Priests are central to the faith journey of every Catholic. They baptize us into the family of God, extend God’s infinite mercy to us in the sacrament of reconciliation, and bring us to a personal encounter with Christ in the celebration of the Eucharist.
Priests celebrate with us, console us, and commend our souls to the Lord. They are pastoral and sacramental shepherds on our pilgrimage of faith. Without priests, the Catholic Church simply could not exist. Forming and supporting priests is essential to the life of the Catholic Church of Philadelphia.
“Supporting priests means providing a spectrum of care for every stage of priesthood,” said Father Michael Hennelly, archdiocesan Vicar for Clergy. “We need to care for priests from ordination to eternal life.”
Support for seminarians, active priests, parish life directors, and retired priests is included in the planning study currently being conducted throughout the Catholic Church of Philadelphia.
Seminarian Formation
The formation of healthy and holy priests is the mission of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, which serves not only the Archdiocese of Philadelphia but also 13 additional dioceses and religious orders across the country and from around the world.
This component of the planning study calls for increased educational support for the 143 seminarians studying now at the seminary, as well as those who will be called in the future.
“Forming seminarians is one of the Church’s greatest responsibilities and joys, because in shaping their hearts after the Heart of Jesus, we are safeguarding the future of our faith,” said Father Christopher Redcay, rector of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary. “The men who come to us are preparing to offer their whole lives in service to God’s people.
“Investing in their formation today ensures that future generations will encounter Christ through priests who are well‑formed, grounded in prayer, and ready to shepherd with compassion and conviction.”
The local Church covers most of the cost of seminary education for those men studying to serve the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, and those costs continue to rise. Tuition, room and board currently totals $47,000 per year. With recent changes to the Program for Priestly Formation, a man entering seminary at the college level may spend between seven and nine years in formation. As a result, the cost to educate a single seminarian can exceed $350,000.
This year’s enrollment increased at St. Charles, a trend other seminaries in the U.S. are experiencing, according to Mark McLaughlin, the seminary’s Chief Financial Officer/Chief Operating Officer. Thanks to a recent comprehensive campaign to grow its endowment and cost savings from the move to its new campus in Ambler, the seminary is positioned to welcome additional seminarians.
“I look forward to moving from a mind-set of sustainability to one of growth — expanding our programmatic offerings as well as the communities we serve,” McLaughlin said.
“Enrollment growth is a wonderful thing,” said Marc Fisher, archdiocesan Chief Financial Officer. “We will need to remain aware that with increased enrollment comes increased costs. We will need to continue to grow our tuition subsidy to support our future priests.”
Active Priests
“Priests dedicate their lives to bringing us the sacraments, and only they can do it,” said Fisher.
“Providing clergy care means helping our priests navigate a holistic approach to a healthy lifestyle.” The Catholic Church of Philadelphia is pursuing an initiative to support its 392 active priests through more individualized physical, mental, and preventative care.
“If they are not healthy, they can’t take care of us,” Fisher added.
Father Hennelly agrees: “We have to care for the caregivers.”
This component of the planning study calls for improved resources for priests’ physical, mental, and spiritual well-being, as well as increased sabbatical opportunities and continuing spiritual and professional education.
Parish Life Directors
As the dynamics of parish life continue to change, many priests are carrying heavier workloads. Most parishes have only one priest, and an increasing number of priests are responsible for two or more parishes.
To free pastors to focus on their pastoral and temporal responsibilities, the Archdiocese has launched a program to train permanent deacons and qualified lay women and men to serve as Parish Life Directors. These leaders manage the administrative duties of a parish, according to Deacon Jim O’Neill, Director of Strategic Operations. Supporting this program provides direct support for our pastors.
“The first three parish life directors in the Catholic Church of Philadelphia have been on site since July of 2025,” O’Neill said. “They are well received by the people they serve and are taking care of small, stable communities. They also give some of our older priests places to serve without having the additional stress of managing facilities and finances.”
Retired Priests
Care for priests does not end when their active ministry concludes.
“Our retired priests are invaluable,” said Father Hennelly. “Retired does not mean that they have left ministry. They often live in residence at parishes and continue to celebrate Mass, administer the sacraments, and pray.”
Additionally, 60 of the Archdiocese’s 133 retired and infirmed priests live in community with one another at Villa St. Joseph in Darby.
Like all Americans, priests are affected by rising health care costs. As the average age of priests in the Catholic Church of Philadelphia is 58, the Church must prepare to support the health care needs of a growing number of retired and infirmed priests in the years ahead.
This component of the planning study seeks to ensure that those who have given their lives in service to the Church are cared for with dignity and compassion.
Forming and supporting priests is a proposed priority of a future capital campaign for the Catholic Church of Philadelphia. A planning study is currently underway to listen, learn, and discern next steps.
Your voice matters. You are invited to take part in the planning study survey and help shape how the Church continues to care for those who have cared for us.
***
The Steier Group is a national Catholic development firm providing stewardship and development support to the Catholic Church of Philadelphia.
Share this story