Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown sees uptick in number of seminarians
Congregants urged to support young men on discernment path
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From 2023-25, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown lacked seminarians in formation for the diocesan priesthood.
To combat this change, the diocese recruited new priests by developing a "culture of vocations" within the community and a "Called By Name" program, encouraging parishioners to submit names of young men with priest-like qualities, according to Tony DeGol, secretary of communications.
He said four young men from the community are discerning this upcoming academic year.
Seminarians include: Liam Clyma of St. Mark Parish in Altoona, Andrew Foster of St. Mary Parish in Hollidaysburg, Jonathan Eger of St. Andrew Parish in Johnstown and Owen McCarville of St. Therese of the Child Jesus Parish in Altoona.
DeGol said this increase is a big deal to the diocese, especially because they haven't seen this many young men interested in the priesthood for years.
"We want to continue adding more priests because without the priests you don't have the church," he said.
To get more young men interested in religious life, DeGol said each church in the diocese conducted something different to celebrate the beauty of the priesthood, such as praying the rosary for vocations.
This year, however, the diocese launched its new program, "Called By Name," which recruits young men ages 18 to 30 from the surrounding eight counties and invites them to discernment events, such as masses, social gatherings or meals.
The Rev. Brian P. Norris of St. Therese of the Child Jesus recently became the diocesan vocations recruiter last July to help the director of vocations, the Rev. Peter Crowe. In his new role, he visited schools and organized age-based discernment groups.
"I think it's helpful to have a team approach," he said. "We're all in this together, and it's not anyone's burden to bring in more priests but to encourage young men to follow the Lord."
DeGol feels like the program has proved successful, as many of those men are now considering the priesthood.
"It takes people to see the qualities in a young man that would lend themselves to be a priest, and it gave the young men the nudge they needed to discern a vocation in the priesthood," he said.
Foster, Eger and McCarville are entering their first year of seminary, while Clyma is starting his second year of college seminary. Foster and Eger are currently studying at Mount Saint Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland, and McCarville and Clyma are at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio.
Seminary is a long process, DeGol said. It can take someone without college experience eight to nine years to be ordained.
And not everyone who enters seminary becomes a priest, Norris said, as some leave to pursue other aspirations instead.
As the seminarians take their first steps toward religious life, Norris hopes that they stay open to their future careers, even if that means eventually leaving the seminary to pursue other aspirations.
"I want them to discern prayerfully, but I want them to do what God's will is for their life," he said.
Church participation
For the first time in many years, more people are converting to Roman Catholicism.
According to the New York Times, the Archdiocese of Detroit received 1,428 new converts this Easter. The Diocese of Des Moines gained 51% of its congregation this year, growing from 265 to 400 participants.
DeGol said the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown saw an 84% increase in members this past Easter, being one of the highest upticks in the country.
"A lot of people are searching for something deeper, and only in Christ are you truly fulfilled," he said.
Norris believes the change is because of mental health awareness, recognizing that one-third of the population deals with anxiety or depression daily.
"It indicates something is lacking in people's lives," he said.
As a result, he said many people from Generation Z are turning to Catholicism, while more young men and women are turning toward religious life.
"I've heard some young people say they feel like they missed out, and they're finding meaning in life because of it (religion)."
No matter the reason for an increase in seminarians this year, DeGol commends churchgoers, because the priest shortage has weighed on the congregation for years, but their work isn't done yet.
"Young men need that support, and we encourage families to never discourage a man from the priesthood and allow him to explore the opportunity," he said.
Mirror Staff Writer Colette Costlow is at 814-946-7414.