CHARLOTTE — Parishioners across the Diocese of Charlotte will have an opportunity to help fund the education of future priests by giving to the Seminarian Education second collection Easter weekend, April 20-21.
There is an increased need for funding as the number of men in seminary formation for the Diocese of Charlotte is growing. The number of seminarians has more than doubled in just a few years – from 15 seminarians to 36. There are 16 men in three major seminaries and 20 at St. Joseph College Seminary in Charlotte.
This good news for future vocations is welcomed as the past 10 years have seen remarkable growth in the diocese.
A decade ago, there were 58,500 registered households. In 2018, that number was 73,700. By the year 2025 it is estimated that the number of registered households will climb to 86,800.
“Growth of this nature is paralleled by a need for priests to pastor this increasing number of Catholics,” said Bishop Peter Jugis in his letter to parishioners.
In the next decade, 27 priests are expected to reach retirement age. And as seven diocesan priests are actively serving although they are past the retirement age of 70, the need for more priests to serve the growing Catholic population in western North Carolina is great.
“We are both blessed and challenged. As you know, our challenge is to provide the funding needed to recruit, educate and form our future priests,” the bishop explained.
Besides praying for the seminarians by name, Bishop Jugis asks the faithful to “give prayerful consideration to the amount you give to the Seminarian Education second collection on Easter Sunday.”
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter