The Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh will ordain Joseph S. Uzar Jr. as a priest on June 26, and two other men are joining the diocese as deacons this month.
Uzar’s ceremony at St. Paul Cathedral in Oakland will be the only ordination of a priest in the diocese this year.
“Though numbers and statistics indicate a drop in ordinations, that is no reason to be afraid,” Uzar said. “The need for priests is evident, but men continue to respond to God’s call to discern this path.”
Jeffrey McLaughlin will be ordained to the permanent diaconate — deacons that will remain in their position — on June 19, at 10 a.m. at Saint Maurice Church in Forest Hills.
The diocese ordained Davis C. Schmidt to the transitional diaconate, a group of deacons that are on a set path to priesthood, on June 12.
National trends show a smaller number of men interested in pursuing a vocation in priesthood. A 2019 report from the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate showed that the number of priests has dropped by roughly 38 percent from 1970 to 2016. The report notes an even steeper decline in ordinations since then.
Bishop David Zubik remains optimistic about the church’s future. “The need is great, but unlike other dioceses around the country, we have the joy each year of ordaining new priests. It is important to note that the number of those thinking about and open to a priestly vocation is increasing, and not insignificantly. This past year we welcomed 14 new men into the priestly formation program, for a total of 30.”
The diocesan YouTube channel will livestream each Mass for the ordinations.
