What does it take to be a priest? This is the remarkable true story of an American priest martyred for his ministry. Fr. Stanley Rother, a priest for the diocese of Oklahoma City, graduated from Mount St. Mary’s Seminary back in the 1970s. He was not...
I’m my own man! I’m self-made, and I alone should determine my destiny! I will let nothing stand in the way of what I want. There is no other road to happiness! At least that’s what contemporary society would have us believe. But the Christian viewpoint is...
Maybe you’re considering the priesthood and you feel peaceful about following God’s call and applying for seminary. But what about your family and friends? What if they don’t understand? What if they reject your choice, or — even worse — you? It’s true that breaking the...
Seven new priests were ordained in the Diocese of Brooklyn on June 28, 2025 by Bishop Robert Brennan at the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph. Father Robert Ruggiero, Father Benoit Chavanne, Father Juan Herrera-Posada, Father Callistus Ibeh, Father Paulo Salazar, Father Alvaro Morales Sanchez and Father Nelson...
You might think that the issue of priestly celibacy is a “newer” matter in the Church. After all, the Roman Church has continually reiterated the law of priestly celibacy for most, if not all, of her history. So it seems that celibacy must have been...
Perhaps priesthood has crossed your mind, but fear pushes the idea away: My friends would laugh if they heard I was thinking about the priesthood! My parents would be shocked. My mom wants grandkids. I'm scared to death of speaking in public. I'm nowhere near holy enough. I don't want to...
Is God calling me to be a priest? How can I know for sure? What's the best way to make a decision like this? As you contemplate what to do with your life, be confident that God has a specific plan for you, and that you...
If you were about to make one decision that would dramatically impact the rest of your life, how would you go about it? If you were contemplating a cross-country move, you’d probably learn everything you could about the new city. If you were choosing a career,...
One of the most beautiful liturgies in the Catholic Church is when a man becomes a priest of Jesus Christ. At the Mass of Ordination, the men to be ordained kneel in front of the bishop one by one, and they place their folded hands between...
Holy priests don’t always start out holy. Take the case of St. Vincent de Paul. His beginning was rough, but in time, Vincent became an exemplar of priestly virtue and holiness. Being from a poor family, his father had to sell the family’s oxen to send...