Today, March 22, 2026, the Church in Spain joyfully celebrates  Seminary Day  under the official motto of the Spanish Episcopal Conference:  “Leave your nets and follow me”  (inspired by Luke 5:11: “And leaving everything, they followed him”). This is a day of  profound gratitude , joyful recognition, and an urgent call to the entire Christian community.

Giving thanks to God for the radical dedication of the seminarians

Each seminarian is a  living miracle  of grace: a young man who, like Peter, Andrew, James, and John by the lake, has heard Jesus’ voice: “Leave your nets and follow me.” They have left behind promising careers, loving relationships, financial security, and future plans to respond to  the Lord’s free and loving call  . This commitment is not a loss, but  an infinite gain : they become living instruments of God’s mercy, dispensers of his forgiveness, bearers of the Eucharist that gives eternal life.

As Saint John Paul II affirmed  , “The priesthood is the love of the heart of Jesus.” And  Pope Francis  insistently reminds us, “The seminary is always a sign of hope for the Church.” In a world where social media and networks of personal interests ensnare so many, these young men have had the courage to let go of them to follow the only one who gives true meaning to existence.

The urgent need for holy priests in our Church

Today more than ever, the Church cries out: we need priests! Without them, communities are left without the source of the Eucharist, without the sacrament of reconciliation that frees us from the burden of sin, without the shepherd who knows his sheep by name and leads them to green pastures. In Spain, more than a thousand young men (1,066 seminarians in the 2025-2026 academic year, according to data from the Spanish Episcopal Conference) are preparing in seminaries, a slight increase that is a sign of hope, but still insufficient to meet pastoral needs.

The Second Vatican Council teaches in  Optatam totius  that priestly formation is  essential  for the vitality of the entire Church. A holy priest radiates Christ: he forgives, consoles, evangelizes, unites broken families, and accompanies people in sickness and death. How much good they do! Without new vocations, many parishes would be left without this essential presence.

How to actively collaborate in their training: two paths within everyone’s reach

The Church proposes two concrete, accessible and powerful ways to support those who respond to the call:

1. Financial Support for Seminaries:  Integral formation (theological, spiritual, human, and pastoral) requires resources: university studies, housing, psychological and spiritual support, books, language training… Many seminaries depend on the generosity of the faithful. A monthly contribution, however small, is a  lasting investment : it helps to form the priest who will one day administer the sacraments to your children, grandchildren, or neighbors. It is an act of mercy that bears abundant fruit in the Kingdom.
2. Constant and trusting prayer is essential.  Jesus himself asked for it: “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Mt 9:37-38). Praying for seminarians—for their perseverance, their holiness, their joy—is the  most effective way to collaborate . The family rosary, Eucharistic adoration, offering Mass or a daily Our Father with this intention: everything counts. Prayer moves the heart of God and sustains those in formation through trials.

Living testimonies: conversions that led to the seminary

• A young seminarian from Seville recounted how, amidst a life filled with apparent success and personal projects, he felt an immense emptiness. The joyful testimony of another seminarian in his parish unsettled him: “How can someone renounce everything and be happier than me?” After a retreat and a personal encounter with Jesus in the Eucharist, he experienced a profound conversion: prayer became a vital necessity, the sacraments daily nourishment. Today he acknowledges: “I left my nets and found in Christ the fullness I was seeking.”
• Another priest, formerly immersed in a world of partying and excess, experienced a turning point that led him to question everything. The testimonies of aimless young people moved him deeply: “I saw that only Christ gives true meaning.” He ended a romantic relationship; his girlfriend, surprisingly, told him, “Lately I’ve noticed you’re more for God than for me.” He entered the seminary and today brings the light of Christ to many who live in darkness. His life proclaims: Following Jesus is the greatest adventure!

These real testimonies show that vocation is born from a  transformative encounter  with Christ, which frees from emptiness and guides one towards the total gift of oneself.

Quotes from saints and Popes to ignite the heart

• Saint John Paul II : “Have you ever thought about giving your life entirely to Christ? Do you think there can be anything greater than drawing men and women to Christ?”
• Pope Francis : “To feel loved by God, to feel that for him we are not numbers, but people; and to feel that it is he who calls us. To become a priest is to discover that Jesus loves us and sends us.”
• Saint John Vianney : “If you understood what a priest is on earth, you would die not of fright, but of love.”

On this Seminary Day 2026,  let us give  heartfelt thanks for every seminarian and priest. Let us fervently ask the Lord of the harvest to continue sending generous laborers. Let us collaborate with ardent prayer and concrete support. In this way, we help ensure that the call “Leave your nets and follow me” continues to resonate in young hearts and transform the world.

Mary, Mother of priests and Queen of vocations, intercede for them and for us! May her “let it be done” inspire our generous “yes.”