null / Credit: PIGAMA/Shutterstock

National Catholic Register, Jun 4, 2025 / 09:39 am (CNA).

The bishop of Charlotte, North Carolina, has delayed his plan to restrict the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) in his diocese, pushing the date back by nearly three months after a week and a half of significant backlash in North Carolina and beyond.

Bishop Michael Martin has determined that a plan to restrict the TLM from four parish churches to a single, designated chapel will now go into effect on Oct. 2, according to a June 3 story from the Catholic News Herald, the diocese’s official newspaper. The Charlotte bishop had previously announced on May 23 that the restrictions would go into effect on July 8. 

The Herald reported that Martin made the change after accepting a request from the priests of the parishes where the TLM is currently celebrated to delay the restrictions, which he said he had originally scheduled to coincide with changes in diocesan assignments.

“It made sense to start these changes in July when dozens of our priests will be moving to their new parishes and other assignments,” the bishop told his diocesan paper. “That said, I want to listen to the concerns of these parishioners and their priests, and I am willing to give them more time to absorb these changes.”

Martin also told the Herald that if the Vatican changes required restrictions of the TLM, the Diocese of Charlotte “would abide by those instructions.”

The bishop’s delay comes after his decision to restrict the TLM in Charlotte — several months ahead of a Vatican deadline — faced criticism for being premature and unnecessarily restrictive.

Critics pointed out that Martin’s restriction to a single non-parish chapel was being made months ahead of an October cutoff of an extension the Vatican had previously granted the diocese to implement Traditionis Custodes, Pope Francis’ 2021 apostolic letter that called for limiting the availability of the TLM to non-parish churches and established Vatican oversight over associated permissions. Some speculated that the timing of the Charlotte moves would effectively preempt Pope Leo XIV, who may choose to regulate the TLM differently than Pope Francis.

The new target date for the Charlotte TLM restrictions now aligns with the original deadline of the Vatican’s extension, which had been requested by the previous ordinary of Charlotte, Bishop Peter Jugis, who retired in April 2024.

The controversy expanded when sweeping liturgical norms Martin had drafted — which included a ban on Latin in all diocesan liturgies and the prohibition of other traditional liturgical practices like “ad orientem” worship — were publicly leaked. 

The Diocese of Charlotte told the Register at the time that the document, which would apply to all forms of the Mass, not just the TLM, was “an early draft that has gone through considerable changes over several months” and is still being discussed by the diocesan presbyteral council and Office for Divine Worship. Given references to Pope Francis, the document appears to have been drafted prior to the late pope’s April 21 death.

“It represented a starting point to update our liturgical norms and methods of catechesis for receiving the Eucharist,” said diocesan communications director Liz Chandler, adding that the norms will be “thoroughly reviewed” in accord with the teaching of the Second Vatican Council and the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM).

Although the changes have not gone into effect, critics contended that Martin’s justification for them was not consistent with Church teaching, including Vatican II’s pastoral constitution on the liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium.

Others raised concerns that Martin, who marked his one-year anniversary as Charlotte’s bishop on May 29, was engaging in unnecessary micromanagement and had failed to adequately listen to people in his diocese.

In addition to allowing the affected communities more time to accept the changes to the TLM in Charlotte, Martin told diocesan priests in a June 3 email that the delay “allows more time for the transition and for renovation of a chapel designated for the TLM community,” according to the Herald.

The diocese is putting $700,000 toward renovations of the designated TLM chapel, which was formerly the home of the Freedom Christian Center, a Protestant community.

The Herald described the Mooresville chapel as “strategically located” between the diocese’s two biggest population centers, but critics have complained that it is more than a two-hour drive from St. John the Baptist in Tryon, one of the four parishes where the TLM will be prohibited starting Oct. 2.

The diocese reports that approximately 1,100 people attend the TLM in Charlotte each week.

This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, CNA’s sister news partner, and has been adapted by CNA.

null / Credit: PIGAMA/Shutterstock

National Catholic Register, Jun 4, 2025 / 09:39 am (CNA).

The bishop of Charlotte, North Carolina, has delayed his plan to restrict the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) in his diocese, pushing the date back by nearly three months after a week and a half of significant backlash in North Carolina and beyond.

Bishop Michael Martin has determined that a plan to restrict the TLM from four parish churches to a single, designated chapel will now go into effect on Oct. 2, according to a June 3 story from the Catholic News Herald, the diocese’s official newspaper. The Charlotte bishop had previously announced on May 23 that the restrictions would go into effect on July 8. 

The Herald reported that Martin made the change after accepting a request from the priests of the parishes where the TLM is currently celebrated to delay the restrictions, which he said he had originally scheduled to coincide with changes in diocesan assignments.

“It made sense to start these changes in July when dozens of our priests will be moving to their new parishes and other assignments,” the bishop told his diocesan paper. “That said, I want to listen to the concerns of these parishioners and their priests, and I am willing to give them more time to absorb these changes.”

Martin also told the Herald that if the Vatican changes required restrictions of the TLM, the Diocese of Charlotte “would abide by those instructions.”

The bishop’s delay comes after his decision to restrict the TLM in Charlotte — several months ahead of a Vatican deadline — faced criticism for being premature and unnecessarily restrictive.

Critics pointed out that Martin’s restriction to a single non-parish chapel was being made months ahead of an October cutoff of an extension the Vatican had previously granted the diocese to implement Traditionis Custodes, Pope Francis’ 2021 apostolic letter that called for limiting the availability of the TLM to non-parish churches and established Vatican oversight over associated permissions. Some speculated that the timing of the Charlotte moves would effectively preempt Pope Leo XIV, who may choose to regulate the TLM differently than Pope Francis.

The new target date for the Charlotte TLM restrictions now aligns with the original deadline of the Vatican’s extension, which had been requested by the previous ordinary of Charlotte, Bishop Peter Jugis, who retired in April 2024.

The controversy expanded when sweeping liturgical norms Martin had drafted — which included a ban on Latin in all diocesan liturgies and the prohibition of other traditional liturgical practices like “ad orientem” worship — were publicly leaked. 

The Diocese of Charlotte told the Register at the time that the document, which would apply to all forms of the Mass, not just the TLM, was “an early draft that has gone through considerable changes over several months” and is still being discussed by the diocesan presbyteral council and Office for Divine Worship. Given references to Pope Francis, the document appears to have been drafted prior to the late pope’s April 21 death.

“It represented a starting point to update our liturgical norms and methods of catechesis for receiving the Eucharist,” said diocesan communications director Liz Chandler, adding that the norms will be “thoroughly reviewed” in accord with the teaching of the Second Vatican Council and the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM).

Although the changes have not gone into effect, critics contended that Martin’s justification for them was not consistent with Church teaching, including Vatican II’s pastoral constitution on the liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium.

Others raised concerns that Martin, who marked his one-year anniversary as Charlotte’s bishop on May 29, was engaging in unnecessary micromanagement and had failed to adequately listen to people in his diocese.

In addition to allowing the affected communities more time to accept the changes to the TLM in Charlotte, Martin told diocesan priests in a June 3 email that the delay “allows more time for the transition and for renovation of a chapel designated for the TLM community,” according to the Herald.

The diocese is putting $700,000 toward renovations of the designated TLM chapel, which was formerly the home of the Freedom Christian Center, a Protestant community.

The Herald described the Mooresville chapel as “strategically located” between the diocese’s two biggest population centers, but critics have complained that it is more than a two-hour drive from St. John the Baptist in Tryon, one of the four parishes where the TLM will be prohibited starting Oct. 2.

The diocese reports that approximately 1,100 people attend the TLM in Charlotte each week.

This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, CNA’s sister news partner, and has been adapted by CNA.

Pittsburgh Bishop-elect Mark Eckman. / Credit: Courtesy of the Diocese of Pittsburgh

Vatican City, Jun 4, 2025 / 07:30 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday appointed Pittsburgh Auxiliary Bishop Mark Eckman to lead the northern U.S. diocese, with the bishop-elect succeeding Bishop David Zubik in that role.

Leo accepted Zubik’s resignation June 4. The outgoing bishop turned 75 — the usual age of retirement — last September. 

A Pittsburgh native, Zubik spent his entire priestly and episcopal career in the diocese — which serves nearly 628,000 Catholics in the southwestern corner of Pennsylvania — except for three and a half years as bishop of Green Bay, Wisconsin, from October 2003 to July 2007.

Eckman, 66, was born in Pittsburgh on Feb. 9, 1959. He has been an auxiliary bishop of the diocese since 2022. 

His priestly formation took place at St. Paul Seminary in East Carnegie, Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, and St. Vincent Seminary in Latrobe.

After his ordination on May 11, 1985, Eckman mostly served in different roles in parishes and schools in South Hills, a southern suburb of Pittsburgh. 

He was episcopal vicar for clergy personnel from 2013 to 2020 and in 2021 became pastor of Resurrection Parish after acting as administrator during its founding from the merger of two other parishes.

Eckman also served as a member on several boards, including the priest council, the U.S. bishops’ conference National Advisory Board, the permanent diaconate formation board, the seminary admissions board, and the priest candidates admissions board.

The prelate’s episcopal motto is “To serve in faith and charity.” According to his biography on the website of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, the bishop likes to spend his spare time visiting extended family. He is also an avid nature photographer who likes to hike and ski.

The Diocese of Pittsburgh covers 3,754 square miles in five Pennsylvania counties. It has a population of around 2 million people.

Pittsburgh Bishop-elect Mark Eckman. / Credit: Courtesy of the Diocese of Pittsburgh

Vatican City, Jun 4, 2025 / 07:30 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday appointed Pittsburgh Auxiliary Bishop Mark Eckman to lead the northern U.S. diocese, with the bishop-elect succeeding Bishop David Zubik in that role.

Leo accepted Zubik’s resignation June 4. The outgoing bishop turned 75 — the usual age of retirement — last September. 

A Pittsburgh native, Zubik spent his entire priestly and episcopal career in the diocese — which serves nearly 628,000 Catholics in the southwestern corner of Pennsylvania — except for three and a half years as bishop of Green Bay, Wisconsin, from October 2003 to July 2007.

Eckman, 66, was born in Pittsburgh on Feb. 9, 1959. He has been an auxiliary bishop of the diocese since 2022. 

His priestly formation took place at St. Paul Seminary in East Carnegie, Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, and St. Vincent Seminary in Latrobe.

After his ordination on May 11, 1985, Eckman mostly served in different roles in parishes and schools in South Hills, a southern suburb of Pittsburgh. 

He was episcopal vicar for clergy personnel from 2013 to 2020 and in 2021 became pastor of Resurrection Parish after acting as administrator during its founding from the merger of two other parishes.

Eckman also served as a member on several boards, including the priest council, the U.S. bishops’ conference National Advisory Board, the permanent diaconate formation board, the seminary admissions board, and the priest candidates admissions board.

The prelate’s episcopal motto is “To serve in faith and charity.” According to his biography on the website of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, the bishop likes to spend his spare time visiting extended family. He is also an avid nature photographer who likes to hike and ski.

The Diocese of Pittsburgh covers 3,754 square miles in five Pennsylvania counties. It has a population of around 2 million people.

Fom the Easter Vigil Mass in St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral, Dublin, April 2025. / Credit: John McElroy

CNA Staff, Jun 4, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

The recent election of Pope Leo XIV has sparked new interest in Catholicism, with Google data showing a spike in searches on “how to become Catholic” shortly after the death of Pope Francis in April. Meanwhile, across many dioceses — and especially among young people — anecdotal reports indicate an upswing in people joining the Catholic Church in recent years.

While the Church’s requirements include some terminology that may be unfamiliar, the process has its roots in the early Church. If you’re looking to become Catholic in 2025, here’s a guide on what you should know — from the stages of spiritual preparation to important terms and historical background on what Christian initiation has looked like over the centuries.

What is OCIA? 

The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults or “OCIA” is the normative way to receive formation and prepare to enter the Catholic Church. This process was previously known as RCIA, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, until the U.S. bishops renamed it in 2021 to reflect a more accurate translation of the original Latin.

OCIA has four phases designed to intellectually form and spiritually prepare participants — who have attained the age of reason (generally around the age of 7) — to become Catholic.

What are the stages of OCIA?

Evangelization and Prechatechumenate: The inquirer learns of Christ and is drawn to the Catholic Church; he or she takes part in a period of searching and takes the first step toward becoming Catholic by conversing with a priest or parish director of Christian initiation to become a catechumen.

Catechumenate: Usually over the course of a year or less, a catechumen or candidate takes this time to learn more about the Catholic faith and what it means for his or her life. The Rite of Acceptance into the Order of Catechumens and the Rite of Election take place during this stage. 

Purification and Enlightenment: During Lent, a catechumen anticipates his or her initiation into the Catholic Church through prayer and learning. Initiation commonly takes place on the Easter Vigil, which is the culmination of the process where catechumens and candidates receive the sacraments of initiation (baptism, confirmation, and the Eucharist.)

Mystagogy: After being received into the Church, newly initiated Catholics continue to be formed in their faith during what the Church calls the “Period of Mystagogy.” This lasts until Pentecost, the feast 50 days after Easter in which the Church celebrates the birth of the Church, when the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples.

What is the ‘Rite of Election’?

The Rite of Election is the stage of Christian initiation before baptism. Catechumens gather with their sponsors and families, usually on the first Sunday of Lent.

During the Rite of Election ceremony, the local bishop asks the catechumens: “Do you wish to enter fully into the life of the Church through the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and the Eucharist?” and they respond: “We do.” Catechumens write their names in the Book of the Elect, further confirming their desire to be baptized.

Through this rite, catechumens become known as “the elect.” Only the unbaptized partake in this rite, because those who are baptized are already known as God’s elect.

What’s the difference between a catechumen and a candidate? 

Catechumen: A catechumen is someone who is unbaptized and seeking to become Catholic. 

Candidate: A candidate is a baptized Christian seeking to come into full communion with the Catholic Church. 

What did Christian initiation look like in the early Church? 

While the Second Vatican Council renewed the OCIA process, Christian initiation goes back to the early Church.

In the early Church, before the fourth century, Christian initiation “would have been rather intense,” explained Timothy O’Malley, associate director for research at Notre Dame’s McGrath Institute for Church Life and academic director for the Notre Dame Center for Liturgy.

In its earliest form, Christian initiation would have lasted three years or more. 

“There was a real sense of required conversion: If you were an actor (involved with festivals related to the gods) or in the military, you needed to quit,” O’Malley told CNA. “Much catechesis involved moral formation in a new way of life, as well as introduction to the creed.”

OCIA now is largely based on the fourth- and fifth- century model, where catechumens would have prepared for the sacraments of initiation during Lent and entered the Church during the Easter Vigil.  

“During the 40 days, they would have fasted, prayed, and gone to regular sermons,” O’Malley said. “We have, for example, sermons on the creed and other dimensions of Scripture.” 

Once Christianity could be practiced publicly, “there were new options for initiating people,” O’Malley explained.

“Great public catechists and preachers,” such as Cyril of Jerusalem, John Chrysostom, and Ambrose of Milan, “gave public sermons encouraging people to enroll in the catechumenate leading up to Lent,” he added.

O’Malley noted that some of the reason for changes in the initiation process is that Christianity is not as unknown as it once was. 

“The complication today, of course, is that we live in a culture in which Christianity, while not necessarily totally well known, isn’t the novelty of the fourth and fifth centuries,” O’Malley said. “You can get the Lord’s Prayer online or look up the words of the creed on your own (both of these were handed on in secret as part of fourth and fifth century initiation).”

But historical Christian initiation is still connected to today in certain ways.

“But the challenge, in some sense, is always the same: How do you invite people to experience genuine conversion toward discipleship?” O’Malley said. “Christian conversion is not reducible to studying but involves a wholesale change of life: and that we possess in common with the Fathers of the Church.”

How do I join an OCIA program? 

To join an OCIA program, reach out to a local Catholic parish. If you have Catholic friends, they may be able to help you with this. A priest or parish leader of Christian initiation may want to meet with you to discuss your desire to become Catholic and help to guide you through the next steps of the process.

Fom the Easter Vigil Mass in St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral, Dublin, April 2025. / Credit: John McElroy

CNA Staff, Jun 4, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

The recent election of Pope Leo XIV has sparked new interest in Catholicism, with Google data showing a spike in searches on “how to become Catholic” shortly after the death of Pope Francis in April. Meanwhile, across many dioceses — and especially among young people — anecdotal reports indicate an upswing in people joining the Catholic Church in recent years.

While the Church’s requirements include some terminology that may be unfamiliar, the process has its roots in the early Church. If you’re looking to become Catholic in 2025, here’s a guide on what you should know — from the stages of spiritual preparation to important terms and historical background on what Christian initiation has looked like over the centuries.

What is OCIA? 

The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults or “OCIA” is the normative way to receive formation and prepare to enter the Catholic Church. This process was previously known as RCIA, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, until the U.S. bishops renamed it in 2021 to reflect a more accurate translation of the original Latin.

OCIA has four phases designed to intellectually form and spiritually prepare participants — who have attained the age of reason (generally around the age of 7) — to become Catholic.

What are the stages of OCIA?

Evangelization and Prechatechumenate: The inquirer learns of Christ and is drawn to the Catholic Church; he or she takes part in a period of searching and takes the first step toward becoming Catholic by conversing with a priest or parish director of Christian initiation to become a catechumen.

Catechumenate: Usually over the course of a year or less, a catechumen or candidate takes this time to learn more about the Catholic faith and what it means for his or her life. The Rite of Acceptance into the Order of Catechumens and the Rite of Election take place during this stage. 

Purification and Enlightenment: During Lent, a catechumen anticipates his or her initiation into the Catholic Church through prayer and learning. Initiation commonly takes place on the Easter Vigil, which is the culmination of the process where catechumens and candidates receive the sacraments of initiation (baptism, confirmation, and the Eucharist.)

Mystagogy: After being received into the Church, newly initiated Catholics continue to be formed in their faith during what the Church calls the “Period of Mystagogy.” This lasts until Pentecost, the feast 50 days after Easter in which the Church celebrates the birth of the Church, when the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples.

What is the ‘Rite of Election’?

The Rite of Election is the stage of Christian initiation before baptism. Catechumens gather with their sponsors and families, usually on the first Sunday of Lent.

During the Rite of Election ceremony, the local bishop asks the catechumens: “Do you wish to enter fully into the life of the Church through the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and the Eucharist?” and they respond: “We do.” Catechumens write their names in the Book of the Elect, further confirming their desire to be baptized.

Through this rite, catechumens become known as “the elect.” Only the unbaptized partake in this rite, because those who are baptized are already known as God’s elect.

What’s the difference between a catechumen and a candidate? 

Catechumen: A catechumen is someone who is unbaptized and seeking to become Catholic. 

Candidate: A candidate is a baptized Christian seeking to come into full communion with the Catholic Church. 

What did Christian initiation look like in the early Church? 

While the Second Vatican Council renewed the OCIA process, Christian initiation goes back to the early Church.

In the early Church, before the fourth century, Christian initiation “would have been rather intense,” explained Timothy O’Malley, associate director for research at Notre Dame’s McGrath Institute for Church Life and academic director for the Notre Dame Center for Liturgy.

In its earliest form, Christian initiation would have lasted three years or more. 

“There was a real sense of required conversion: If you were an actor (involved with festivals related to the gods) or in the military, you needed to quit,” O’Malley told CNA. “Much catechesis involved moral formation in a new way of life, as well as introduction to the creed.”

OCIA now is largely based on the fourth- and fifth- century model, where catechumens would have prepared for the sacraments of initiation during Lent and entered the Church during the Easter Vigil.  

“During the 40 days, they would have fasted, prayed, and gone to regular sermons,” O’Malley said. “We have, for example, sermons on the creed and other dimensions of Scripture.” 

Once Christianity could be practiced publicly, “there were new options for initiating people,” O’Malley explained.

“Great public catechists and preachers,” such as Cyril of Jerusalem, John Chrysostom, and Ambrose of Milan, “gave public sermons encouraging people to enroll in the catechumenate leading up to Lent,” he added.

O’Malley noted that some of the reason for changes in the initiation process is that Christianity is not as unknown as it once was. 

“The complication today, of course, is that we live in a culture in which Christianity, while not necessarily totally well known, isn’t the novelty of the fourth and fifth centuries,” O’Malley said. “You can get the Lord’s Prayer online or look up the words of the creed on your own (both of these were handed on in secret as part of fourth and fifth century initiation).”

But historical Christian initiation is still connected to today in certain ways.

“But the challenge, in some sense, is always the same: How do you invite people to experience genuine conversion toward discipleship?” O’Malley said. “Christian conversion is not reducible to studying but involves a wholesale change of life: and that we possess in common with the Fathers of the Church.”

How do I join an OCIA program? 

To join an OCIA program, reach out to a local Catholic parish. If you have Catholic friends, they may be able to help you with this. A priest or parish leader of Christian initiation may want to meet with you to discuss your desire to become Catholic and help to guide you through the next steps of the process.

Lay-Lay.  That’s what my 4-year-old nephew calls me because he has trouble saying my name the way most people say it — Brandon. When he first started talking, the “BR” sound was hard for him to make (go ahead; try it!) so he decided to go with “Lay-Lay.” Whenever he calls me that, I feel […]

The post To God, all our theology is ‘baby talk’ appeared first on U.S. Catholic.

This year’s class of ordinandi at St. Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers. Bishop Joseph Massa is seated in the center. / Credit: Theo Deluhery, Diocese of Camden

New York City, N.Y., Jun 4, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

In the Archdiocese of New York, where ordinations to the priesthood have sharply declined in recent decades, a new initiative is seeking to rekindle vocations. Launched this spring, “Called By Name” is the archdiocese’s latest attempt to spark interest in the priesthood.

“Only two men applied to seminary last year to be diocesan priests,” Father George Sears, director of vocations for the archdiocese, told CNA. “As far as I know, that’s the lowest number that I’ve ever seen.”

During Mass on Good Shepherd Sunday last month, parishioners across the city were invited to fill out pamphlets or scan a QR code to nominate young men they believe might be called to the priesthood.

According to Sears, since May 11 more than 260 names have been submitted. Each nominee will receive a personal letter from Cardinal Timothy Dolan inviting him to dinner in August. Called By Name comes at a time of mounting concern for the future of the priesthood not only in New York but also across the nation.

Within the Archdiocese of New York, the number of priests has fallen by more than half since 1970, according to data published by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University. 

Fewer men are entering the seminary and many parishes now rely on one priest to serve communities once staffed by two or more. In the past 50 years, many parishes in New York have been forced to merge or close, leaving communities without a resident pastor.

Sears said he speculates that the reason for a waning interest in joining the priesthood is layered. “There’s a greater fear of making a long-term commitment,” he said. “Also the idea, somehow that fulfillment comes from a certain checklist, like, my life is fulfilled if I have the right career as opposed to happiness coming from a relationship based in love.”

He pointed to other factors including a growing secularism in society, the migration of Catholic families from the Northeast to other regions of the country, and the lingering impact of the Church’s sexual abuse crisis. 

“We’re still very much suffering from the results of the sexual abuse scandal,” Sears said. “I think we’re still in the shadow of that.”

Daniel Ogulnick, a Catholic man in his early 20s and a native New Yorker, first heard about the archdiocese’s initiative on Good Shepherd Sunday while sitting in the pews of St. Joseph’s Church in Manhattan. For him, “Called By Name” may not go far enough.

“The same way that God calls us as individuals, maybe the Church should approach it through parish priests really getting to know the young men in their parish and thinking about each one’s unique talents and gifts,” Ogulnick said. He said he believes a more personal approach may be more effective, especially for men like him who are actively discerning a vocation.

Sears doesn’t disagree, but he stressed the limits of the current situation in the diocese. “When we’re in a ‘vocations crisis’ ... you’re spread thinner,” he said, adding that “Called By Name” can help priests foster relationships with young men discerning the priesthood whom they might not otherwise reach. 

“The hope is that the priests who are involved in this can say to everyone, ‘Hey, come ... join us. Come and pray with us a little bit. Meet some other men who are also curious,’” Sears said. 

At St. Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers, the final step of formation for men preparing to become diocesan priests in the Archdiocese of New York and the only major seminary still operating in the state, 18 men are currently enrolled, though not all are studying for diocesan priesthood. 

Bishop James Massa, who serves as the rector of St. Joseph, said that despite historically low enrollment numbers, the young men currently in seminary are distinctly committed. 

“The fact of the matter is that most men who enter stay and get ordained,” Massa said. “You walk into this seminary and many others, and you hear joy and laughter. It’s a sign of vitality.”

The rector cautions against romanticizing a time when high enrollment — once reaching 200 seminarians in Yonkers — was seen as the sole measure of success, though he acknowledges that increasing enrollment is still the goal. 

“If we romanticize the past too much, if we think of a seminary like a seminary in the 1950s, I’m not sure that’s what we want,” he said. “We do want more vocations, no question about it. But to return in a kind of romanticized fashion to that size of a seminary of the past I think is unrealistic.”

Massa said he believes that in today’s climate, a smaller, more intentional seminary environment allows for stronger formation. With St. Joseph’s expecting around 60 seminarians this fall, the demand for individualized attention is already considerable.

Among those discerning the priesthood is Zachary Adamcik, a 17-year-old high school senior from Port Jervis, New York. He has applied to Seton Hall University and plans to begin his seminary formation at St. Andrew’s Hall in Newark before eventually moving on to St. Joseph’s. His goal is to eventually become a parish priest for the Archdiocese of New York.

“I’ve been around so many good priests in my life,” Adamcik said. “Parish life is a very beautiful life. You know, to baptize some kid one day and also to, sadly, you know, bury another. Just the huge diversity of ministry. It’s very appealing to me.”

Sears said parishioners are still encouraged to submit nominations to “Called By Name” well into the summer and nominees can expect to receive a personal invite from the cardinal to one of several dinners and events hosted by the archdiocese before fall arrives in New York.

This year’s class of ordinandi at St. Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers. Bishop Joseph Massa is seated in the center. / Credit: Theo Deluhery, Diocese of Camden

New York City, N.Y., Jun 4, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

In the Archdiocese of New York, where ordinations to the priesthood have sharply declined in recent decades, a new initiative is seeking to rekindle vocations. Launched this spring, “Called By Name” is the archdiocese’s latest attempt to spark interest in the priesthood.

“Only two men applied to seminary last year to be diocesan priests,” Father George Sears, director of vocations for the archdiocese, told CNA. “As far as I know, that’s the lowest number that I’ve ever seen.”

During Mass on Good Shepherd Sunday last month, parishioners across the city were invited to fill out pamphlets or scan a QR code to nominate young men they believe might be called to the priesthood.

According to Sears, since May 11 more than 260 names have been submitted. Each nominee will receive a personal letter from Cardinal Timothy Dolan inviting him to dinner in August. Called By Name comes at a time of mounting concern for the future of the priesthood not only in New York but also across the nation.

Within the Archdiocese of New York, the number of priests has fallen by more than half since 1970, according to data published by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University. 

Fewer men are entering the seminary and many parishes now rely on one priest to serve communities once staffed by two or more. In the past 50 years, many parishes in New York have been forced to merge or close, leaving communities without a resident pastor.

Sears said he speculates that the reason for a waning interest in joining the priesthood is layered. “There’s a greater fear of making a long-term commitment,” he said. “Also the idea, somehow that fulfillment comes from a certain checklist, like, my life is fulfilled if I have the right career as opposed to happiness coming from a relationship based in love.”

He pointed to other factors including a growing secularism in society, the migration of Catholic families from the Northeast to other regions of the country, and the lingering impact of the Church’s sexual abuse crisis. 

“We’re still very much suffering from the results of the sexual abuse scandal,” Sears said. “I think we’re still in the shadow of that.”

Daniel Ogulnick, a Catholic man in his early 20s and a native New Yorker, first heard about the archdiocese’s initiative on Good Shepherd Sunday while sitting in the pews of St. Joseph’s Church in Manhattan. For him, “Called By Name” may not go far enough.

“The same way that God calls us as individuals, maybe the Church should approach it through parish priests really getting to know the young men in their parish and thinking about each one’s unique talents and gifts,” Ogulnick said. He said he believes a more personal approach may be more effective, especially for men like him who are actively discerning a vocation.

Sears doesn’t disagree, but he stressed the limits of the current situation in the diocese. “When we’re in a ‘vocations crisis’ ... you’re spread thinner,” he said, adding that “Called By Name” can help priests foster relationships with young men discerning the priesthood whom they might not otherwise reach. 

“The hope is that the priests who are involved in this can say to everyone, ‘Hey, come ... join us. Come and pray with us a little bit. Meet some other men who are also curious,’” Sears said. 

At St. Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers, the final step of formation for men preparing to become diocesan priests in the Archdiocese of New York and the only major seminary still operating in the state, 18 men are currently enrolled, though not all are studying for diocesan priesthood. 

Bishop James Massa, who serves as the rector of St. Joseph, said that despite historically low enrollment numbers, the young men currently in seminary are distinctly committed. 

“The fact of the matter is that most men who enter stay and get ordained,” Massa said. “You walk into this seminary and many others, and you hear joy and laughter. It’s a sign of vitality.”

The rector cautions against romanticizing a time when high enrollment — once reaching 200 seminarians in Yonkers — was seen as the sole measure of success, though he acknowledges that increasing enrollment is still the goal. 

“If we romanticize the past too much, if we think of a seminary like a seminary in the 1950s, I’m not sure that’s what we want,” he said. “We do want more vocations, no question about it. But to return in a kind of romanticized fashion to that size of a seminary of the past I think is unrealistic.”

Massa said he believes that in today’s climate, a smaller, more intentional seminary environment allows for stronger formation. With St. Joseph’s expecting around 60 seminarians this fall, the demand for individualized attention is already considerable.

Among those discerning the priesthood is Zachary Adamcik, a 17-year-old high school senior from Port Jervis, New York. He has applied to Seton Hall University and plans to begin his seminary formation at St. Andrew’s Hall in Newark before eventually moving on to St. Joseph’s. His goal is to eventually become a parish priest for the Archdiocese of New York.

“I’ve been around so many good priests in my life,” Adamcik said. “Parish life is a very beautiful life. You know, to baptize some kid one day and also to, sadly, you know, bury another. Just the huge diversity of ministry. It’s very appealing to me.”

Sears said parishioners are still encouraged to submit nominations to “Called By Name” well into the summer and nominees can expect to receive a personal invite from the cardinal to one of several dinners and events hosted by the archdiocese before fall arrives in New York.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- God loves every person and wants to help everyone discover their inherent value and dignity, especially those who feel unworthy or unappreciated, Pope Leo XIV said.

"God wants to give his kingdom, that is, full, eternal and happy life, to everyone," the pope said June 4 as he held his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square.

"And this is what Jesus does with us: he does not establish rankings, he gives all of himself to those who open their hearts to him," the pope said. 

Pope Leo continued a series of talks focusing on Gospel parables that give hope, focusing on "The Workers in the Vineyard" in the Gospel of St. Matthew (20:1-16), which reveals the equality of all the disciples in inheriting eternal life.

Pope Leo said it is "a story that fosters our hope," because "at times we have the impression that we cannot find meaning for our lives: we feel useless, inadequate, just like the laborers who wait in the marketplace, waiting for someone to hire them to work."

"The metaphor of the marketplace is very appropriate for our times, too, because the market is the place of business, where unfortunately even affection and dignity are bought and sold, in the attempt to earn something," he said. "And when we do not feel appreciated, acknowledged, we risk selling ourselves to the first bidder."

"Instead, the Lord reminds us that our life is worthy, and his wish is to help us discover this," he said.

The Lord, represented by the owner of the vineyard in the parable, wants to establish a personal relationship with everyone he meets, and he repeatedly goes out looking for "those who are waiting to give meaning to their lives," Pope Leo said. 

"This tireless master, who wants at all costs to give value to the life of every one of us," even goes out toward the end of the workday to take on those who are still waiting, he said. This shows that "even when it seems we are able to do little in life, it is always worthwhile. There is always the possibility to find meaning because God loves our life."

The landowner pays each worker the same, even those who arrived late in the day and worked fewer hours in the field, because God believes "it is just that each person has what he needs to live" because he knows their dignity, the pope said.

"The story says that the laborers from the first hour are disappointed," Pope Leo said. "They cannot see the beauty of the gesture of the landowner, who was not unjust, but simply generous, who looked not only at merit but also at need."

The "payment" God wants to give is his kingdom, and he offers the same reward of a full, eternal and happy life to everyone without "rankings," he said. The Lord gives everything to everyone who opens their hearts to him. 

But, he said, "in the light of this parable, today's Christian might be tempted to think, 'Why start work immediately? If the pay is the same, why work more?'"

Pope Leo said St. Augustine responded to that question in a sermon asking why would someone delay when God is calling with a promise that they know is a sure thing. The saint warned that people do not know when their time will come, and they should be careful because a delay might mean they miss out on what God wants to give.

"I would like to say, especially to the young, do not wait, but respond enthusiastically to the Lord who calls us to work in his vineyard," the pope said. "Do not delay, roll up your sleeves, because the Lord is generous and you will not be disappointed!"

It is by "working in his vineyard" that people find the meaning of their life, he said.

Do not be discouraged "even in the dark moments of life" when answers seem to be lacking, the pope told his listeners. "The Lord is generous, and he will come soon!" 

Before the general audience, Pope Leo met with members of the board of directors of the National Italian American Foundation, which educates young people about Italian culture and history, as well as provides scholarships and other charitable assistance in both countries. 

"A hallmark of many who immigrated to the United States from Italy was their Catholic faith, with its rich traditions of popular piety and devotions that they continued to practice in their new nation," he said. "This faith sustained them in difficult moments, even as they arrived with a sense of hope for a prosperous future in their new country."

"In an age beset by many challenges," Pope Leo prayed that their visit to Rome would "renew your sense of hope and trust in the future."

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