TULSA, Okla. (AP) The recent ordination of six men as Catholic priests in Oklahoma has Catholic leaders hoping that a decline in priest candidates may be ending.
The Diocese of Tulsa ordained one priest during spring while the Archdiocese in Oklahoma City ordained five on June 28.
The number is the largest since 1991 when six were ordained in Oklahoma City. As recently as 2012 there were none.
The Rev. Elkin Gonzalez in Tulsa says the diocese normally has about two ordinations per year â?? and while none are scheduled for next year he says there are others scheduled in 2016.
And the Rev. Stephen Hamilton in Edmond says there appears to be a surge in new priests with three seminarians scheduled to be ordained next year in the archdiocese.