Historic number of new seminarians seen as fruit of National Eucharistic Congress
Archbishop Charles C. Thompson, right, preaches on Aug. 10 during a Mass in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel of SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis. The liturgy was part of the annual convocation of archdiocesan seminarians. Family members of some seminarians also attended the Mass in addition to the 34 seminarians, the most the archdiocese has had in in priestly formation since 1994. (Photo by Sean Gallagher)
By Sean Gallagher
Two years ago, after the National Eucharistic Congress concluded in Indianapolis, Archbishop Charles C. Thompson reflected in an interview with The Criterion on what effect the historic event might have on the Church in central and southern Indiana and beyond.
“I think the fruits are going to bear out over time—weeks, months, years, maybe decades,” he said in 2024. “It’s going to take time to process and really reflect on what this means for us. What will we do with this? How will it impact us?”
While some seeds of faith planted at the congress may still take time to blossom, others seem already to be bearing fruit.
Father Eric Augenstein, archdiocesan director of seminarians, witnessed this impact during the past year as he guided far more men in the seminarian application process than he’s ever experienced in his 14 years of being involved in promoting priestly vocations in the archdiocese.
Until now, he had never had more than nine men in one year be accepted as new archdiocesan seminarians. This year, there are 16 new men entering priestly formation for the archdiocese.
It’s the highest number of new seminarians that the Church in central and southern Indiana has had in more than 30 years.
As Father Augenstein had the opportunity to get to know these 16 men over the past year, he saw what he called a “common thread” among many of them that gives some explanation for this historic growth in new seminarians.
It was the influence of the National Eucharistic Congress and the first National Eucharistic Pilgrimage in 2024, which converged in and went across the archdiocese from four routes across the country and ended in Indianapolis at the start of the congress.
“That is, by far, the most common thread that I see,” Father Augenstein said. “A lot of these guys were in places where they were already open to the possibility of a priestly vocation. The congress or the pilgrimages deepened or solidified it.”
This phenomenon is not isolated to just the archdiocese, Father Augenstein added.
“I am hearing from other vocations directors around the country that there is a swell of seminarian numbers this year across many dioceses.”
‘Goose bump’ moments
Abraham Schwartz is one of those 16 new archdiocesan seminarians who looks back to the eucharistic congress as a turning point in his discernment.
A member of All Saints Parish in Dearborn County, Schwartz is a recent homeschooled high school graduate. He spoke with The Criterion on Aug. 12 at the conclusion of the three-day annual archdiocesan seminarian convocation held at Our Lady of Fatima Retreat House in Indianapolis.
He especially recalled a presentation that Father Mike Schmitz, author, speaker and “Bible in a Year” podcaster, gave during a general session at the congress in Lucas Oil Stadium.
“The passion with which he spoke and him talking about what the priest is had a big impact on my discernment,” Schwartz said. “At that point, I wasn’t quite ready to commit myself to seminary. But I knew that what he said was going to be influential.”
So was praying in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament with 50,000 Catholics in a silence that filled the cavernous stadium.
“It was really powerful,” Schwartz recalled. “I definitely had goose bumps at more than one point.”
Those moments of adoration during the congress similarly touched new seminarian Joseph Cheever, a member of St. Therese of the Infant Jesus (Little Flower) Parish and a recent graduate of Father Thomas Scecinca High School, both in Indianapolis.
He was also impressed by witnessing the great variety among the 1,300 priests and 1,200 men and women religious who attended the eucharistic congress.
“Just seeing the diversity of the priests and religious there really helped me think about how it was something that was possible for me to do,” Cheever said.
He’ll experience some of that diversity among his 15 fellow new seminarians for the archdiocese.
Some are recent high school graduates like himself. Others took a couple of years off after high school before discerning a priestly vocation. Some just graduated from college. One new seminarian spent 10 years in the workforce before hearing God’s call. And the new seminarians come from seven of the archdiocese’s 11 deaneries.
Such diversity among the archdiocese’s seminarians is a blessing, according to Father Augenstein, who also serves as vice rector of Bishop Simon Bruté College Seminary in Indianapolis where 12 of the new seminarians will begin formation.
“I think it makes formation easier,” he said. “Formation takes who you are as a man and a disciple and forms you into the priest that God is calling you to be. We’re not cookie cutter priests. Having variety among our seminarians helps that approach that formation is individualized.”
‘This is where I belong’
In addition to the historic high number of new seminarians, the archdiocese starts this new year of formation with 34 seminarians overall, the most it’s had since 1994.
Of those 34, 21 are enrolled at Bishop Bruté, 12 will receive priestly formation at Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology in St. Meinrad, and one is serving in a pastoral internship in an archdiocesan parish.
Archbishop Thompson spent time with all of them during the convocation, including celebrating Mass for them on Aug. 10 at the Blessed Sacrament Chapel at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis.
He spoke with The Criterion after the liturgy about the seminarians and his gratitude for them.
“It’s great to have all our seminarians together, especially when we have such a great number of 34,” Archbishop Thompson said. “But more important than the number is the quality. That’s the key, having good quality young men for formation toward the priesthood.
“I’m grateful for their courage, their generosity, their humility and their willingness to discern a vocation to the priestly service in the local Church here in central and southern Indiana.”
During the Mass, three archdiocesan seminarians were admitted to candidacy for ordination, a step that takes place when seminarians enter what is called the “configuration stage” of priestly formation. It begins when a seminarian enters his last four years of preparation for priestly life and ministry.
One of those seminarians admitted to candidacy is Todd Seiler, a member of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Parish in Aurora.
He described for The Criterion his reaction to the step he took in his priestly formation.
“This feels right,” said Seiler. “This feels good. This is where I belong and this is what I’m supposed to be doing.”
The three archdiocesan seminarians admitted to candidacy wore clerical attire—a black Roman-collared shirt, black pants and black shoes—at the Aug. 10 Mass. They’ll also wear them at all public events at Saint Meinrad where they are enrolled, and will have the option of wearing them in the archdiocese when assisting in liturgies and taking part in pastoral ministry in parishes.
“For me, just wearing them reminds you that you’re not here for yourself,” said Seiler. “You’re here for other people and for Christ.”
The 16 new seminarians for the archdiocese are the people he and other veteran seminarians were there for during the convocation, making them feel welcomed and helping them to become acclimated to the life of a man in priestly formation.
“There’s definitely a lot of newness here, fresh faces,” Seiler said. “It gives me and some of the other older guys an opportunity to share our experiences with them. We were once in their place.”
Seiler spoke about this at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, which the seminarians visited on Aug. 11. They took a bus ride through the speedway’s famed Gasoline Alley where race teams have their garages, and spent time in the Pagoda, its five-story control tower, and Victory Circle, where the winner of the Indianapolis 500 celebrates with a drink of milk.
An outing like this ordinarily happens at the annual convocation to help build fraternity among the seminarians. Father Augenstein said this effort had “more intentionality” to it this year given the number of new seminarians.
“And there’s definitely more responsibility for our senior seminarians to be something of a big brother to welcome the new guys in,” he added.
New seminarian Josh Waddell appreciated the hospitality shown him by the archdiocese’s veteran seminarians during the convocation.
“It makes me feel that I’m joining something bigger than myself,” said Waddell, 27, a member of
St. Augustine Parish in Jeffersonville. “You can draw a lot of strength from that. I’ve felt more at peace about the decision to continue the process of discernment in the seminary, knowing the support and seeing the experiences of guys who are going through something very similar.”
(For more information about a vocation to the priesthood in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, visit HearGodsCall.com.) †
Related story: Peoria priest shares priestly insights of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen
