This year’s ordination class includes a wide variety of men ranging from a former N.O.N.E., an anti-Catholic, an employee of Walt Disney World, and a student who majored in Islam and molecular biology. But they all have one thing in common – a profound journey that led them to Jesus Christ.The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) released this year’s Ordination Class Survey in conjunction with the World Day of Prayer for Vocations on April 26. “Vocations are a sign of God’s free gift of merciful love to a world in need of salvation,” said Archbishop Ronald A. Hicks, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations. “We join in prayer for all disciples of Christ, especially young people, to experience the loving God, the Good Shepherd, who has a unique call for each person’s life.”
That unique call was certainly reflected in the newly released Ordination Class of 2026 Study which was conducted by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) at Georgetown University. The survey was sent out to 428 men preparing for ordination, and was completed by 334 (78%) and represents 110 U.S. dioceses and eparchies as well as 34 distinct religious institutes.
Some of the major findings of the report are:
• Most respondents (93%) were baptized Catholic as an infant and raised primarily by their biological parents (97%) and a married couple living together (88%).
• One in ten responding ordinands (11%) reported being home schooled. Among those who were home schooled, the average length of home schooling was 9 years.
• Three in five responding ordinands (61%) completed an undergraduate degree or a graduate degree before entering the seminary.
• Among those who attended an undergraduate or graduate college before entering the seminary, the most common fields of study included philosophy/theology, engineering, business, and science or math.
• Two in three responding ordinands (64%) reported having full-time work experience prior to entering the seminary.
• Four percent served in the U.S. Armed Forces.
• Before entering the seminary, 81% were participating in Eucharistic Adoration on a regular basis, 79% were praying the Rosary, 52% had attended a prayer or Bible group and 48% were praying Lectio Divina.
• Nine in ten (92%) said they were encouraged to consider the priesthood by someone in their life, most frequently by a parish priest (70%), friend (49%), mother (46%) or parishioner (44%).
• Two in five responding ordinands (41%) indicated that they were discouraged from considering the priesthood by one or more persons. Most often, this person was a friend or school classmate, mother, father, or other family member.
Although the majority were baptized Catholic, many men took a more circuitous route to the seminary.
For example, Dcn. Sinclaire Cushmore of the Diocese of Orlando said, “I worked as an intern at Walt Disney World, and then for Rosen Hotels and Resorts in Orlando, FL for several years before entering the Seminary.”
Dcn. Erin Kast, Society of Jesus-Midwest had a dual major in college focusing on Islam and plant molecular biology.
Dcn. James Musgrave of the Diocese of Detroit admitted: “I grew up a true N-O-N-E, and it wasn't until age 30 that I met and fell in love with Jesus, discovering my vocation. That vocation is born out of prayer, rooted in love, and driven by mission to help God get His family back.”
Dcn. Justino Moreno of the Diocese of St. Augustine was also far from the Church when he heard the call. “For seven years, I was anti-Catholic. At 28, I gave the Church another chance. During a retreat, I went to confession and Eucharistic adoration, and that experience changed the course of my life. Five years later, I entered the seminary after 15 years in banking.”
These men are living proof that Jesus can reach even those who are the furthest away from him, and we can help Him by praying for this intention and by creating conditions that allow men and women to embrace vocations.
As Pope Leo said in his message for the World Day of Prayer for Vocation, “Only when our surroundings are illumined by living faith, sustained by constant prayer and enriched by fraternal accompaniment can God’s call blossom and mature, becoming a path of happiness and salvation for individuals and for the world.”
Let us answer our call so that they might answer theirs!
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