RALEIGH, N.C. — Drew Eliot Navarro was ordained to the priesthood June 6 at Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral. A graduate of St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary and East Carolina University, he’s a Raleigh native whose home parish is St. Luke the Evangelist in North Raleigh.
During Mass, which was streamed live, his father, George Navarro shared a reading in English, and seminarian Anthony May shared a reading in Spanish.
Deacon Gabriel Nugent, recently ordained to the transitional diaconate, shared the Gospel. After it was read, he said, “Let the one who is to be ordained come forward” as [then] Deacon Drew walked to the aisle and stood while Father Michael Schuetz, director of the Office of Vocations, testified that the candidate was prepared and worthy. After Bishop Luis Rafael Zarama accepted the election, the congregation applauded as the deacon, soon to be ordained a priest, returned to his seat.
In his homily, the bishop thanked those present, especially Drew’s family and friends, brother priests and Father Alfredo Hernández, seminary rector, for their presence.
Bishop Luis, who is known for speaking directly to candidates during ordination Mass, smiled and asked Drew why he was there. The two conversed about the gradual process of discernment, love and mercy.
“Now is the time when you will start to practice what you have been preparing for,” Bishop Luis said. “Pope Leo XIV says, ‘let the people in and be ready to go out.’ It is the way that a priest, if you like to be like Jesus and you become like Jesus, how you will be, like Jesus who is going out to search for the last sheep and bring to that person who is there, hope. Life in the world today is not easy … it looks like there is no hope … that is exactly where the Lord Jesus is calling you to be. Never be afraid of the darkness of the world because your eyes need to be focused on what you discovered and what moved you to sacrifice a lot to be able to be here today.”
With verbal answers of “I do,” Deacon Drew made promises, including obedience to the bishop and his successors. The ordination Mass continued with the litany of supplication whereby the elect prostrated himself on the floor as the Litany of the Saints was sung.
After being ordained by the bishop at the cathedra, or bishop’s chair, Father Drew knelt in front of the altar as clergy members — one by one — offered him a blessing. Next, Father Steven DiMassimo and Monsignor John Williams helped Father Drew vest, or put on the robe of a priest as the congregation witnessed the ceremonial moment.
After Mass, the faithful celebrated with a reception at the cathedral’s parish hall. Father Drew celebrated his first full Mass as a priest June 7, which was Corpus Christi Sunday, at St. Luke in Raleigh.
The Diocese of Raleigh announced Friday that Father Drew was appointed parochial vicar at the Basilica Shrine of St. Mary Parish in Wilmington.
In a recent NC Catholics NOW interview, he shared that formation taught him that self-knowledge allows people to make a gift of themselves.
“Knowing more deeply who I am, in God's eyes … he's called me to this vocation and with it provided many people who formed me over the years and then also his grace which isn't to be, never to be, underestimated,” he said. “This is my sacrament that I'm receiving. But there is a reality that it's something far deeper … it's being offered back to God.”
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