Archdiocese of Panama ordains four new religious ministers

The Catholic Church in Panama celebrated the ordination of four new ministers at the Santa María La Antigua Metropolitan Basilica Cathedral on September 5, 2026. The ceremony, held during the centennial of the Archdiocese of Panama, was presided over by Archbishop José Domingo Ulloa Mendieta.

Two men, Abdiel Antonio Reyes Escobar and Jae Yeob Jung, were ordained as priests. Jung is a member of the International Catholic Missionary Society of Seoul and traveled from South Korea to pursue his mission in Panama. Two others, Juan De Dios Urrunaga Ponce and Carlos Marcial Bárcenas Gómez, were ordained as deacons.

During his homily, Archbishop Ulloa emphasized that the vocation is a divine calling rather than a personal decision. He urged the new ministers to focus on service, particularly to those who suffer, rather than seeking personal recognition.