Seminaries

Some U.S. seminaries report surge in enrollments even as nationwide numbers remain flat

By Daniel Payne, Catholic News Agency/ Catholic World Report, August 12, 20223 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... read more

Survey of new priests: Most pray rosary, go to eucharistic adoration, parents stayed married

By Kevin J. Jones, Catholic News Agency, April 26, 2023 More than 450 men are set to be ordained priests this year, and the survey of their ordination class shows that the overwhelming majority of priests-to-be were raised Catholic in intact families and individually showed habits of... read more

Cardinal Ouellet: Priests not supporting Francis should ask, ‘What am I doing here?’

By Christopher White, National Catholic Reporter, February 17, 2022 ROME — When Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet was first appointed in 2010 to lead the Vatican's Congregation for Bishops, the office that advises the pope on candidates to serve as Catholic bishops around the world, the former... read more

“Amoris Laetitia”: A Clarion Call for a Healthier Clergy

By Msgr. Frank Chiodo, Homiletic and Pastoral Review, October 28, 2021 One of the often missed points in Amoris Laetitia (chapter 6, §203) is the Holy Father’s reference to the importance of improving the psycho-affective development of future priests. I am convinced that this is long... read more

Seminarian ousted after reporting his imposed spiritual director’s remarks about homosexuality

The path to ordination seemed clear – until Robert expressed his unease about remarks made by the spiritual director he didn't choose. By Emily Mangiaracina, LifeSite News, July 8, 2021 An ex-seminarian revealed that he was ousted from seminary after “resisting” a spiritual director... read more

Seminarians Soldier On Toward Ordination

Formation continues online, as does raising needed funds to sustain the seminaries themselves. By Jim Graves< National Catholic Register, April 28,2020 The COVID-19 pandemic has closed many of the nation’s seminaries, as seminarians were sent home in accordance to state mandates and... read more

Future Priests Forge Ahead: Seminarians Say Lessons From Scandals Bolster Hope, Faith

Several seminarians who spoke with the Register said they grew in their love for the priesthood, thanks to the support and example they received within their seminaries. Mass is celebrated at John Vianney College Seminary in Miami. Transitional Deacon Connor Penn says, ‘God’s people... read more

Coming Out of the Closet

By Rev. Jerry J. Pokorsky, Catholic Thing, February 20, 2020 At times, priests reveal intimate secrets about themselves from the pulpit. I’ve always hesitated to do so mostly because a sermon should be about Jesus, and innermost secrets and feelings are none of your business. But there are... read more
St. Patrick's Seminary & University in Menlo Park, California.

The State of the Seminary and Reasons for Hope

The seminarians whom I serve, as a professor of philosophy, wish eagerly to share the Gospel and the freedom they themselves have found in Christ. Catholic World Report, John Macias, January 30, 2020 Our Lord told his disciples, “the harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask... read more

Kazakhstan bishop ordains new F.S.S.P. priest at St. Mary Parish

[Bishop Athanasius Schneider was the featured speaker at our 2017 Catholic Citizens of Illinois Annual Banquet.–Ed.] By Stephen Beale, Rhode Island Catholic, November 14, 2019 Father William Rock, F.S.S.P., was ordained by Bishop Athanasius Schneider, O.R.C., the auxiliary bishop of... read more
Walter Denton prays as the sun rises in his backyard in Agat, Guam, Saturday, May 11, 2019.

Guam’s ex-archbishop shielded culture of clergy sex abuse

By Michael Biesecker, AP, August 9, 2019 Walter Denton wanted to grow up to be just like Father Tony Apuron, until the night he says the parish priest raped him in a church rectory. The pastor sent the sobbing 13-year-old altar boy away with a warning: “If you say anything to anybody, no one... read more
Bishop Arthur J. Serratelli

New Jersey bishop accused of covering-up priest’s gay sex abuse

Pope Francis meets with Bishop Gustavo Zanchetta. Credit: Vatican Media.

Zanchetta to stand trial in Argentina for sexual abuse of seminarians

Sexual misconduct with adults next scandal facing the U.S. Church (Credit: Pixabay.)

Sexual misconduct with adults next scandal facing the U.S. Church