A Shepherd’s Heart: Forming the Future of Our Church
Bishop Luis Zarama carries a deep and unwavering hope in his heart: that every parish and community within the Diocese of Raleigh will be shepherded by a dedicated, compassionate priest. To make that hope a reality, he works closely with the Office of the Vicar General and the Office of Vocations—because forming future priests is not only one of his greatest priorities, but also a mission rooted in love, faith, and service.
Today, our diocese follows two main paths to welcome priests into our family.
The first—and most deeply rooted—is through young men who feel a calling. These men who say “yes” to God’s call and begin the long, often difficult journey of discernment and formation. Their path takes six to eight years and requires not only deep spiritual connection, but rigorous academic study. For those whose first language is not English, that journey is even more demanding, as they must first gain fluency before beginning the coursework.
The second path is through our growing partnerships with religious orders. We are currently blessed to have priests from 16 different orders serving in our diocese. These men bring such rich spiritual traditions and diverse experiences, and while their journey to parish life may be shorter in duration, it still requires a significant investment of time, resources, and preparation.
No matter the path, forming and welcoming priests involves more than just a prayer—it requires financial support, pastoral care, and logistical coordination. And that is where we need YOU.
We are reaching out for your support because these paths have significant cost. For example, as part of our diocesan commitment to spiritual formation, we have been developing a relationship with The Congregation of the Passion of Jesus Christ, a religious order known as The Passionists. This effort includes travel-related expenses, such as potential visits to Kenya by Bishop Luis and Fr. Michael Burbeck in the summer of 2026 to strengthen that partnership. Similarly, in order to continue serving the growing Hispanic community within our diocese, we are investing in immersive Spanish language training for both our seminarians and our priests.
We know the harvest is great, but the laborers are few. With your support, we can nurture the seeds of vocation, bring devoted priests to our communities, and ensure the future of our Catholic faith across eastern North Carolina.