Newsroom (08/21/2025 21:31, Gaudium Press) The Archdiocese of Denver asked parishioners to share the names of young people they thought would make good priests. The result? More than 900 names.
But names aren’t the only result of the “Called by Name” campaign, launched in May.
The month-long campaign—a collaboration between the Archdiocese of Denver and Vianney Vocations, a group that supports vocational initiatives in dioceses across the United States—has also sparked a “real openness” to vocations in the hearts of young people in the community, according to Father Jason Wallace, Denver’s Director of Vocations.
He told CNA that the campaign has “created a culture” in which talking about vocations is becoming “more acceptable.” “It’s not about saying, ‘Oh, that’s something someone else does,’ or having to receive a vision from an angel to become a priest,” he said.
After the campaign, Wallace noticed that some young men who had not wanted to become priests felt called to consider the priesthood more seriously.
“Even men I already knew who weren’t open to it before are suddenly asking me, ‘Hey, Father, can we schedule a meeting?’” Father Wallace said.
The call to the priesthood is “life-changing,” Wallace said, and confirmation from the community can be the final push.
“Suddenly, their names are suggested, and they receive a letter from the archbishop,” Wallace said. “Then they say, ‘Ah! Someone else saw in me what I sensed might be true.’”
Denver Archbishop Samuel Aquila expressed his gratitude and enthusiasm for the potential future priests.
“Thanks to the dedicated witness of my brother priests and the devoted support of our archdiocesan faithful, we received more than 900 names of young men who could be good, happy, and holy priests here in northern Colorado,” the archbishop said.
“I am grateful that our faithful have recognized this pastoral potential in so many young men in our archdiocese,” he added.
The need for priests is great in Denver, according to recent information released by the Archdiocese of Denver.
“Our archdiocese needs more priests to shepherd and guide our parish communities by offering the sacraments, especially the Holy Eucharist, and calling each of us to a deeper conversion and encounter with Jesus Christ,” said Bishop Aquila.
This year, vocations are flourishing in Denver despite the shortage of priests. Dioceses across the United States share a similar story: more seminarians are emerging.
This year’s seminary class, composed of 23 men, was the largest in memory, according to Wallace, nearly doubling last year’s class.
When asked why this year had broken enrollment records, Father Wallace did not know whom to credit except the Lord.
“We live in the mystical body of the Church, and this year is a jubilee year,” he reflected. “And in jubilee years, traditionally, it is a time to forgive offenses, share prosperity, and bless people with special graces.”
“So perhaps Our Lord is blessing us in that sense with so many men for the seminary,” he continued.
The archbishop and the priest each sent a personal letter to the 900 men. The campaign is not yet over, and Father Wallace anticipated another 100 names.
Archbishop Aquila shared his enthusiasm for his own vocation to the priesthood and for the campaign. “The priesthood is a beautiful vocation, a pure gift, and I am grateful to the Father for calling me to be his priest and his bishop,” he said.
“I pray that these 900 men, and many more, will draw closer to Jesus Christ, the vine, and remain in communion with Him,” the archbishop continued.
The men are invited to attend the “Come and See” event at the seminary later this month, where the archbishop will give a talk and they will have the opportunity to meet the seminary rector and spend time with the seminarians. Of the men contacted by the archdiocese, more than 70 have registered.
In a culture that seeks self-sufficiency, these young men are seeking what God created them for, Father Wallace said. “Something that strikes me is the openness and sincerity with which these young men are discovering what God created them for,” he added.
Aquila offered his prayers for the young men discerning their vocations and asked the faithful to join him. “As you come to know the Lord more personally, may He guide you to consider what is being asked of you,” the bishop said.
The “Called by Name” campaign will also continue through discernment groups and other resources offered by the archdiocese.
“Please pray with me that they will respond with faithfulness, generosity, and courage, so that, in Jesus Christ, all may be saved and have abundant life, for the glory of the Father,” said Bishop Aquila.
Compiled by Dominic Joseph
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