Priests Down, Seminarians Up

Zenit (Vatican News Agency) | 05/12/03 | N/A

[ninenot]

ROME, MAY 11, 2003 (Zenit.org).- Over a 23-year period the number of priests in the world decreased, while the number of seminarians increased.

This is the conclusion of a study by Father Vito Magno of the vocational review Rogate. The study compared the data of the Church's Statistical Yearbook from 1978 with December 2001.

In 1978, the total of diocesan and religious priests was 420,000; at the end of 2001 their number had dropped to 405,067.

The decrease is due above all to the reduced number of religious-order priests, especially in Europe, North America and Oceania, in whose countries the average age of priests has also increased.

The decrease is in contrast to the increase in the number of priests in Africa, Asia and some Latin American countries.

The number of permanent deacons increased to 29,204 from 5,562. This ministry was re-established in the Catholic Church with the Second Vatican Council.

The decrease in the number of priests is in contrast to the increase in the number of seminarians, which has almost doubled. In 1978, there were 63,882 candidates to the priesthood, compared with 112,244 at the end of 2001.

Over the past quarter-century, particularly in Africa, the number of seminarians has multiplied by four and in Asia by five. In Europe, the number has increased to 25,908 at present from 23,915 in 1978.

The study revealed a more complicated situation in regard to women religious. In 1978, they numbered 990,768; now they total 792,317.

As opposed to the case of seminarians, there is no significant growth in the number of women entering novitiates. In this case also, the most notable decrease has been registered in Europe, North America and Oceania.

ZE03051102

[traditionalist]

Per-captia vocations are down in the developed world. That's a problem, even if it's great that vocations are up in the 3rd world.

[TotusTuus]

Christos Voskrese!

Seriously, though, I remember that once, there were over 500,000 priests in the world.

Aww, there comes a point where you have to say, "Screw the numbers!" Holiness and the salvation of souls isn't the the most important issue for the Church - it's the only issue for the Church. Our Lord was born in the midst of a census, what does that census do for us today?

So, I go to my KofC meetings, and we pray for more vocations.

That's the ticket! Some of us plant, some water, but God provides the growth. The good news is that men and women are being attracted to those Orders that serve the Gospel. The rest are withering away.

[TotusTuus]

Christos Voskrese!

The clerical profession's image in some of these countries is beginning to rival the one it held in the US prior to the 70s and will, hopefully, some day recover.

A thread like this can quickly become depressing. The clerical profession? Priest are Sacraments called to a Divine Vocation to serve God in His Church, the mystical body and bride of Christ, for the salvation of His creatures called to a life of Holiness as adopted sons and daughters in His Son. As long as they "image" Christ correctly, that's all that matters from the perspective of eternity.

You know, others have mentioned the whole Africa/Asia comparison with Europe. I can't help but reflect that the Church originally was Middle Eastern. Europe came later and the Middle East was overrun by Islam. Currently, Europe is essentially throwing her "precious heritage", built on the Gospel of Christ, away. Maybe it is God's plan for the Church to become strong and Holy in the "third world" countries now and re-evangelize Europe (and America) from them. If so, good! Maybe Europe and America are becoming too arrogant and complacent. It is not unlike God to use the weak to correct the strong.

Are souls being saved? That's the only question of any importance. The trends seem to suggest that there are young people hearing a call from God to actively engage the precious and living heritage - Tradition - of God's Holy Church and launch Her to the future. A future of growth collecting God's children into Catholic unity.

[dangus]

>>Per-captia vocations are down in the developed world>>

Down since 1965? Yes. Down since 1978? No. They started to recover in the U.S. in the early '80's; in Europe in the early '90's (excluding the former USSR, but possibly including Poland, Hungary and Czechoslavakia; I don't remember.)

[narses]

Ping.

[Antoninus]

At least a guy gets three squares a day in a seminary on a continent where abject poverty is the rule and with little hope for a man with an IQ over 90. Priests don't starve.

Translation: "See, the Holy Spirit has nothing to do with calling these men. It's all about a desire to live a comfortable life. Also, Africans are stupid."

Thanks again for your sage advice, deak.

[sinkspur]

It's all about a desire to live a comfortable life. Also, Africans are stupid."

On the contrary. They're not stupid.

And not starving is not the definition of a comfortable life.

If Africa had the GDP of the United States, seminaries wouldn't be flooded.

[Antoninus]

If Africa had the GDP of the United States, seminaries wouldn't be flooded.

Do you believe that the Holy Spirit has anything to do with vocations or are all men's decisions predicated solely on self-interest?

[sinkspur]

Do you believe that the Holy Spirit has anything to do with vocations or are all men's decisions predicated solely on self-interest?

The Holy Spirit has everything to do with calls to the priesthood.

Mens' responses, however, are influenced by a lot of things.

[Antoninus]

The Holy Spirit has everything to do with calls to the priesthood.

Good, then we're in agreement. As it is a wise thing to follow the Holy Spirit's lead, then, it is only logical to look at those dioceses which have had the greatest successes with new vocations and adopt their methods, right?

[narses]

Orthodoxy is the answer. Sinky don't like it though. Orthodox Dioceses need no married priests.

[Antoninus]

Orthodoxy is the answer. Sinky don't like it though. Orthodox Dioceses need no married priests.

There are certain people out there who think that they can nudge the Holy Spirit their way using purely earthly means....

[sinkspur]

There are certain people out there who think that they can nudge the Holy Spirit their way using purely earthly means....

There are also certain people who think that they know, absolutely, what the Holy Spirit is saying, at all times and in all places.

Maybe they don't.

[GirlShortstop]

A thread like this can quickly become depressing. <snip> ... 
Are souls being saved? That's the only question of any importance. The trends seem to suggest that there are young people hearing a call from God to actively engage the precious and living heritage - Tradition - of God's Holy Church and launch Her to the future. A future of growth collecting God's children into Catholic unity.

Your post signifies that threads like these can be uplifting as well!  :-)  Here's to the "glass half full" crowd!

[Maximilian]

Starting from the nadir of the post-Vatican II mess is a great way to make a dead-cat bounce look like real growth.

Bingo!

The implications for the Church that the extinction of women's religious orders raises are too many to count, but they are horrible.

"Extinction" is not too strong a word to use.

[ninenot]

The eternal cynic Deacon notwithstanding, and GDP aside, the US will always have "enough" priests.

But the definition of the term "enough" is a bit slippery, eh?

[Diva]

I know for a fact they the numbers are up at Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit. That goes for those within the Diocese. They are almost to a man much more orthodox than what was there just five or six years ago.

[Diva]

The increase in seminarians is up from the very lowest point when there were virtually none as a percentage of Catholics worldwide. But it's still not nearly enough to replace the dying generation that represents the last of the pre-Vatican remnant.

This is probably true and given the very real circumstance that these seminarians tend to be more conservative than those priests who are in their 40s,50s and 60s. The Church in the US is in for a "retooling" and these brand new priests are in for much sacrifice and contention but then it wouldn't be the first time in Church history.

[Diva]

I spoke to Michael Rose about Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit. While I think his assessment was accurate it was a situation that existed 5 or more years ago and something Cardinal Maida was trying to fix. Rose said he had heard things were better and I hope one day he will be able to write another book which speaks of improvement, until then I will pray for better priests. The situation in Detroit was pretty bad, St. John Seminary was one of the worst in the country and the process of correction started back in the 80s with Cardinal Szoka (sp?) when he closed St. John as a Seminary and moved the faculty and seminarians into Sacred Heart. You can argue about how long it is taking to clean up the mess but I am very pleased it is taking place otherwise I doubt there would be any seminarians.

[Diva]

At least a guy gets three squares a day in a seminary on a continent where abject poverty is the rule and with little hope for a man with an IQ over 90. Priests don't starve.

I only know several of these priests, one in particular who is in this country because the dictator was out to kill him. He had already lost several brothers to the tender mercies of the dictator's thugs. Very intelligent and tireless in his efforts to keep the French government informed of the effects their support for this dictator is having on the people of his country. Very sad stories of mothers giving up their babies to the river in hopes someone downstream will be able to care for them. While it is probably true there are some becoming priests in Africa because they think it will be an easier life, there are many who become priests and make daily sacrifices we in this country can't even imagine.