to get involved with the Church,” he said. “I have always desired to serve others.”
Raised Catholic by devout parents, Moré’s first inklings of a calling came in his early teens, but he put off any real discernment until college. Still dealing with indecision, Moré signed up for a vocations retreat.
“It was no sooner than my bags hit the floor in my room at the retreat house that I felt a deep peace and conviction that this was right and that my path forwards would take me to the seminary and priesthood,” he said. “That conviction has not wavered since.”
Nguyen was born in Bien Hoa, Vietnam. His family moved to America when he was four years old. Nguyen is the youngest of seven siblings. He credits his parents for always encouraging him to live a religious life.
“They did this mainly by setting examples such as being involved in Church and showing me love when I most needed it,” he said. “God has really blessed my family and me through many struggles and successes.”
McFall was born and raised in Jasper, Texas, the youngest of five children. He was raised on a farm where they grew vegetables and raised cattle and honeybees.
“I wanted to be a priest since I was in the third grade,” he said. “I always loved learning and growing in my Catholic faith and I wanted to share my joy with others.”
After graduating from college, McFall spent six months volunteering in Honduras working at an orphanage with the Franciscan Friars.
“I felt drawn to the priesthood during my time in Honduras which led me to becoming a seminarian when I returned back to Houston,” he said.
McFall looks forward to sharing the love of God with all people.
“There is nothing more fulfilling than bringing the Sacraments to the people of God,” he said. “As a priest, I will be able to help lead people to Christ in a very direct way through the Sacraments.”
The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston serves 1.6 million Catholics in 10 counties.
It is the largest Roman Catholic diocese in Texas and the 12th largest in the United States.