The presence of Latinos in the Glenmary missions has grown in recent decades. Mostly immigrants from México and Central America, now they account for about 75% of all the people whom the congregation serves. But in contrast with this reality, Glenmary only has one Latino priest.

Viviana Fernández, a parishioner at the Glenmary mission in Livingston, Tennessee, says that “we are in great need of Hispanic or Latino vocations because many of us don’t speak English.” She adds—in Spanish—that many Hispanics have not had the opportunity to study English, whether because it’s too expensive, because they have to work long hours to make ends meet, or for other reasons.

“We really need, and we implore God’s help so that we could have Hispanic and Latino members under final profession to serve this population,” says Father Aaron Wessman, Glenmary’s first vice president. He highlights that many Glenmarians have gone a long way to learn Spanish in order to communicate with these immigrants. But very few speak the language in a fluent way.

“Attending Mass in English or in a bilingual format when you only master one language is a challenge,” says Viviana, in Spanish. Moreover, each ethnic group has its own culture and traditions that are better understood by someone who comes from that culture, adds Glenmary Brother David Henley.

A nationwide situation

Latinos account for almost half of all Catholics in the United States, but represent only 17% of all the priests ordained nationwide, on average in the last 10 years (see details in graphic).

To better serve this growing flock of immigrants in its mission territory, Glenmary is strengthening its efforts to attract more Hispanic prospects.

As part of these efforts among Latinos, Glenmary held this past June a retreat for young men in the town of Villa de Reyes, in the state of San Luis Potosí, in central México. The retreat was prepared in collaboration with Father José Ángel Loredo, a Mexican priest who once explored a vocation with Glenmary.

Father Aaron and Brother David led the group of 16 youth who gathered for one day. “At the end of the day, we asked them, ‘How many of you would like to continue in the process with us, to know us more and continue discerning a vocation with Glenmary?’” Brother David says. Nine of the guys responded affirmatively.

After the retreat, Brother David and Father Aaron visited the homes of five of the young men, who invited the Glenmarians to know their families.

Years of work in México

This was the third retreat that Glenmary organized in México. The first one took place in January 2024 and was led by Brother David and Father Charles Aketch. A year later, in January 2025, Father Steve Pawelk met with some of the same young men and others.

In the group who participated in the most recent retreat in México, there are some young men who are already studying in a seminary in that country.

The effort to attract Latinos to a vocation within Glenmary also includes constant communication. Father Steve, who serves as novitiate director, leads a group of young men who connect once a month via video. Some of them live in México, while others live in the United States.

“I usually bring a Glenmarian or a coworker to talk about their ministry,” Father Steve explains. “I send them pictures, for example, when the ordinations took place, and they send me pictures. They also talk to each other about their own journey.”

In addition to having a Latino priest, Glenmary also has a novice, Ángel Barocio, from México. The society also continues recruiting in Kenya and, of course, in the United States.

Father Aaron foresees that in some 10 years, about 50% of the Glenmary priests and Brothers will probably be men from East Africa, the majority from Kenya. Another 25% will be “folks whose country of origin is the US but who come from diverse backgrounds: maybe it’s somebody who has roots in the Philippines but was born in the US, somebody who has roots in Vietnam but was born in the US, and of course, Anglos. And then, I would say, the other quarter will be, hopefully, folks born in México and other countries of Latin America.”

Meanwhile, Viviana, the parishioner in Tennessee, says that she is among many Catholics who pray for more vocations in general to the Church, and specifically for more Latino priests and Brothers.