Documentary Screening: Discerning the Call: Change in the American Priesthood

When a man discovers a call to the priesthood today, his process of discernment looks much different than it would have decades ago. In the past, men entered seminary younger, the application process was quicker, and their friends and family usually celebrated the decision. Today, the norm is much different. But why?

In this original documentary, 2023–2024 Duffy Fellows Jay Doherty and Patrick Cullinan examine the cultural changes that have affected the American Catholic priesthood in the last 75 years. From the social and political upheaval of the 1960s and the clerical sex abuse crisis of the early 2000s to the modern embrace of secularism, Discerning the Call: Change in the American Priesthood explores the many elements that have changed priestly discernment in the United States.

The documentary includes interviews with Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York, and Jesuit author James Martin, SJ, plus men ordained from the 1950s to the present day.

About the Filmmakers
Patrick Cullinan, FCRH ‘24, is in the Honors Program, majoring in Latin and minoring in economics. He is deeply interested in Catholicism and its interaction with American culture, having rediscovered the faith during his time at Fordham.

Jay Doherty, FCRH ‘26, is a sophomore studying digital technologies and emerging media and philosophy. He is a reporter for WFUV and serves as a University ambassador in the Rose Hill Society. Doherty is also the treasurer of Fordham’s Jesuit Network and the student representative of the University’s alumni association.