Diocesan Priestly Vocations in the U.S.: A New Look at the Numbers

3,035 diocesan seminarians are preparing for priestly ordination in the Latin-rite dioceses of the United States, an increase of nearly 2% over the previous year, according to data published in the most recent (2025) edition of The Official Catholic Directory.

Diocesan chancery offices supply statistics to the Directory, which also offers, as of January 1, 2025, an authoritative list of tax-exempt entities under the umbrella of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. The statistics published in the 2025 edition of the Directory are thus over a year old; they do not take into account the men who were ordained in 2025 and the men who entered seminary in 2025.

There are 176 Latin-rite dioceses in the United States, and seminarians prepare for ordination in 175 of them. The Archdiocese for the Military Services co-sponsors seminarians for ordination in other dioceses and eventual ministry in the military archdiocese.

The seminarians discussed in this article are diocesan seminarians. They do not include seminarians who are preparing for ordination as priests of religious institutes in seminaries that are located within the boundaries of a given diocese. For example, in addition to the Diocese of Lincoln’s 37 diocesan seminarians, 74 seminarians are preparing for ordination as priests of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter, which has a seminary located in the diocese.

Highs and lows

Of the 175 dioceses for which diocesan seminarians are ordained, 22 have 40 or more seminarians—up from 19 dioceses the previous year. The dioceses with the highest number of seminarians are Philadelphia (71), St. Paul and Minneapolis (64), New York (63), Boston (62), Miami (61), Washington (60), Austin (57), Cleveland (53), Galveston-Houston (51), Baltimore (51), Charlotte (49), Dallas (47), Cincinnati (47), Los Angeles (46), Milwaukee (44), Wichita (44), Atlanta (43), Arlington (42), Portland in Oregon (42), Brooklyn (41), Columbus (41), and Phoenix (41).

On the other hand, 31 dioceses have five or fewer seminarians, according to data published in the Directory, up from 29 the previous year.

• no seminarians reported: Altoona-Johnstown, PA; Fairbanks, AK
• one seminarian: Anchorage-Juneau, AK; Baker, OR; Norwich, CT
• two seminarians: Gallup, NM
• three seminarians: Amarillo, TX; Burlington, VT; Crookston, MN; Laredo, TX; Lexington, KY; Owensboro, KY; Santa Rosa, CA
• four seminarians: Dodge City, KS; Houma-Thibodaux, LA; Monterey, CA; Saginaw, MI; Springfield – Cape Girardeau, MO; Springfield, MA
• five seminarians: Belleville, IL; Brownsville, TX; Corpus Christi, TX; Covington, KY; Davenport, IA; Fall River, MA; Gaylord, MI; Great Falls – Billings, MT; New Ulm, MN; Pueblo, CO; Salt Lake City, UT; Superior, MI

Asked to confirm that the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown had no seminarians when reporting data to the Directory, Tony DeGol, diocesan secretary for communications, said that “the diocese did not have any seminarians” when statistics were submitted. “In this current 2025-2026 academic year, the diocese has one man in college seminary who is blossoming.”

“A few years ago, the diocese simultaneously had five seminarians in formation for the diocesan priesthood,” DeGol continued. “One was ordained, but the other four—over a period of several months—discerned out of seminary for various personal reasons. Although it was unfortunate to lose four seminarians over a short period of time, we realize that seminary is not the end of the discernment journey, but rather a continuation, and it is not unusual for seminarians to discern another path during their formation years.”

“In addition to that [current] seminarian, the diocese is expecting to have two or three other seminarians for the 2026-2027 academic year,” DeGol added, as he discussed diocesan partnerships with Vocation Ministry and Vianney Vocations to promote vocations.

Vocation-rich dioceses: the rich get richer

The Diocese of Lincoln attracts a higher ratio of diocesan seminarians to Catholics than any other diocese in the nation, according to statistics in the 2025 edition of The Official Catholic Directory.

The median diocese in the nation (88th-ranked Youngstown, OH) attracts one seminarian for every 14,671 Catholics. Seventeen dioceses have at least one seminarian for every 5,000 Catholics (up from twelve dioceses the previous year), and five of them have at least one seminarian for every 3,000 Catholics (up from three dioceses the previous year):

• Lincoln, NE (1 seminarian per 2,007 Catholics)
• Rapid City, SD (1 seminarian per 2,332 Catholics)
• Salina, KS (1 seminarian per 2,533 Catholics)
• Wichita, KS (1 seminarian per 2,590 Catholics)
• Steubenville, OH (1 seminarian per 2,889 Catholics)
• Duluth, MN (1 seminarian per 3,522 Catholics)
• Pensacola-Tallahassee, FL (1 seminarian per 3,596 Catholics)
• Wheeling-Charleston, WV (1 seminarian per 3,617 Catholics)
• Helena, MT (1 seminarian per 3,736 Catholics)
• Nashville, TN (1 seminarian per 3,871 Catholics)
• Evansville, IN (1 seminarian per 4,105 Catholics)
• Winona-Rochester, MN (1 seminarian per 4,402 Catholics)
• Memphis, TN (1 seminarian per 4,684 Catholics)
• Marquette, MI (1 seminarian per 4,715 Catholics)
• Bismarck, ND (1 seminarian per 4,719 Catholics)
• Fargo, ND (1 seminarian per 4,779 Catholics)
• Tulsa, OK (1 seminarian per 4,786 Catholics)

The number of diocesan seminarians in the Diocese of Lincoln increased by 23% over the previous year, from 30 to 37. Asked to account for the surge in seminarians, Fr. Alex Sasse, the diocesan vocation director, told CWR that “we are blessed to have St. Gregory the Great Seminary in the Diocese of Lincoln, and the presence of such a vibrant seminary has provided a great example of what the seminary is like.”

“Seminary life and the possibility of being a priest are very approachable for the men of our diocese because they know and encounter many seminarians,” Fr. Sasse continued. “When men visit St. Greg’s, they recognize the masculine joy and holiness of the seminarians there, and they greatly desire to be a part of that!”

Fr. Sasse added:

The propadeutic stage at the seminary is a really attractive prospect for young men to try seminary life. In the midst of a confusing and suffocating world, young men are desiring prayer, order, fraternity, and holiness. The propadeutic year offers a “detox” from the world that has made it easier for young men to say “yes” to the seminary.

Fr. Scott Padrnos, director of vocations for the Diocese of Duluth, described the factors that have led the Minnesota diocese to become a vocations powerhouse.

“In recent years, the Diocese of Duluth has experienced a notable rise in vocations, driven by a combination of strong Catholic culture, intentional formation efforts, and influential leadership,” Fr. Padrnos observed. “Over the past two decades, the diocese has placed significant emphasis on youth faith formation, particularly at the middle and high school levels. This sustained investment has fostered a vibrant culture of faith among young people, resulting in a resurgence of engagement that is also energizing the broader Catholic community.”

“The influence of figures such as Fr. Mike Schmitz has further contributed to this growth,” he continued. “His ability to connect with youth and young adults has sparked renewed enthusiasm for the faith and prompted many to consider the possibility of a vocation at an earlier stage in life.”

Fr. Padrnos added:

Many newly ordained priests in the diocese also share formative experiences, such as attending Steubenville conferences during their teenage years. These encounters often play a pivotal role in their discernment journeys, planting early seeds for vocations.

Finally, the presence of several younger priests throughout the diocese has made the priesthood more relatable to younger generations. Their energy, witness, and accessibility contribute to a renewed attractiveness of priestly life. Together, these factors have created strong momentum within the Diocese of Duluth, leading to a sustained and encouraging increase in vocations.

Fr. Luke Wilgenbusch, director of vocations of the Diocese of Nashville, told CWR that “first and foremost, I attribute our fruitfulness to the work of the Holy Spirit.”

“Our goal as a diocese is to be docile and open to His working in our lives,” Fr. Wilgenbusch said. “This is modeled in a powerful way by our bishop, and it is a culture that we seek to cultivate.”

“As a means to live out that receptivity to the Lord, I think that we combine in a meaningful way a genuine pursuit of excellence and seriousness in our proclamation of the gospel with a closeness of community that is often only possible in a smaller church,” he continued. “For those who are actively engaged in the life of the diocese there is a genuine feeling of ‘everybody knows everybody,’ while at the same time we are in an environment that allows and challenges us not to become complacent.”

“I think that the idea of serving as a priest in an environment like that is very exciting and inspiring for a lot of young men,” Fr. Wilgenbusch added.

Living traditions of fruitfulness 

Asked to describe why the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee is among the most successful in the nation in attracting priestly vocations, Very Rev. Tim Holeda, rector of the Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More and director of vocations and seminarians, offered four reasons:

• “Most important: prayer and total dependence on the Blessed Virgin Mary.”
• “Our vocations director from the late 1990s to 2010 or so, Msgr. Slade Crawford (rest in peace) had a huge influence on a lot of us who are priests today in this diocese.”
• “We have had a strong campus ministry presence at Florida State University.”
• “We don’t take everyone.”

The late Msgr. Crawford “began a summer program for seminarians called the St. Joseph House of Prayer and Formation, which we continue today,” Fr. Holeda recalled. “The summer house has been imitated by other dioceses in Florida, and it could be described as a sort of propadeutic, before it became mandatory for seminary formation. It builds a strong fraternity among the men and an esprit de corps which continues into the priesthood, which is attractive for those discerning.”

Fr. Holeda’s tribute to the late Msgr. Crawford called to mind comments that Msgr. Crawford made to me 21 years ago, when I analyzed priestly vocations in the United States for the print edition of Catholic World Report. At the time, Msgr. Crawford attributed the diocese’s success in attracting priestly vocations to seven factors that he said were “stressed with all of our associates, candidates, and seminarians”:

• “John Paul II in Pastores Dabo Vobis calls for a total act of faith in the Holy Spirit.”
• “Fidelity to the magisterium of John Paul II and the Catholic classics in faith, spirituality and prayer.”
• “A serious and disciplined dedication to the practice of prayer.”
• “The work of our House of Formation, especially our summer program.”
• “True devotion to the Blessed Virgin and the Eucharist.”
• “Clarity concerning the truth of the human person and the need for authentic human relationships as constitutive of Ecclesial communion. Clarity considering the truth of human sexuality.”
• “Formation in the virtues of chastity, modesty, and the celibate way of life.”

The living tradition of flourishing priestly vocations found in Pensacola-Tallahassee exists elsewhere, most notably in Lincoln, Bismarck, Marquette, Rapid City, Steubenville, Tulsa, and Wichita, which were also outliers (in a good way) 21 years ago.

Twenty-one years ago, only one diocese (Lincoln) had at least one seminarian for every 3,000 Catholics, and 14 dioceses had at least one seminarian for every 5,000 Catholics: Lincoln, Yakima, Savannah, Cheyenne, Rapid City, Wichita, Tulsa, Alexandria, Pensacola-Tallahassee, Steubenville, Spokane, Bismarck, Marquette, and Denver.

Today, the Dioceses of Savannah, Alexandria, and Cheyenne remain vocation-rich, though at just below one seminarian for every 5,000 Catholics: Savannah has one diocesan seminarian for every 5,333 Catholics, Alexandria has one for every 5,645 Catholics, and Cheyenne has one for every 6,032 Catholics, according to the 2025 edition of the Directory.

The story is different in Spokane, Denver, and Yakima, which now have below-average success in attracting priestly vocations. Spokane has one seminarian for every 17,901 Catholics; Denver, one for every 21,542 Catholics; and Yakima, one for every 29,332 Catholics, according to data published in the 2025 edition of the Directory. The Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown was the most vocation-rich diocese in the Northeast 21 years earlier, with one seminarian for every 8,323 Catholics; in 2025, it had no seminarians.

Dioceses that face significant challenges

As mentioned previously, the median diocese in the nation (88th-ranked Youngstown) attracts one diocesan seminarian for every 14,671 Catholics. Sadly, 51 of the nation’s dioceses attract seminarians at less than half that rate, up from 49 the previous year.

Of the 51 dioceses that attracted fewer than one diocesan seminarian for every 30,000 Catholics:

• 35 dioceses attract fewer than one seminarian for every 40,000 Catholics (up from 28 the previous year)
• 22 dioceses attract fewer than one seminarian for every 50,000 Catholics (down from 24 the previous year)
• 16 dioceses attract one seminarian or fewer for every 75,000 Catholics (up from 12 the previous year)
• Eight dioceses attract fewer than one seminarian for every 100,000 Catholics (the same number as the previous year)

The 23 dioceses that attract fewer than one seminarian for every 50,000 Catholics, according to statistics published in the 2025 edition of the Directory, are

• Fall River, MA (1 per 50,383 Catholics)
• San Antonio, TX (1 per 52,193 Catholics)
• El Paso, TX (1 per 52,772 Catholics)
• Gallup, NM (1 per 53,827 Catholics)
• Hartford, CT (1 per 62,285 Catholics)
• Tucson, AZ (1 per 61,621 Catholics)
• Chicago, IL (1 per 69,500 Catholics)
• Las Vegas, NV (1 per 75,000 Catholics)
• Trenton, NJ (1 per 80,000 Catholics)
• Los Angeles, CA (1 per 82,463 Catholics)
• San Jose, CA (1 per 85,500 Catholics)
• Buffalo, NY (1 per 87,602 Catholics)
• Santa Rosa, CA (1 per 89,125 Catholics)
• Monterey, CA (1 per 92,038 Catholics)
• Sacramento, CA (1 per 96,602 Catholics)
• Laredo, TX (1 per 112,073 Catholics)
• San Bernardino, CA (1 per 124,668 Catholics)
• San Diego, CA (1 per 125,633 Catholics)
• Rockville Centre, NY (1 per 193,629 Catholics)
• Norwich, CT (1 per 228,520 Catholics)
• Brownsville, TX (1 per 239,896 Catholics)
• Altoona-Johnstown, PA, and Fairbanks, AK: no seminarians

Surges and declines

Seventy dioceses reported a higher number of diocesan seminarians in the 2025 edition of the Directory than in the 2024 edition. Sixty-eight reported declines in the number of seminarians, with the rest remaining unchanged.

Thirteen dioceses—led by Austin, Portland (Oregon), and Bridgeport—reported gains of six seminarians or more:

• +17: Austin, TX (from 40 to 57)
• +15: Portland, OR (from 27 to 42)
• +10: Bridgeport, CT (from 24 to 34)
• +8: Atlanta, GA (from 35 to 43) and Columbus, OH (from 33 to 41)
• +7: Galveston-Houston, TX (from 46 to 53); Green Bay, WI (from 17 to 24); and Lincoln, NE (from 30 to 37)
• +6: Dallas, TX (from 43 to 49); Las Cruces, NM (from 6 to 12); Miami, FL (from 55 to 61); St. Louis, MO (from 29 to 35); and Wheeling-Charleston, WV (from 11 to 17)

“The dramatic increase in seminarians that you have noted occurred the year after we did not have any priestly ordinations,” said Fr. Greg Gerhart, vocation director of the Diocese of Austin. “On the date that we ordinarily would have had a priestly ordination that year, Bishop [Joe] Vásquez”—now the archbishop of Galveston-Houston—“led a diocesan holy hour for vocations.”

“St. Louis Catholic Church in Austin was completely full with lay faithful, religious, and priests, all praying to the Lord of the harvest to send out more laborers,” Fr. Gerhart recalled. “It was a moving experience: the fervor of so many prayers united in one voice with our bishop was a grace in itself even before the Lord answered our petitions.”

Fr. Gerhart continued:

The number of seminarians who have “discerned out” has significantly and steadily decreased, which has helped the total number of seminarians remain higher than in the past. Over the past 25 years, we have had a 75% discern-out rate. We currently have a 50% discern-out rate.

One way in which we have sought to cooperate with God’s grace that I believe is a factor in the lower discern-out rate is our new seminarian orientation and the propaedeutic year programs, which provide greater formation in discernment, a greater sense of belonging to the diocese, and greater community with one’s class of seminarian brothers.

Camille Garcia, Austin’s diocesan director of communications, added that “through prayer, recruiting the faithful, delivering the message through different channels, tapping into additional resources, and funding the ministry, the Diocese of Austin is blessed. I’m sure Fr. Greg will be the first to say, it’s not about the quantity of seminarians, rather, it’s the quality of the men with whom he journeys from discernment through their years in seminary.”

Asked to comment on the dramatic rise in the number of seminarians in the Diocese of Bridgeport, Marie Oates, diocesan head of communications, said that Bishop Frank Caggiano “entrusts all his vocational efforts above all to God and especially to Our Lady, to whom he has special devotion. His team does the same.”

“God is ultimately driving any miracles here, but I think He has very willing allies in place to cooperate effectively with Him,” she continued. “Bishop Caggiano is laser-focused on cultivating priestly vocations. He has assembled a top-notch, solid vocations team and program. We use all our channels of communications and parish outreach to promote this work.”

“People follow good leaders,” she added. “Men and women are happy to find and follow good shepherds who pray with and for them and lead them to God in truth and charity.”

Fr. Michael Haemmerle, director of vocations for the Diocese of Columbus, attributed the surge in seminarians there to a “new diocesan-wide focus on praying for vocations to the priesthood,” as well as “regional discernment groups, our Quo Vadis retreat, male-only altar server programs, and the example of our seminarians.”

“A few years ago, our seminarians decided that they were not going to tolerate mediocrity and decided to shape our own culture at the seminary,” Fr. Haemmerle explains. “This has led to a renewed sense of striving for excellence and sainthood lived out through seminary life. Our men want the Diocese of Columbus to be a diocese of saints and know that it starts with each one of them striving for sainthood.”

“This is inspiring to young men,” he added. “All of these factors have contributed, but prayer is the key factor. “It doesn’t matter how many discernment events there are or how great those events are; without prayer, they will be useless.”

Discussing the surge in seminarians in the Diocese of Green Bay, vocation director Fr. Mark Mleziva said that “what I believe has been most helpful in regard to young men taking a step into formation has been the implementation of the propaedeutic stage in our own diocese.”

“Most dioceses across the country have sent their seminarians to the seminaries to fulfill this requirement, whereas we have run it within [the diocese] for the last six years,” Fr. Mleziva explained, which brings “the added benefit of getting to know priests and parishioners of the diocese. They feel a strong connection to this area where they are called to serve.”

“Secondly, prayer has been at the root of the increase,” he added. “Four years ago, we started the Fiat Prayer Society, which prays for more ‘yesses’ to the priesthood and religious life. We have over 2,000 of the faithful who pray these prayers regularly.”

On the other hand, five of the nation’s dioceses reported declines of six or more seminarians in the 2025 edition of the Directory, when compared to the 2024 edition:

• -19: Albany, NY (from 26 to 7)
• -9: Washington, DC (from 69 to 60)
• -7: Cincinnati, OH (from 54 to 47) and San Francisco, CA (from 19 to 12)
• -6: Allentown, PA (from 17 to 11)

Kathy Barrans, director of communications for the Diocese of Albany, told CWR that “the statistics are correct, but they are an anomaly and the result of a restructuring in the vocations program.”

The declines in Albany, Cincinnati, and Washington, like the increases in Austin and Galveston-Houston, took place prior to the appointment of new bishops to the sees in 2025. Even with the declines, Cincinnati is the second-most vocation-rich diocese in the nation out of all dioceses with over 400,000 Catholics, and Washington is the most vocation-rich diocese in the nation out of all dioceses with over 600,000 Catholics.

Viewed from the perspective of rankings based on the ratio of diocesan seminarians to Catholics, the five most improved dioceses in the nation are Las Cruces, NM (from 97th to 43rd), Shreveport, LA (from 67th to 19th), Springfield, MA (from 174th to 136th), Springfield-Cape Girardeau, MO (from 129th to 93rd), and Portland, OR (from 96th to 61st).

Conversely, the five dioceses that declined the most in the rankings between 2024 and 2025 are Altoona-Johnstown (from 99th to 174th), Albany (from 75th to 147th), Burlington, VT (from 80th to 131st), Lexington, KY (from 38th to 81st), and Knoxville, TN (from 27th to 68th).

Catholic population

The ratio of diocesan seminarians to Catholics in the nation’s dioceses is naturally affected by changes in the Catholic population.

Seventy-five dioceses reported growth in the Catholic population between the 2024 and 2025 editions of the Directory, while 68 dioceses reported declines. The rest reported no change in the Catholic population.

Seven dioceses reported increases of 50,000 or more Catholics:

• Rockville Centre, NY: +239,897 (from 1,309,135 to 1,549,032)
• Fort Worth, TX: +136,692 (from 1,063,308 to 1,200,000)
• Tucson, AZ: +132,863 (from 298,483 to 431,346)
• Las Vegas, NV: +130,000 (from 620,000 to 750,000)
• Reno, NV: +97,318 (from 89,622 to 186,940)
• Fresno, CA: +68,700 (from 949,000 to 1,017,700)
• Santa Rosa, CA: +62,863 (from 204,513 to 267,376)

The Diocese of Rockville Centre did not respond to a request for comment on what factors accounted for its reported surge in Catholic population.

Three dioceses reported a decrease of 50,000 or more Catholics:

• New York, NY: -1,685,160 (from 3,257,740 to 1,572,580)
• Chicago, IL: -133,000 (from 2,079,000 to 1,946,000)
• Philadelphia, PA: -70,385 (from 1,172,276 to 1,101,891)

“Somewhat embarrassingly, incorrect numbers were submitted to the OCD for both 2024 and 2025,” said Joseph Zwilling, director of communications for the Archdiocese of New York. “The chancery office, which submits the numbers, has corrected the errors, and has submitted the following for the 2026 edition, which we are confident is accurate: 2.4 million Catholics.”

As was the case the previous year, larger dioceses must swim against the current to attract vocations.

Of the 57 dioceses that attract at least one seminarian for every 10,000 Catholics, only five have more than 200,000 Catholics. Only three of those five have more than 400,000 Catholics, and only one (the Archdiocese of Washington) has more than 600,000 Catholics.

In general, the larger a diocese is, the stronger the current it must swim against in attracting seminarians:

• Among the 33 dioceses with 200,000-400,000 Catholics, the most vocation-rich are Indianapolis, IN (1 seminarian per 7,690 Catholics, ranked 40th); Charleston, SC (1 seminarian per 8,844 Catholics, 49th); and Richmond, VA (1 seminarian per 9,466 Catholics, 52nd).
• Among the 20 dioceses with 400,000-600,000 Catholics, the most vocation-rich are Miami, FL (1 seminarian per 8,403 Catholics, ranked 44th); Cincinnati, OH (1 seminarian per 9,698 Catholics, 54th); and Baltimore, MD (1 seminarian per 10,173 Catholics, 58th).
• Among the 13 dioceses with 600,000-1,000,000 Catholics, the most vocation-rich are the Washington, DC (1 seminarian per 10,865 Catholics, ranked 62nd); St. Paul and Minneapolis, MN (1 seminarian per 11,250 Catholics, 69th); and Cleveland, OH (1 seminarian per 11,336 Catholics, 71st).
• Among the 20 dioceses with 1,000,000 or more Catholics, the most vocation-rich are the Archdiocese of Philadelphia (1 seminarian per 15,520 Catholics, ranked 91st), the Archdiocese of Atlanta (1 seminarian per 27,907 Catholics, 118th), and the Archdiocese of Boston (1 seminarian per 28,940 Catholics, 123rd).

In his apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, Pope Francis observed that “there are ecclesial structures which can hamper efforts at evangelization” (n. 26). Pope Leo has shown a willingness to split up existing dioceses: in the first year of his pontificate, he established eight new dioceses.

While there is no guarantee that splitting up American dioceses with 500,000 or more Catholics, or 750,000 or more Catholics, or a million or more Catholics, will create more fertile soil for diocesan priestly vocations, the idea surely merits consideration.