‘It’s always the Holy Spirit’: Meet 3 dioceses seeing large numbers of priestly ordinations

What drives a young man to discern into the priesthood — a supportive family, a vibrant parish, a proactive pastor, an outspoken bishop?

Father John Eckert’s response: “Yes.”

Eckert, the vocations director for the Diocese of Charlotte, North Carolina, chuckled a little when describing the myriad paths that a young man may take when finding his way to holy orders. But, he said, “it’s always the Holy Spirit at work. It’s always cooperating with the grace of God.”

The Charlotte Diocese is among those in the U.S. seeing high numbers of seminarians and priestly ordinations. The diocese in western North Carolina saw a record 10 young men ordained to the priesthood earlier in 2026; that followed six ordinations in 2025 and seven in 2024.

“We’re blessed in the Diocese of Charlotte,” Eckert said. “It’s a beautiful moment.”

The priest just wrapped up his first full year as vocations director there. He said one of the strengths of the diocese is in its vibrant faith life, which he attributed partly to the “evangelical Bible-belt roots” of the region.

“This is Billy Graham territory,” he joked.

The diocese itself bears out that witness, he said. “The Church is growing…