CHARLESTON—The number of men studying to be priests for the Diocese of Charleston has increased by double digits.
Bishop Robert E. Guglielmone recently accepted 10 new seminarians from around the state, which brings the total number of men headed for the priesthood to 23. They range in age from 18 to 37.
“Our diocese is vibrant and growing, and evidence of this is the fact that the average age of the men who were accepted is 26 years old,” said Father Matthew Gray, vicar for vocations. “I am very proud of these fine men who have decided to discern God’s will more seriously while in seminary.”
Father Gray said the group will begin several years of hard work in the fall, spending between six and eight years studying for the priesthood at seminaries in Texas, Florida and Washington, D.C.
“They’ll receive the highest quality of education, spiritual direction, and formation as they mature into the men God needs them to be,” he said. “Whether they become priests or not, they will become fine, upstanding Catholic men.”
The new seminarians, where they come from and where they will study are as follows:
Colin Doering, 18, of Bluffton, is from St. Gregory the Great Church and will attend first college at Holy Trinity Seminary in Dallas, Texas.
Alex Foley, 22, of Greenville, is from St. Mary Church and will attend first theology at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach, Fla.
Michael Kane, 22, of Bluffton, is from St. Gregory the Great Church and will attend first college at Holy Trinity Seminary.
Paul Lacombe, 29, of Beaufort, is from St. Peter Church and will attend second theology at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary.
Chris Loester, 37, of Summerville, is from St. John the Beloved Church and will attend third theology at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary.
Mauricio Moreno, 27, of Bluffton, is from St. Gregory the Great and will attend first college at St. John Vianney Seminary in Miami, Fla.
Trenton Redmond, 27, of Myrtle Beach, is from St. Andrew Church and will attend first pre-theology at Theological College in Washington, D.C.
Blake Schuman, 18, of Hanahan, is from Divine Redeemer Church and will attend first college at St. John Vianney Seminary.
Paul Sizemore, 29, of Charleston, is from the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and will attend first pre-theology at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary.
Michael Tracy, 34, of Charleston, is also from the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and will attend first pre-theology at St. Mary’s Seminary in Houston, Texas.
