You can ensure every young man knows the priesthood is a joyful, adventurous life.
Think about the Catholic Church on day one.
Pentecost.
In the upper room.
The Church didn’t have much.
No money, no buildings, no programs, no famous preachers, no land.
The one thing it had?
Priests.
The Church doesn’t need much to fulfill Christ’s mission on earth, but it will always need priests. The National Society for Priestly Vocations is a lay movement of passionately Catholic men and women who care about priests and want more young men to receive a dynamic, magnetic invitation to the priesthood.
Pledge your prayers - whether it’s a quick intention, a daily rosary, or more - and join tens of thousands of men and women across the country who are praying for an increase in priestly vocations.
Do not be afraid of Christ!
He takes nothing away, and he gives you everything.
When we give ourselves to him, we receive a hundredfold in return.
According to the latest statistics published by the Vatican agency Fides, the total number of priests, and the total number of major seminarians, continues to decrease, year over year, continuing a nearly 60 year trend. Why?
Pledge your prayers - whether it’s a quick intention, a daily rosary, or more - and join tens of thousands of men and women across the country who are praying for an increase in priestly vocations.
God still calls, but His voice is often drowned out or even ridiculed by modern society, which values a secular definition of success (money, power, pleasure, fame) over heroic sacrifice.
Sure, some young men (mostly those who went to Catholic schools) are aware that they could become priests, but most young men aren’t being invited to become priests.
Vocations work is often tasked to just one lone Vocation Director, who has no support staff and little budget, and it is often only a part time mission.
Together, we can work to change this story. Not every young man is called to become a priest, but every young man in the United States should be aware that the priesthood is a possible path for their life and should consider that possibility with excitement, curiosity, and hope. Here’s how we will get it done.
The priesthood is a life of joy. It is an adventure to hand yourself over to God with no expectations and see where He leads you. It’s time we tell that story louder than ever before.
“The men we want to apply to seminary aren’t coming to us,” said one vocations director. We will go out and find them where they are through social media, email, video, and other digital media.
God has an incredible plan for your life. His plan will lead you to happiness beyond your imagination. It is likely not your plan, and that’s part of the adventure. Everyone needs to hear this message, and especially young men. We will always encourage young men to wonder if the priesthood might be a part of God’s plan.
Young men need to know that the greatest joy in life will be available to them if they ask for, listen to, and trust the promptings of the Holy Spirit when discerning their vocation. Our work will invite them to that discernment. And it will be a bold, inspirational, encouraging, and exciting invitation.
Pledge your prayers - whether it’s a quick intention, a daily rosary, or more - and join tens of thousands of men and women across the country who are praying for an increase in priestly vocations.