Vatican jubilee event to highlight vocation recruitment success in Ireland, Wichita

June 25, 2025

The Dicastery for the Clergy has announced the speakers at a June 26 event during the overlapping Jubilees of Priests and Seminarians.

Among the speakers during the first session, devoted to “five significant experiences of vocational ministry,” is Maura Murphy of Holy Family Mission in Ireland. According to the dicastery, Murphy “will share her testimony on a surprising vocational revival launched by young people themselves: from an all‑time low of six new entrants to the National Seminary in 2017, this year saw that number rise to 17.”

The Vatican newspaper, in reporting on the work of Holy Family Mission, published different statistics: “from a historical low of 12 seminarians, today there is significant growth with over 35 young people on the journey.”

Among the speakers during the second session, devoted to “five examples of good practice in the initial formation of seminarians,” is Father Ben Sawyer of the Diocese of Wichita, who “will outline the experience of that Diocese, which is recognized as an exemplary model in the promotion and formation of priestly vocations.” With one seminarian for every 2,466 Catholics, the Wichita diocese ranks second among the dioceses of the United States in its ratio of seminarians to Catholics.

 

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Further information:

• International Meeting with Pope Leo XIV - PRESS RELEASE (Dicastery for the Clergy)
• Sacerdoti felici (L'Osservatore Romano)