Washington D.C., May 28, 2006 / 22:00 pm
Cardinal Theodore McCarrick ordained the Archdiocese of Washington's largest class of priests since 1973 and the second largest in the nation this year.
The cardinal ordained the 12 men Saturday at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. The ordinations will also mark the cardinal’s last major act as the bishop of Washington as he heads to retirement, reported the Washington Times.
The new priests come from a variety of vocational backgrounds, including careers as physicist, computer engineer, stockbroker, sales manager, scuba diver and Air Force parachutist. The group includes natives of Spain, Cuba, Britain and Hungary.
The cardinal credited the diocese's location for attracting a large and diverse class of new priests.