Diocese of Scranton welcomes five new seminarians

Five new seminarians have begun formation for the priesthood in the Diocese of Scranton, Pennsylvania, the most to begin at one time in recent years.

The diocese’s increase in seminarians has not come out of nowhere; the diocese has taken concrete, research-based steps to encourage men to prayerfully consider the priesthood. One means of this has been through promoting spending time in Eucharistic adoration, according to the Diocese of Scranton. Research conducted at Georgetown University found that the vast majority of men who enter the priesthood regularly attended Eucharistic adoration before entering seminary formation, as CatholicVote previously reported.

There are currently 215 priests in the diocese, serving 118 parishes. The new seminarians, Liam Barry, Antonio Ingargiola, Leonel Ojo Gonzalez, Roberto Carlos Acevedo Ruiz, and Michael Sullivan, are from five different parishes in the diocese.

The seminarians have benefitted from diocesan events like discernment retreats and their high school equivalents, Quo Vadis Days.

“I think altar serving and Quo Vadis (Days) were both really important and meaningful to me because of your ability to be close to priests, deacons, and seminarians,” said seminarian Liam Barry, according to the Diocese of Scranton.

Barry’s attraction to the priesthood began long before applying to seminary. As a boy, he attended Catholic elementary school, where he met priests and religious sisters. This exposure to those with priestly and religious vocations was key for him, and it continued as he aged.

“I think altar serving and Quo Vadis (Days) were both really important and meaningful to me because of your ability to be close to priests, deacons, and seminarians,” said Barry, according to the Diocese of Scranton.

The diocese has also instituted four “vocations centers” across the region. 

“The vocation centers will be places where men can gather together for regular dinners, for Adoration and prayer, where they might be able to do a retreat, shadow a priest or even spend an extended amount of time in,” said Father Alex Roche, diocesan director of vocations and seminarians, according to the Diocese of Scranton.

Leonel Ojo Gonzalez, one of the new seminarians, was encouraged to discern the priesthood by the many diocesan initiatives that work to foster vocation. He has also been moved by the witness of the priests he has encountered.

“I am motivated because I love the way [priests] give themselves completely to the service of God and the community,” said Gonzalez.

Fr. Roche shared that the new seminarians’ openness to discernment is a mark of the Church’s bright future.

“This is a sign of great hope,” said Fr. Roche. “Their willingness to discern a priestly vocation is a witness to the Holy Spirit actively working among us.”

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