Pope Leo has greeted Spain’s youngest priest and his parents at the Vatican. Speaking to Fr Miguel Tovar Fernández, he advised the new cleric to “never lose your joy” and also congratulated his parents on giving their son to the Church.
Fr Miguel was ordained priest on 5 July for the Diocese of Cartagena, in south-east Spain and in the Region of Murcia. At just 24 years of age, he had to receive a special dispensation from the Pope in order to be ordained as Canon 1031 stipulates that men in the Latin Rite must be at least 25 years old before receiving ordination. He is one of five young men who were ordained during July for the diocese.
