QUINCY -- More than 700 friends and supporters of the Redemptoris Mater Archdiocesan Missionary Seminary of Boston gathered on April 28 at the Boston Marriott in Quincy for the seminary's 12th annual Gala Dinner, which honored recently ordained Auxiliary Bishop Cristiano Barbosa.

Introducing Bishop Barbosa, Cardinal Seán P. O'Malley thanked all those who came out to support the seminary.

"Tonight, we are here because of the seminarians who are preparing to make a total commitment to Christ and to his church in their vocation," the cardinal said. "And it is encouraging to see so many people here supporting them with their prayers, their friendship, and their presence here tonight."

The cardinal called Bishop Barbosa "a gift that Pope Francis gave to us" and joked that he was happy to "show him off" at the gala. Bishop Barbosa noted that in Brazil, bishops are addressed as "Dom," which literally translates to "gift."

"That's what we are called to become to the world," he said. "A gift, as Jesus was the Father's gift to all of us. And that's what vocation is all about, so I'm deeply honored and humbled to stand before you tonight."

In his remarks, Bishop Barbosa, the first bishop of Brazilian descent in the history of Boston (and the second in U.S. history), posed a question to those in attendance: "Are you an immigrant?"

Redemptoris Mater is currently home to 27 seminarians who hail from 11 different countries.

Bishop Barbosa said that some of the seminarians have told him that, despite not being born in the U.S., they consider themselves missionaries rather than immigrants.

"You are a missionary," Bishop Barbosa replied, "but that is our mission as a church. We are all called to be missionaries no matter where we are."

"I am an immigrant," Bishop Barbosa said, to much applause, in his remarks. "Yo soy un inmigrante. Eu sou um imigrante. And I want you never to be ashamed of this, please. You need to understand that this comes along with the word 'mission.' We are called to this mission as immigrants."

Bishop Barbosa explained that his great-grandfather Valentino Borro immigrated to Brazil from Italy. Borro had 11 children and prayed that his sons would become priests someday. His youngest son, Bishop Barbosa's uncle, did. Later, his nephew would follow in his vocation.

"I always think about him and all those immigrants who are part of my family who went to Brazil," Bishop Barbosa said. "And now I feel proud to be an immigrant here to serve in this beautiful mission. Thank you all for your support, for all you do."

Cardinal O'Malley will ordain two seminarians from Redemptoris Mater -- Deacon Giovanni Argote and Deacon Gabriel Hanley -- to the priesthood at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston on Saturday, May 25, at 10 a.m.

Deacon Argote's journey to the priesthood is portrayed in "Nothing is Impossible for God: The Story of a Vocation," a short documentary film shown at the gala. It depicts Deacon Argote's upbringing in Valledupar, Colombia, where he was raised by his mother, Yadira.

In the film, Deacon Argote explains that he resented growing up without a father and even hated his father so much that he wanted to kill him. At one point, Deacon Argote believed that he would have to resort to selling drugs in order to lift his mother and himself out of poverty, until he got to know a priest named Father Sullivan.

"Why are you so happy?" Deacon Argote asked Father Sullivan.

Father Sullivan offered to let the young man shadow him for the day so he could see just what made him so happy. At the end of the day, a homeless man entered the church, and Father Sullivan gave him all of the money that he had. He told Deacon Argote to give whenever he could, because someday he might have plenty of money, but no willingness to give.

"I said, 'I want this,'" Deacon Argote recalled in the film. "'I want this happiness.' I wanted what this guy has."

In 2012, Deacon Argote entered a seminary in Colombia. He came to Boston in 2014. Eventually, Deacon Argote was reconciled with his father, who asked for his forgiveness. When Deacon Argote saw that his father harbored no hatred or grudge against him, he felt that he had no right to judge his father.

"When the Lord gave me the grace to see this," he said, "everything changed."

Looking back, Deacon Argote said that if he had grown up with a father, he never would have discovered his vocation.

"There is love in everything that happens in our lives," he said in the film. "Because there was a personal encounter with him, an encounter with God. Because it was then that I encountered God as a father in my life, through the seminary and the formation I received."

Yadira Argote was at the gala, having come from Colombia to see her son be ordained to the priesthood.

In his remarks, Father Antonio Medeiros, rector of Redemptoris Mater Seminary, said, "I trust that you all know that priests do not grow on trees."

"I hope you will not be scandalized if I tell you that most of us are not holy, exceedingly pious, and devout at birth. But many of you here, priests, are men who have been touched by the grace of God, and out of gratitude, they've become witnesses of God's mercy and saving grace," he added.

Father Medeiros also thanked Bishop Barbosa for accepting the honor from the seminary.

"His courage in allowing God to change the course of his life, and take on a new bride, as it were, a new culture, and a new country are truly admirable," he said.

At last year's gala, Father Medeiros announced plans to construct a new chapel for the seminary. This year, he said that construction of the chapel is set to begin in the near future. He thanked all who donated, and encouraged those who hadn't yet to do so.

"This has been an intense time and a labor of love," he said. "Proof that all things that come from God must be tested."

After the formal remarks concluded, the seminarians performed a medley of popular songs in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian. Some gala attendees hopped up out of their seats and danced, while others waved their napkins in the air and sang along.