Support needed for seminarians, deacon candidates

by Anne Marie Cox | September 8, 2026

Our diocesan faith family is blessed with 48 men considering whether God is calling them to serve people through ordained ministry.

This fall, the Diocese of Des Moines has:

• 13 young men studying for and discerning a vocation to the priesthood.
• 18 men and their wives in their third year of a five-year diaconate formation program. God willing, they will be ordained deacons in summer of 2028.
• 17 men and their wives beginning the deacon formation process. This is the first time the Des Moines Diocese will have two groups in formation at the same time.

“The generous heart of Jesus is reflected in the generous response of these candidates for ordination,” said Bishop William Joensen.

With this blessing comes a tremendous responsibility to provide the resources, education, guidance, and prayer to all of these men who have come forward to discern whether God is calling them to serve the people of the Des Moines Diocese through ordained ministry. 

The average cost to form one seminarian is $59,500. The annual cost to support one deacon candidate is $7,600. While some expenses will be covered by the Annual Diocesan Appeal and some will be covered by interest from an endowment, there is pressure on the budget.

We need your help.

First, pray for the seminarians and the deacon candidates. One of them could be your pastor someday. One of them may be with you at a hospital bedside, at your child’s or grandchild’s baptism, or provide opportunities for you to grow in your faith.  

Second, consider making a generous gift to the Clergy Formation Appeal (formerly known as the annual Seminarian Appeal). These vocational seeds to the priesthood and the diaconate will take root and bear fruit so our local churches might flourish. Join the Bishop Joensen in providing prayerful and financial support for our future clergy.