In what will be the second largest priesthood ordination class in diocesan history, a dozen men are scheduled to be ordained by Bishop Michael F. Burbidge June 7 at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington at 11 a.m.
Their back stories are interesting and what led each of them to the priesthood is a varied, fascinating mix.
Their prior occupations range from engineer, tech company founder, lawyer, youth minster, and more. One attributes a book on the rosary, another a meaningful confession and a third a longing since he was 5 years old — all to become a priest.
Some are local men, others came to the Arlington diocese for work or study. Two men hail from Cameroon, one has roots in Mexico, another in Peru.
Father Michael C. Isenberg, diocesan vocations director, said that though the men’s backgrounds are varied, “there is one common thread that unites these men: they are incredibly generous men. No matter what is needed or when it is needed, each one of these men is known for dropping everything for anyone in need.
“Yet, as generous as they are, we know that God will never be outdone in generosity and the remarkable size of this class is just one more reminder of God’s abundant love for us,” he said.
Tune in to two roundtable interviews with the men who studied at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Lower Gwynedd, Pa., and Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md. Watch them at Mount St. Mary’s and Saint Charles Borromeo.
The ordination will be livestreamed at bit.ly/CDA-Priesthood-Ordination-2025.
Meet the Deacons:
