A culture of encouragement
(From left) Deacons Michael Lugo, Maximilian Frei, John Cuppett, Robert Bauman, James Tweed, Peter Townsend, Michael Camilleri, Daniel Chaves Peña, Bryan Ilagor and Juan González Hernández will be ordained priests May 30. (Troy C. Hull | Catholic News Herald)CHARLOTTE — The upcoming ordination of 10 priests for the Diocese of Charlotte not only represents a historic landmark, it is also a sign of a continuing diocesan-wide commitment to vocations that reaches every corner of the Catholic experience – from formation at parishes and schools to the halls of St. Joseph College Seminary and in the hearts of individuals and families.
The May 30 ordination, which will be celebrated by Bishop Michael Martin at St. Mark Church in Huntersville, follows the ordinations of six men in 2025 and closely approaches the previous record of seven achieved in both 2000 and 2024.
With only two priests retiring this summer, this year’s new ordinands will join 145 priests now serving in some capacity for a Catholic population that now tops 575,000.
The record year of ordinations was the result of ongoing growth in vocations driven by the increased awareness built up over the past few decades, said Vocations Director Father John Eckert, who took over the role last July, succeeding longtime director Father Christopher Gober.
“I certainly have not had a lot of downtime since I took on this role, but that’s been such a good thing,” Father Eckert said. “It’s exciting to be welcoming 10 new brother priests, and I’ve loved getting to accompany them in this time of formation.”
“Since I started this work, I’ve realized I’m inheriting the good work of so many people who have built up what we have in this diocese,” he said. “We’re very blessed because we have a good overall climate for vocations, including supportive parishes and parishioners, pastors and other priests leading by example, and mothers and fathers who are encouraging their children to explore their vocation in life.”
Deacon Juan González Hernández, one of the 10 who will be ordained May 30, said his family’s witness played a decisive role in his priestly vocation. Watching his brother celebrate Mass after he was ordained sparked a question in his young heart: “What if I myself become a priest one day, like my brother?”
A large part of the growth has come from a commitment across the diocese to encourage young people – like Deacon Hernández – to consider how God is calling them, Father Eckert said.
That’s evident in the growth of vocations summer camps. Under Father Gober, two vocations camps were launched: “Quo Vadis Days” in 2014 for young men and “Duc in Altum” in 2016 for young women. The programs have helped thousands of teenagers explore potential religious vocations through prayer, talks and fellowship. There is also a discernment day for young women called “Talitha Koum.” All are held at Belmont Abbey College.
Diocesan leaders also cite the profound impact of St. Joseph College Seminary in Mount Holly, which was founded by then-Bishop Peter Jugis in 2016. Eight of this year’s ordinands studied there before advancing to major seminary. The other two lived there during their pastoral years of ministering to a parish.
At the college seminary, men discern the priesthood while earning a bachelor’s degree at nearby Belmont Abbey College before going on to theology studies at major seminary.
For Deacon John Cuppett, who played baseball at Belmont Abbey College, it was in that supportive college environment that his childhood desires for the priesthood “came crashing back.”
“Many years ago, seeing the desperate need for priests, Bishop Jugis and his clergy made the cultivation of vocations the highest priority,” said the seminary’s rector Father Matthew Kauth.
“From this earnest prayer arose many endeavors from Quo Vadis to St. Joseph College Seminary,” Father Kauth said. “We are now reaping the harvest of 20-plus years of labor. It didn’t just happen. God has blessed our efforts and a culture of vocations has been established – yielding increasing returns, just as Christ said it would. Now, we must cultivate and care for those vocations and give thanks to God.”
Father Brian Becker, director of formation at the college seminary, said it’s been exciting to watch the current class progress through their studies and said, “it’s now a time of great joy to celebrate their reaching the altar.”
“It’s a real inspiration to see so many men willing to lay down their lives for Christ,” Father Becker said. “It gives great inspiration to young men considering becoming priests themselves to see so many men answering the call.”
DIVERSE CLASS
Not only is it one of the largest ordination classes in the diocese’s 54-year history, the 2026 ordination class reflects the continued growth and diversity of the Church in western North Carolina.
Six of the men were not born in North Carolina – and only Deacon James Tweed is a native of the diocese – but the region’s growth drew them or their families here.
Two of them – Deacon Daniel Chaves Peña from Colombia and Deacon Hernández from Mexico – moved here during their seminary studies. Deacon Maximilian Frei hails from Germany, and Deacon Bryan Ilagor was born in Pinehurst but raised in Mexico.
The group’s average age is 30, and they took different paths to the priesthood – from scientists and athletes to missionaries and musicians – but they all share a willingness to trust God’s call wherever it leads.
SAME CALL TO SERVE
Some discovered their calling as children, while others found it later in life through retreats, personal crises, friendships or years of discernment.
For Deacon Chaves, the turning point came after a devastating health crisis ended his hopes of an athletic career.
“I realized life ends and things aren’t just fun or passing time,” he said. “You face reality.” After an Ignatian retreat, he reached a conviction that changed his life: “I can’t live with myself if I say no. It was so clear – God was calling me,” he said.
Others describe quieter beginnings. Deacon Michael Camilleri remembers “playing Mass” as one of his earliest childhood memories before rediscovering his vocation as a teenager.
Deacon Peter Townsend said he first sensed the call at just 5 years old, and “the feeling never left me.”
Deacon Ilagor recalls serving one night at his parish when his pastor asked him, “Bryan, do you want to be a priest?” The moment, he said, forced him to answer honestly before God, “If this is God’s will, I will give it a shot.”
Deacon Robert Bauman heard his call right after college. Several pursued other dreams before they decided to enter seminary.
Deacon Tweed studied molecular biology and neuroscience and considered careers in archaeology, marine biology and medicine. Yet God revealed a deeper purpose, he said. “My heart had been made entirely for Him,” he explained.
Deacon Tweed echoes his fellow ordinands in telling men who might be discerning a priestly vocation to embrace that call.
“Do not be afraid to trust Him, even when the path is unclear. God’s call is a gift,” he said.
As the diocese moves into the future, Father Eckert urges all of the faithful not to rest on this record, but to continue fostering vocations.
“The momentum we’ve had needs to continue, and it’s important that we never take the gift of the faith for granted,” he said. “We’re in an exciting time right now, with news like the addition of a new parish in Waxhaw, but we have to make sure we don’t take that for granted. People need to continue to stay engaged in loving their parishes and sharing the love of Jesus. When we’re all living that way, it encourages young men and young women to want to share in that.”
— Christina Lee Kanuss and Kimberly Bender
What to know before you go
All are welcome to attend the 9 a.m. ordination Mass on Saturday, May 30, at St. Mark Church, 14740 Stumptown Road, Huntersville.
Seating: Once seating inside St. Mark Church is at capacity, overflow seating will be in the St. Mark School Gym. Ushers will direct people upon arrival.
Additional parking: St. Mark’s parking lot will fill quickly, so overflow parking with shuttle service will be available starting at 7:30 a.m. from nearby Grand Oaks Elementary School at 15410 Stumptown Road.
Reception and first blessings: Stay for the reception and light refreshments after Mass at 11 a.m. in the Monsignor Kerin Center. The new priests will offer first blessings from 1 to 3 p.m. inside the church.
Can’t attend in person? Watch from anywhere with our livestream of the ordination Mass, live starting at 9 a.m. on the diocese’s YouTube channel. Subscribe to get notifications and updates about live streams, Shorts, premieres and more.Follow along with the livestream Mass in this program.
Vesting the new priests
During the May 30 Mass, the newly ordained priests remove their deacon’s stoles and are presented with the symbols of their new office in the Church: a priestly stole and chasuble (vestment). This moment is known as the “investiture.” The priests are assisted by other priests they have personally chosen to vest them.
- Robert Bauman — Father John Eckert, vocations director for the diocese
- Michael Camilleri — Father Bob Ferris, retired diocesan priest
- Daniel Chaves Peña — Father Francisco Javier Mahia
- John Cuppett — Father Jose Palma Torres, parochial vicar at Our Lady of Mercy in Winston-Salem
- Maximilian Frei —Monsignor Karl Chimiak
- Juan González Hernández — Father Eusebio Gonzalez Hernandez
- Bryan Ilagor — Father Ricardo Sanchez, pastor of Our Lady of the Americas in Biscoe
- Michael Lugo — Father Herbert Burke, pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish
- Peter Townsend — Father Matthew Buettner, spiritual director of St. Joseph College Seminary
- James Tweed — Father Joseph Yellico, chaplain at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte
First Masses of Thanksgiving
Following their ordination, the new priests will offer first Masses
Deacon Robert Bauman
Sunday, May 31, 10:30 a.m. at Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury
Sunday, June 7, for the Feast of Corpus Christi, 10:30 a.m. at St. Ann Church in Charlotte
Deacon Michael Camilleri
Sunday, May 31, 3 p.m. at St. Elizabeth Church in Boone
Deacon Daniel Chaves Peña
Sunday, May 31, 10 a.m. in English at Immaculate Conception Church in Hendersonville
Deacon John Cuppett
Sunday, May 31, noon at St. Leo the Great Church in Winston-Salem
Deacon Maximilian Frei
Sunday, May 31, 9 a.m. at St. Dorothy Church in Lincolnton
Deacon Juan González Hernández
Sunday, May 31, 1:45 p.m. in Spanish at Immaculate Conception Church in Hendersonville
Deacon Bryan Ilagor
Sunday, May 31, 2 p.m. bilingual at Our Lady of the Americas in Biscoe
Deacon Michael Lugo
Sunday, May 31, at 9 a.m. at Immaculate Conception Church in Forest City
Deacon Peter Townsend
Sunday, May 31, 10:30 a.m. at St. Ann Church in Charlotte
Deacon James Tweed
Sunday, May 31, 9 a.m. at St. Mark Church in Huntersville
Meet the priest candidates
Deacon Robert Bauman
Age: 31
Home parish: St. Ann in Charlotte
Born and raised in: Wilmington, NC
Interests/hobbies: Hiking, disc golf, running and reading at a local coffee shop
Summer assignments in the diocese: Sacred Heart in Salisbury, Our Lady of Mercy in Winston-Salem and St. Lucien’s parish / St. Bernadette’s mission in Spruce Pine / Linville.
When did you first realize you had a call to the priesthood? “During an eight-day Ignatian silent retreat.”
Deacon Michael Camilleri
Age: 26
Home parish: St Elizabeth Church, Boone
Born in: Florida
Raised in: North Carolina
Interests/hobbies: Learning languages and calligraphy
Summer assignments in the diocese: St Jude, Sapphire; Our Lady of the Mountains, Highlands; St Gabriel, Charlotte
When did you first realize you had a call to the priesthood? “I first heard the call to the priesthood when I was very young – 3 or 4 years old. My family loves to talk about how I used to “play Mass,” which is actually one of my earliest memories. I lost sight of the vocation in late elementary school until right before high school. I wanted to go into computer science.
While preparing to enter high school, by the grace of God, I decided to pursue what He put on my heart from that early age, and I entered the college seminary.”
Deacon Daniel Chaves Peña
Age: 44
Home parish: Immaculate Conception in Hendersonville
From: Bogotá, Colombia; moved to New Jersey in 1993
His journey of formation led him to missions in Peru from 2016 to 2018, and then to Rome, where he earned his Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology in 2021. In 2023, Chaves joined the Diocese of Charlotte’s seminary program.
When did you first feel a calling to the priesthood? “When I got to what was going to be my last year of high school, I ran cross-country and I was doing pretty well. I had many scholarship offers from universities here in the United States, and in the final race of the state championship in New Jersey, I collapsed just before reaching the finish line. They rushed me to the ER, and they told me it was my sugar levels – they were extremely low. That began a crisis not only health-wise, but spiritually. And I wasn’t getting better. I had relapses, so the decision was made for me to return to Colombia with my mom.”
Deacon John Cuppett
Age: 28
Home parish: St. Leo the Great in Winston-Salem
Born in: Cary, NC
Raised in: Four Oaks, NC
Vested by: Father Jose Palma Torres
Interest/hobbies: Sports and the outdoors, including hiking and camping
Summer assignments: Missionary work with the order of Jesus Crucified in Louisiana
When did you first realize you had a call to the priesthood? Cuppett played baseball at Belmont Abbey College and clarified the call while at college.
“During high school I was interested in joining the seminary after I graduated; however, I did very little in pursuing it and soon it faded into the background. From then on and up until college it was a fun idea, but nothing more. After high school I attended Belmont Abbey College on a baseball scholarship, where I played as a second baseman for four years.
During my time at the Abbey, I met Matthew Harrison, a Charlotte seminarian. I informed him of my past dream of becoming a priest and he invited me to visit St. Joseph College Seminary. I did, and then all my previous desires and hopes for the priesthood came crashing back. I quickly sought help in my discernment with the diocesan Vocations Office. My senior year at the Abbey, I started spiritual direction with Father Brian Becker, the diocese’s promoter of vocations, and he helped me tremendously by answering all my questions, fears and thoughts regarding my vocation. Together we discovered that my call to the priesthood was very real, and he referred me to Father Christopher Gober, diocesan vocations director, to begin the process of applying.”
Deacon Maximilian Frei
Age: 31
Home parish:St. Dorothy in Lincolnton
Born in: Villingen, Germany
Interests/ hobbies: Chess, fitness and spiritual reading
Summer assignments in the diocese: St. Patrick Cathedral, Charlotte; St. John Church in Waynesville and St. John the Baptist in Tryon
When did you first realize you had a call to the priesthood? “The first time I can remember when I had a calling was when I was waiting in the confession line as a kid. Many years later in my mid 20's, after living a worldly and superficial life, it was Our Lord once more who called me to serve him as a priest.”
Deacon Juan González Hernández
Age:35
Home parish: Immaculate Conception in Hendersonville
Raised in: Mexico City, Mexico
When did you first feel a calling to the priesthood? “It was the day that my brother was ordained a priest in 1997 when I was just about to turn 7 years old. On that day, the light bulb in me lit up and I asked myself, ‘What if I myself become a priest one day, like my brother’”
What was it like to continue your studies by leaving for Spain? “My brother, a priest, and two of my sisters, who were cloistered nuns, lived there. My brother studied in Spain while in seminary and my sisters were also a part of the institute Obra de Amor, which brought them to Spain.
Having them there was helpful, because even though it was a new experience for me, I could be close to my family and learn from them.”
What does it mean to you to be able to serve the Hispanic community in this diocese? “I have lived in many different places with a variety of cultures. I feel as though I mold well to both communities, the Anglo and Hispanic communities. So the idea that my mentor at Immaculate Conception in Hendersonville, Father Andrés Gutierrez, has mentioned is to create a singular and strong community out of both of those cultures. That way, people do not show divisions but, rather, the Church becomes a place where everyone feels like one community.”
What will it mean for you to become a priest? “It is a radical change in my life, because after this moment I will be a representative of not only the Church, but of Jesus Christ. Of course, the responsibility is much bigger, but I am also conscious that God’s grace, the prayers of the faithful and a spiritual life, help to take charge of that weight.”
Deacon Bryan Ilagor
Age: 30
Home parish: Our Lady of the Americas in Biscoe
Raised in: Zitácuaro, Michoacán, Mexico
Interest/ hobbies: “Expanding my knowledge of different cultures, such as Japanese, Korean, Filipino and many others; watching TV and movies and a football fan of La Liga, the Premier League and other leagues.”
Summer assignments in the diocese: Immaculate Conception in Hendersonville and St. Francis of Assisi in Lenoir
When did you first realize you had a call to the priesthood?
“Many seminarians can recall dressing up as priests, and that was their realization. However, I did not have a big realization moment. Instead, it was a step I decided to take in my life (at least, that’s how I saw it at first). I was not big into participating in Church activities, but I always found myself helping in the Church instead of going out with my friends to watch a movie. I always found myself at peace while serving the Church.
Hence, if I had to decide a moment in my life when I first realized, it was when I was helping my Pastor Ricardo Sanchez to close the church one night. After locking all the doors of the church, turning off all the lights, and making sure no one was left behind, I met with my pastor at the sanctuary to say goodbye. We were the only ones left at the church, and he asked me a question I have not forgotten. ‘Bryan, do you want to be a priest?’ Before I could respond, he said, “Before you answer, look at the Tabernacle; you are not going to answer to me but to God.” Great. I thought to myself. Now, I can’t lie or give an incomplete answer. I thought, ‘If this is God’s will, I will give it a shot.’ Shortly after, I told my pastor, ‘Yes.’ This first ‘step’ was accepting that God called me to enter the seminary. In the past, many parishioners had said, ‘You should be a priest,’ but dismissed them with ‘I don’t think it is my calling.’ Seven years later, I am here, realizing I will be ordained a deacon in a few months.”
Deacon Michael Lugo
Age: 25
Home parish: Immaculate Conception in Forest City
Born in: Kansas
Raised in: Rutherfordton, NC
Interests/ hobbies: Running, skiing, euchre, reading and piano
Summer assignments in the diocese: Holy Cross, Kernersville; St. Lucian and St. Bernadette, Spruce Pine/Linville; St. John the Baptist, Tryon
When did you first realize you had a call to the priesthood? “There were several points growing up that I remember seriously considering it as an option. But I really started taking it seriously during Quo Vadis Days in the summer of 2018. Throughout the course of that week, spending time in prayer and learning about the priesthood, it seemed to me that the priesthood was the summation of everything I wanted out of life, particularly the way in which the life of a priest is completely dedicated to one thing: the service of God.”
Deacon Peter Townsend
Age: 25
Home parish:St. Ann in Charlotte
Born in: Racine, Wisconsin
Raised in: Charlotte
Interests/hobbies: “I enjoy playing guitar in my free time and reading a good novel (right now I’m reading Dostoevsky’s Brothers Karamozov). I’ve also found that I enjoy learning languages. Right now, I’m working on Spanish and would like to one day work on French (maybe even Italian and German!).”
Summer assignments in the diocese: “During my college days, I participated in the St. Joseph Workers’ program where myself and my brother seminarians traveled around the diocese performing different odd jobs like lawn mowing, mulch spreading, painting.
After entering theology, I spent my summers at St. John the Baptist Parish in Tryon, St. Mark Parish in Huntersville and Our Lady of Grace Parish in Greensboro.”
When did you first realize you had a call to the priesthood? “I always knew I wanted to be a priest, so I entered St. Joseph College Seminary straight out of high school.
“I first felt the call to the priesthood when I was about five years old, and the feeling never left me. So, when St. Joseph’s opened in 2016, I knew what I had to do.”
Deacon James Tweed
Age: 31
Home parish: Sacred Heart in Brevard
What are your hobbies? Working out, writing poetry and prose, walking in the woods, oil painting and hosting friends.
Who is your favorite saint? The Blessed Virgin Mary. When I’m with her, I feel very close to Jesus.
What is your favorite Bible verse? “For she is a breath of the power of God, and a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty; therefore nothing defiled gains entrance into her. For she is a reflection of eternal light, a spotless mirror of the working of God, and an image of his goodness” (Wisdom 7:25-26).
What was your journey of discernment like? “God planted the seed of my vocation from my earliest years. It grew quietly, nurtured by grace, the sacraments and the loving care of my family.
There were moments when I sensed I was set apart for something special, though I couldn’t yet see what that would be.
Then came the moment during the Steubenville retreat in Atlanta. I was completely unprepared – the thought had never even entered my mind. I did not want this path, and I could not have imagined choosing it myself. Yet, in that moment, I felt an irresistible movement within my heart. It was as if the Lord spoke my name in a way that embraced my whole being, drawing me with a love both commanding and tender. Almost before I knew it, I stood. In that moment, I understood with clarity and joy that my life belonged to Him.”
Any advice for men considering the priesthood? “The joy, peace and purpose that come from embracing God’s plan for your life far surpass any earthly attachment. Do not be afraid to trust Him, even when the path is unclear. God’s call is a gift.”