The Diocesan Pastoral Center (DPC) staff gathered at the Virgina G. Piper Chapel in downtown Phoenix last Wednesday to honor priests and seminarians of the Diocese of Phoenix by celebrating the annual all-staff Mass of Thanksgiving, followed by a luncheon.
The Mass was celebrated by Bishop John Dolan. There are currently 52 seminarians discerning a priestly vocation, an all-time high for the Phoenix Diocese, and more than 30 of them attended the event — from those who have been discerning for three months to those who have been in seminary for 10 years.
Present were men receiving formation locally at Nazareth Seminary, a series of formation homes throughout the greater Phoenix area, which is near completion, St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver and Assumption Seminary in San Antonio.
By 2026, all seminarians will receive full formation locally at Nazareth Seminary.
More than a dozen priests who serve in a variety of roles at the DPC were honored and celebrated by the staff for the number of years they have been ordained to the priesthood. It was a time of fellowship and hope for the future of the Church.
