Posts Tagged
priesthood
The Joy of the Priesthood Shouldn’t be a Well-Kept Secret
“The men we want to become priests aren’t coming to us. We have to go out and find them.” I first heard these words three years ago, and the Holy Spirit has never let me forget them. They were shared by a friend, a former vocations director, expressing how hard …
A Call to Spiritual Arms Part 1
At the moment of , the most marvelous and terrifying event occurs, we are drafted into military service. Just as a civilian’s status changes to “Active Military” as soon as he or she begins Basic Training, so too do we become soldiers of Christ and full-fledged members of the Church …
What Are You Looking For?
Two thousand years ago, in a place near Bethany beyond the Jordan river, Jesus asked this question of Andrew: “What are you looking for?” (Jn. 1:38). These are the first words that Jesus speaks in John’s Gospel. His question becomes a theme: He asks it after the Resurrection of Mary …
Hundreds nominated for priesthood in Denver ‘Called by Name’ campaign
By Kate Quiñones Denver, Colo., Aug 18, 2025 / 06:00 am The Archdiocese of Denver asked parishioners to share the names of young men they thought would make good priests. The result? More than 900 names. But names aren’t the only outcome of the Called By Name campaign, which launched in May. …
Over 400 men in U.S. to be ordained in 2025; most felt called to priesthood by age 16
By Tessa Gervasini Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Apr 17, 2025 / 14:03 pm More than 400 men will be ordained to the priesthood in the U.S. this year, and on average they began to consider becoming a priest at just 16 years old, according to an annual CARA survey. The Center for Applied …
Initiative aims to boost Catholic priest vocations by shifting narrative on the priesthood
By Tyler Arnold Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Apr 16, 2025 / 07:00 am A new initiative is trying to shift the narrative on the Catholic priesthood by shining light on stories of heroic virtue, courage, and selfless acts from modern-day priests and bishops in an effort to strengthen the appeal of …
Catholic priests form band to raise money for Texas pregnancy centers
By Francesca Pollio Fenton CNA Staff, Aug 5, 2024 / 07:00 am Six Catholic priests from across the United States will be coming together Aug. 6–9 to take part in the “Concert for Life” — a musical event that raises money for crisis pregnancy centers in Texas. The band is comprised …
Weightlifting champion puts barbell to the side for a new journey — the priesthood
By Francesca Pollio Fenton CNA Staff, Aug 4, 2024 / 06:00 am Will Heller, a 21-year-old from Toledo, Ohio, is a two-time Junior National Medalist and All American, a state record holder in Ohio and Michigan, and the 2023 University National Champion in the 102 kilogram class in weightlifting. However, the …
Study on priest and religious student debt finds it can be a barrier to vocations
By Jonah McKeown CNA Staff, Aug 1, 2024 / 08:00 am A new study on student debt by a major Catholic research group, released today, sheds light on the challenges debt poses to prospective Catholic priests and religious as well as to U.S. dioceses and religious institutes. The researchers found that a discerning …
Some U.S. seminaries report surge in enrollments even as nationwide numbers remain flat
By Daniel Payne Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Aug 12, 2023 / 08:00 am Seminarian enrollment in the United States has been on a decadeslong decline as fewer young men seek out the priesthood and the number of active priests in the U.S. continues to dwindle. But some dioceses are reporting a notable …
