Nebraska: In a remarkable testament to faith, vocation, and family devotion, the Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska, is celebrating an extraordinary milestone six sets of brothers who have all answered the call to the Catholic priesthood. The most recent addition to this unique spiritual legacy came on Saturday, May 24, with the ordination of Father Isaac Wahlmeier, joining his brother, Father Joseph Wahlmeier, who was ordained in 2020.

For many parents, witnessing their children respond to God's call—whether through marriage, religious life, or priesthood—is a deeply moving fulfillment of years of prayer and nurturing. But few families are granted the grace of seeing multiple children become priests. In the Diocese of Lincoln, however, this rare blessing has now been realized by six different families.

For Father Isaac, his vocation journey was profoundly shaped by his brother Joseph's. Visiting Joseph during his seminary days at St. Gregory the Great Seminary in Seward, and later while he was studying in Rome, helped Isaac envision a path that once felt distant. “Seeing his witness built up my trust in God's plan,” said Father Isaac, comparing the experience to how saints inspire one another in the communion of faith.

Joseph, now a priest for four years, recalls the moment he learned Isaac was entering seminary. “It was both surprising and expected,” he said. “When God calls, there’s often a moment of sudden clarity. That’s how it was for me, and apparently for him too.”

The Wahlmeier brothers attribute much of their faith foundation to their parents, Patrick and Debbie, who have been married for over 45 years and raised 15 children. Now grandparents to 29, the couple nurtured a household grounded in prayer, sacrifice, and trust in God’s providence. Debbie recalls sewing lace from her own wedding gown into Isaac’s liturgical vestments—a symbolic thread connecting their family to every Mass he celebrates.

Asked whether she ever foresaw her sons entering the priesthood, Debbie gently responded, “I didn’t know what God had in store for them, but I prayed they would find it.” Her steadfast prayer during their discernment was always simple: “May God’s will be done.”

Reflecting on her son’s ordination, Debbie sees it as a powerful testament to the grace of the sacrament of marriage: “God blesses marriage in ways we can’t always predict, and sometimes He multiplies it into something so beautiful.”

Father Isaac emphasized that his siblings, many of whom are married and raising families, also live out deeply sacrificial and grace-filled vocations. “Our parents’ self-giving love didn’t just guide us—it took root in all of us,” he said. “You see that love blossom and grow in every one of my siblings, whatever their path.”


Father Joseph added that growing up in a home filled with intentional Catholic practice—daily prayer, regular Rosary, and active parish involvement—helped all the children become attuned to God’s calling. “It trained us to give of ourselves. Whether that was at Sky Camp, serving at Mass, or volunteering—it shaped our ability to say yes to God.”

That spirit of Catholic family life also shines in the story of Fathers Matthew and Jeffrey Eickhoff. Raised in Omaha’s Holy Cross Parish by parents Larry and Joan, their upbringing was rich with parish activity—everything from helping at the rectory to attending parish missions and Stations of the Cross as a family. “We were immersed in Church life,” said Father Matthew. “It shaped everything.”

The brothers not only share the priesthood but also several talents—like music, juggling, and gourmet Italian cooking. Their acts have entertained students and raised funds for Catholic schools and parishes. Both also studied in Rome and still share their priestly milestones, including celebrating their ordination anniversaries together on May 27. “Sharing priesthood with my brother is a real joy,” said Father Matthew. “From baptizing nieces and nephews to celebrating sacraments together—it’s deeply fulfilling.”

Father Joseph Wahlmeier believes that having a brother in the same vocation deepens the experience. “Our diocese has a strong brotherhood among priests,” he said. “But to have your actual brother as part of that—it adds another layer of support and joy.”

The Wahlmeiers and Eickhoffs are joined by four other priestly sibling pairs in the diocese:
• Fathers Andrew and Christian Schwenka (ordained in 2019 and 2022)
• Monsignor Daniel, Father Mark, and Father Leo Seiker (ordained in 1987, 1984, and 1991)
• Fathers Evan and Dominic Winter (ordained in 2016 and 2022)
• Fathers Matthew and Michael Zimmer (ordained in 2011 and 2012)

Together, these families form a remarkable testimony to God’s enduring call across generations. Their stories reveal how family life steeped in prayer, virtue, and joyful service can sow the seeds of great vocations—each an offering of love for the Church and the world.

In a time when priestly vocations are often scarce, the Diocese of Lincoln stands as a beacon of what faith-filled family life can cultivate: not just one priestly vocation, but an abundant harvest of holy brothers, called and consecrated together.