At 24, Miguel Tovar Fernández becomes the youngest priest in Spain: 'The happiest day of my life'

The parish of Our Lady of Remedies, in Torrealta, was the setting for the priestly ordination of Miguel Tovar Fernández on Saturday, July 5.

The ceremony was presided over by the Bishop of Cartagena, Monsignor José Manuel Lorca Planes, and was attended by family, friends, faithful from various parish communities , and a large group of priests.

During his homily, the bishop encouraged the new priest to live his vocation with dedication, reminding him that "what sustains you, encourages you, and helps you is not your strength, but the grace of God."

Miguel Tovar thus joins the diocesan presbytery as the youngest priest in Spain.

Miguel Tovar is a native of Torrealta, a district of Molina de Segura, Murcia. Through the website of the Diocese of Cartagena, he shared his vocational testimony: he first felt the call to the priesthood at age 13 , although during his adolescence he maintained a normal life, with friendships, studies, sports, and a relationship.

After completing high school, and after considering other options such as journalism or teaching, he entered the San Fulgencio major seminary in September 2019.

According to his account, it was a visit to the seminary that allowed him to “rest his heart” and confirm his vocation.

During his formative years at the seminary, Miguel participated in pastoral and spiritual experiences that shaped his path. Highlights include a visit to the Benedictine monastery of Leyre, which allowed him to deepen his understanding of liturgical spirituality, and a missionary trip to the Congo, where he experienced the universality of the Church.

“ I owe a lot to the seminary: my training, true friendships, but above all, having forged my priestly identity and a profound love for the Church, ” the new priest declared.

In his words of thanks at the end of the ordination, Miguel expressed his gratitude to God, his family, the seminary, and his instructors.

He especially thanked his parents for instilling in him the gift of faith and supporting him in his vocation . "It's probably the happiest day of my life," he said during the ceremony.

He also asked for prayers for him and the four other deacons who will be ordained priests in the coming days. The bishop announced that Miguel will begin his ministry as parochial vicar at the Church of El Salvador in Caravaca de la Cruz.

That same afternoon, at 7:00 p.m., he celebrated his first Eucharist as a priest in his home parish, in Torrealta.

*This content was written with the assistance of artificial intelligence, based on publicly available information released to media outlets. It was also reviewed by a journalist and an editor.