CARDINAL WELCOMES 13 INTO PRIESTHOOD AT SERVICE.

Byline: Virginia Gonzalez Daily News Staff Writer

Thirteen seminarians were ordained priests - the largest group in Los Angeles since 1992 - during a Saturday ceremony conducted by Cardinal Roger Mahony at St. Joseph the Worker Church in Reseda.

Mahony strayed from the tradition of holding the ordination at St. Vibiana's Cathedral downtown after the city gave the Archdiocese 72 hours to tear down the quake-damaged bell tower Friday, saying it poses a ``threat to life and safety.''

Construction workers went to work Saturday removing the 83-foot tower, but the effort was halted after the city determined that the archdiocese hadn't taken out the proper permits, said the Rev. Gregory Coiro, a church spokesman.

Regardless of the locale, a standing-room-only crowd of 500 priests, bishops, family members and well-wishers gathered at the Reseda church to witness the men dedicating their lives to their Lord.

``It is a very joyful day for these men and for the church,'' Mahony said.

The new priests ``represent a reflection of the people of the archdiocese, and it is a wonderful gift to be able to have men from these various communities now at the service of the church.''

Joining Mahony were 10 bishops - including Bishop Armanda X. Ochoa - and about 50 Southern California priests helping to conduct the more than two-hour ceremony.

As part of the ordination, those present were asked for consent to accept the seminarians into priesthood.

The candidates publicly declared their intentions to join the church and promised to be obedient. The cardinal, bishops and priests laid their hands atop the candidates' heads in prayer, anointed their hands with oil and introduced them to the assembly as priests of the church.

``I've witnessed five or six (ordinations) since I started (studying for the priesthood), and each one became more and more powerful,'' said newly ordained priest Charles ``Chip'' Mayer.

``I started to realize that it was going to be me next,'' he said. ``Going through (Saturday's ceremony), my heart was pounding - I just felt God's spirit with me.''

Beginning July 1, Mayer will move from St. Jude the Apostle parish in Westlake Village, where he has served as deacon for the past few years to Our Lady of Lourdes parish in Northridge.

``I'm really excited and proud (of Mayer) because of his commitment to what's meaningful in his life,'' said Martha Terwilliger, a well-wisher from St. Jude. ``I know he's going to make a great priest.''

Parishioners at St. Joseph the Worker were pleased to see their deacon, Chanh Van Nguyen, 32, of Reseda, ordained as a priest.

``We love him, we are very proud of him, and we believe he will do a great job,'' said Chuong Le. Le and other parishioners were particularly pleased because Nguyen will remain at the church.

The 11 other newly ordained priests are Albert Bahhuth, 39, of Beirut, Lebanon; Stephen Davoren, 34, of Pasadena; Roberto Jaranilla of the Philippines; Mark Martinez, 34, of Los Angeles; Olin Mayfield, 27, of Santa Clarita; Daniel Perez, 29, of Pomona; Victor Ruvalcaba, 38, of Los Angeles; Michael Sezzi, 31, of Glendale; Mario Torres, 28, of East Los Angeles; Mark Warnstedt, 38, of Santa Monica; and Valentine Zdilla, 41, of Monessen, Penn.