Candidacy of Pedro Reyes

The journey toward the priesthood is marked by important milestones. On February 6th, Pedro Jacob Reyes de Sena reached one such milestone when Archbishop Smith formally received his Candidacy. This moment is more than a ceremony; it is a public declaration of Pedro’s dedication to his vocation and the Church’s recognition of his readiness to continue toward ordination.

Archbishop Smith and the seminary community at the end of the celebration of Pedro's Candidacy

What Candidacy Means in the Path to Priesthood

Candidacy is the first official step toward Holy Orders. It is celebrated through a formal liturgical rite often called the "Admission to Candidacy for Holy Orders." During this rite, a seminarian publicly commits to pursuing ordination, signaling a deepened sense of vocation and readiness to complete the remaining formation.

This rite is significant because it marks the Church’s formal recognition of a man’s matured vocation. It confirms that the seminarian has demonstrated the spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral qualities necessary to continue his preparation for the priesthood. The Church entrusts him with greater responsibility and encourages him to grow in holiness and service.

Pedro Reyes during the Admission to Candidacy for Holy Orders ceremony

Those are the words of Archbishop Smith during his homily:

"In this particular mass, when Pedro is accepted to candidacy towards holy orders, it raises a very specific question related to witness. And that is, what is the witness given today by the priest and by the one who is in holy orders? The witness given by a priest in today's world has undergone a rather dramatic shift, I would say. There was an age in which the witness given by a priest was dependent upon the church. The church, particularly as an institution, was well understood in a certain era and in certain cultures, and precisely because people understood what the church was and what the church stood for, they also understood what the priest did. So in other words, the priest gave his witness through the church, and the people, understanding the church, understood the priest. Things have changed, I would say, radically right now, because we're living in an era where the church is not understood and not known. Jesus himself, in many circles today, is entirely unknown. So what does that say about the witness that the priest is called to give? As opposed to the priest witnessing through the church, now, the church and all that she stands for, witnesses through the priest. It is in coming to know and understand and witnessing the life of the priest that people are led to an understanding of what the church is. That increases the responsibility placed upon the shoulders of the priest. The impression that I give as a priest will be a reflection to others of what it means to be a Catholic, what it means to be in the Church, ultimately, who Jesus is. So what does that mean for you, Pedro? What does it mean for us, brothers? It means that first of all we have to be men in integrity, then of holiness and of love, conscious always that when people encounter us, they encounter the church and through the church Jesus Christ. The priest is called, therefore, consciously to cultivate his personal relationship with Jesus Christ so that he becomes a reflection to others of the truth of who Jesus is. So as you continue in your journey of discernment, Pedro, draw closer to the Lord, allow him to draw ever closer to you. Allow the love emanating from His sacred heart to transform you so that you may become by the way you live, by the way you think, by the way you act a living witness to the truth of the church and of who Jesus is. And we who are also striving to be those witnesses in our day by the hope of God's grace pledge ourselves to continue on that journey with you and accompany you in your journey to serve".

For Pedro, receiving Candidacy is a moment of both joy and responsibility. It acknowledges years of prayer, study, and discernment. His formation now moves closer to its goal: ordination to the priesthood. This step encourages Pedro to deepen his commitment to serving the Church and its people.

Please keep him in your prayers as he continues on the path towards the priesthood.

Pedro, alongside his brothers seminarians and formators