By Communications Department - Archdiocese of Miami
MIAMI | The Archdiocese of Miami will gain four new priests this Saturday, May 12, when Archbishop Thomas Wenski ordains the following men: Deacon Omar Ayubi, Deacon Gustavo Barros, Deacon Juan Alberto Gomez, and Deacon Matthew Gomez.
The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. at St. Mary Cathedral, 7525 N.W. Second Ave., Miami. It is open to the public and will be livestreamed on the Archdiocese of Miami’s website and Facebook page.
Here are brief biographies of those to be ordained, as well as video interviews in anticipation of their ordination.
Deacon Omar E. Ayubi
Deacon Ayubi, 55, was born April 13, 1963, in Medellin, Colombia to Antonio Ayubi (deceased), and Judith Giraldo. He is the first of four siblings: one sister and two brothers. He graduated from St. Joseph High School in Colombia and obtained a degree in computer science from Universidad del Norte, Colombia. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy, cum laude, from St. John Vianney College Seminary in Miami and is completing his master’s in divinity at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach.
His home parish is Mother of Our Redeemer, Miami. His pastoral assignments include service at St. John Bosco, St. Brendan and St. Agatha parishes, Miami, as well as clinical pastoral education at NCH Naples Hospital. He has served his deaconate year at St. David Parish in Davie.
He will celebrate his first Masses Sunday, May 13, at 12:30 p.m. at Mother of Our Redeemer (in Spanish); Sunday, May 20, at 10 a.m. at St. David (in English); and Sunday, May 27, at 9:30 a.m. at St. Mark in Southwest Ranches (in English).
Deacon Gustavo M. Barros
Deacon Barros, 45, was born Sept. 7, 1972, in Santa Marta, Colombia to Gustavo Barros and Gloria Goenaga de Barros. He is the oldest of three siblings: one sister and one brother. He studied social communications at Universidad Autónoma del Caribe in Barranquilla, Colombia, and graduated from the University of Miami in 2008 with a master’s in journalism. He worked as a journalist in his native Colombia, Seattle and Miami before entering the seminary. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy from St. John Vianney Seminary in 2013 and is completing his master’s in divinity at St. Vincent de Paul Seminary.
His home parish is Mother of Our Redeemer, Miami. His pastoral assignments include service at Mother of Our Redeemer and Corpus Christi, Miami, as well as clinical pastoral education at New York Presbyterian, New York City. He has served his diaconate year at Assumption Parish in Lauderdale-By-The-Sea.
He will celebrate his first Masses Sunday, May 13, at 11 a.m. at Corpus Christi; and Sunday, May 20, at 12:30 p.m. at Assumption and at 7 p.m. at Mother of Our Redeemer.
Deacon Juan A. Gomez
Deacon Gómez, 37, was born Oct. 30, 1980, in Acayucan, Veracruz, Mexico to Juan Gomez and Catalina Roman (deceased). He is the fifth of seven brothers and sisters. He graduated from high school in the Bachillerato in Acayucan, Veracruz, Mexico and earned a bachelor of arts from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. He also earned a doctorate in sacred theology at Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores, Catholic Theological Institute for Oceania, affiliated to the Pontifical Lateran University. He is completing a master’s in divinity at St. Vincent de Paul Seminary.
His home parish is St. Cecilia in Hialeah. His pastoral assignments have included service at Immaculate Conception parish in Marlborough, Diocese of Boston, Massachusetts; St. Patrick in Holyoke, Diocese of Denver, Colorado; and St. Anne, Diocese of Pueblo, Colorado. He has served his diaconate year at St. Joachim Parish in Miami.
He will celebrate his first Masses Sunday, May 13, at 9 a.m. and noon, at St. Joachim.
Deacon Matthew Gomez
Deacon Gomez, 27, was born Sept. 4, 1990 in Hialeah to Luis Fernando and Laura Gomez. He is the first of three brothers. He graduated from Immaculate Conception School in Hialeah in 2005 and Msgr. Edward Pace High School in Miami Gardens in 2009. He was the coordinator of Encuentros Juveniles, the youth movement of the Archdiocese of Miami. After attending St. Thomas University for a year right after high school, he entered the seminary, earning a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy from St. John Vianney Seminary in 2013. He is completing a master’s in divinity at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary
His home parish is Immaculate Conception. His pastoral assignments have included service at San Lazaro, Hialeah, St. Michael the Archangel and the Shrine of Our Lady of Charity, Miami, and St. Louis in Pinecrest, as well as clinical pastoral education at the VA Health System Manhattan, New York City. He has served his diaconate year at Nativity Parish, Hollywood.
He will celebrate his first Masses Sunday, May 13, at 11 a.m. at Immaculate Conception and at 7 p.m. at San Lazaro; Sunday, May 20, at 9:30 a.m. at Nativity; and Sunday, May 27, at 12:30, 5:30 and 7:15 p.m. at St. Louis.