WASHINGTON — A new study disputes the common myth concerning a vocations crisis. The study has found that there are an abundance of potential priests, deacons, religious sisters and brothers — 600,000, in fact.
The study, “Consideration of Priesthood and Religious Life Among Never-Married U.S. Catholics,” conducted by the Georgetown University-based Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA), and commissioned by the U.S. bishops’ Secretariat for Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations, was released today. It found that, among never-married Catholics, 3% of men and 2% of women have seriously considered a religious vocation.
“The good news is that more than 500,000 never-married men and women have seriously considered a vocation to priesthood or the religious life,” said Archbishop Robert Carlson of St. Louis, chairman of the bishops’ Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations. “The challenge is to pastor and guide these individuals more effectively. This will require greater and more consistent encouragement from others, particularly within the family, and a more urgent focus on access to Catholic education for our young people.”
The findings echo what many vocations directors and observers have frequently stated.
“There is no vocation shortage.” So states Father Daniel Mahan, a priest of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, in his book More Than Silver or Gold: Homilies of a Stewardship Priest. “There is a shortage in those who respond to God’s call.”
That 2%-3% figure in the CARA study translates to large numbers.
“This is equivalent to 350,000 never-married men and 250,500 never married women,” said the survey. “Shepherding more of these individuals on the path to seeking a vocation would likely require a combination of greater outreach from the Church, encouragement from others, assistance in obtaining education prerequisites and dealing with other issues such as student loan debt.”
Corey Huber, president of the Mater Ecclesiae Fund for Vocations, a charitable organization devoted to helping religious-vocation-minded individuals meet education debt, especially agrees with the last point. According to Huber, his nonprofit receives applications from 40-50 individuals annually who are prevented from pursuing a religious vocation because of higher-education debt. The average amount of indebtedness is $35,000.
“Between 25% and 50% of those interested in a religious vocation have enough debt to prevent them from joining,” said Huber. “We’re only able to provide assistance to about 50% of applicants.”
In total, the organization has awarded 128 grants — totaling a commitment of $1.3 million — to men and women with vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Of those, 77 are still in formation.
Survey Results
Among the survey’s additional findings:
- The survey found a generational difference between post-Vatican II Catholics, born 1961-1981, and the millennial generation, born after 1981. Post-Vatican II Catholics showed the least interest in vocations, whereas the survey found an increase in numbers among the millennial generation, in particular among men.
- Both men and women were nearly twice as likely to consider a vocation when encouraged by another person to do so.
- Women who participated in a parish youth group during their high-school years were more than nine times as likely to consider becoming a religious sister, whereas male respondents who participated in a parish youth group during their primary-school years were five times as likely to consider a religious vocation than those who did not.
- The study also showed a correlation between various practices, such as weekly Mass attendance, participation in Bible study, retreats, prayer groups or Eucharistic adoration, those who pray the Rosary or whom have a devotion to Mary, those who participate in parish ministry and those who regularly read the Bible or pray with Scripture, with those who are especially likely to have considered a vocation.
- For male respondents, those who attended World Youth Day or a National Catholic Youth Conference were more than four times more likely than those who had not to consider becoming a priest or brother.
During the 2005 World Youth Day in Cologne, Germany, then-Milwaukee Archbishop Timothy Dolan stated that while he was rector of the North American College in Rome, upwards of 50% of men studying to be priests cited World Youth Day as pivotal in their discernment to pursue the priesthood.
Hispanic Gap
The study also listed several challenges in vocation work, particularly among Hispanics, a growing population of the Church in the United States. About 48% of all Catholics in the United States born after 1981 are Hispanic.
According to CARA, educational requirements for religious-formation programs, such as college experience and the skills to pursue advanced education, put Hispanics at a disadvantage.
“Hispanic respondents are the least likely to report attending college or obtaining a college degree,” the survey found. “Hispanic respondents are also the least likely to indicate enrollment in a Catholic school at any level of their education, and the results of the study suggest that this makes it less likely that they will consider a vocation.”
“The majority of Latino/Latinas in the United States have very low levels of formal educational attainment, a situation that puts them in positions of extreme disadvantage,” said Hosffman Ospino, assistant professor of Hispanic ministry and religious education at Boston College, as cited by the study. “The number of Latino/Latinas who can respond to the call to ministry within current ecclesial structures and actually succeed is very small.”
A CARA press release states that despite intensive efforts by many bishops and religious communities to recruit Hispanic candidates, the shortfall of Hispanic clergy and religious remains.
About 35% of all Catholics in the United States are Hispanic, yet only 15% of the 2012 ordination class and 9% of the 2011 religious-profession class were Hispanic.
“This is a gap that continues to need urgent attention,” said CARA.
Emphasis on Catholic Education
The study found that the impact of Catholic education on religious vocations is strong.
One surprise in the survey is that Catholic primary education seemed to be more influential for females, whereas Catholic secondary school appeared more influential for males, in terms of a religious vocation.
Controlling for all factors, the CARA study found that female respondents who attended a Catholic primary school were more than three times as likely than those who did not to consider becoming a religious sister.
By comparison, among males, those who attended a Catholic secondary school were six times as likely to have considered a religious vocation.
The importance of Catholic high school is certainly born out in the case of the Diocese of Bismarck, N.D., a diocese that has consistently led the country with the most ordinands per capita. The diocese is preparing to ordain its largest class — tying the classes of 2000 and 1962 — with six men in June 2013. Of the 14 men now being ordained and those currently in seminary, eight are Catholic high-school graduates.
“There’s a twofold reason for that,” said Father Tom Richter, vocation director for the Diocese of Bismarck. “First, our Catholic high schools are imbuing a strong Catholic identity, and, second, each of our three high schools has the presence of effective priests who serve as chaplains and instructors in the religion department. Students get to spend time with them in the classroom and see the priesthood up close.”
According to Father Richter, once the diocese ordains the 2013 class, Bishop David Kagan plans to assign an additional priest to each of the diocese’s Catholic high schools.
One thing about religious vocations is for certain: The past decade has seen a resurgence of interest in religious life.
“Overall, there’s definitely been an increase in inquiries about religious life over the last eight years,” said Patrice Tuohy, executive editor of the Vision vocation guide, a publication of the National Religious Vocation Conference. “The Internet has helped to increase awareness and inquiries.”
Tuohy said that they receive an average of 250,000 unique visitors to their website annually. She estimated that 30,000 of those are seriously considering a religious vocation. And 6,000 annually fill out the website’s “Vocation Match” tool. The majority of those are under the age of 30.
“There are many who continue to be attracted to religious life,” said Tuohy. “There are three things we know, based on the 2009 CARA study on religious vocations, about those entering religious life today: We know that they are very interested in communal living, prayer and Catholic identity.”
“God is not calling fewer men and women to priesthood and religious life today. The difficulty for many of them is hearing that call,” said Jerry Usher, founder of Vocation Boom, a resource dedicated to supporting the priesthood. “Our experience is that many are indeed answering that call, as our seminaries are full to capacity. We must, however, continue to ask the Lord to inspire many more young men and women to give their lives in service to God’s people.”
Tim Drake is the Register’s senior writer.
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August 14,2012
Dear CARA,
I have been such a fool individual why only this year of 2012,I now finally,decided to follow the FOOTSTEP of Highly Exsistence Reverend Pope John Paul,I cuould’nt forget the time he did visited here in the Philippines before he pass away,Long before i still remember maybe that was in the year from 1993 or within to 1995,I was invited by a certain group of Young People where that year & time was the Visit of the said late Pope,to remember on that said time & year event, there was already a GREAT Calling to me by the LordGod,that i could’nt forgive myself to be filled with a sweat all over my body & covering my face with all my unexpected tears that falls,my Respected Father Paul is the one who conducted the DEVOTION Siminar at that time,I am then with me my First-Ever-Love-In-Sex,Excuse me.Please allow myself to remember Candy Schofield with her cousin & our beloved friends..
Ever since,when I was a child I have experienced a lot of frustrated with my aimful EDUCATION,nevertheless my persistence & eagerness did not affect my personal goal to just finish,with all the UPS & DOWN and critism and actual victim I am, I must admit it,even famous T.V.personalities was did detested or has tasted,as part of the the Environment & Economic Society sorrounds my paths, of TEMPTATIONS but,still without expecting I have reached & acquired a number of Certificates with a recent DIPLOMA in my College Years at Asian College of Science & Technology,as Bachelor of Science in Information Technology course,Graduated in 2006..
My main point is that,if ever I will add another vocational course.I am already 37 years old now.Moreover,I am still single and willing to study by faith with the presence of LordGod’s calling to my experiences,it tells me to follow & observe then serve the Reverend the Pope,the Priest,the Deacons,the Siminaries likewise with all the Nuns as to LOVE SERVE the PEOPLE,my aim is to do someting GOOD before we face DEATH,my main objective to join The Children of Life Catholic Community,I believed,is a branch of Roman Catholic Church the same.In addition,whatever manner of services I can afford to offer without pay,for as long as i will be FREE from my CLOTHING,SHELTER especially FOOD & TRANSPORTATION expenses as an exchange of my services to the LordGod & thy People,someday..
Now,I wonder if I will be qualify to take-up that offered vocation or whatever it maybe just to serve the Roman Catholic Church with the rest of the People around the WORLD,wherein the LordGod as well as to obey follow Peacefully & Help spread the Good New of Jesus Christ with the will of Mother Mary as the Mother of our Savior believing the Holy Bible & the Holy Rosary with all the Scriptures..
Thy-Will-be-Done..
Sincerely yours,
Jhoney Eisa Medina Basas
42 Rosal St.Right Side IBP Road,Payatas Area A,Quezon City,0111,Phils.
DJ, I understand your reasons very well. I grew up Catholic; I took some 15-25 years to make sense of the Church’s apparent..difficulty..with understanding what wealth truly is, what it truly is not, and how we ought to address poverty.
If a young man would ask me right now about what I would suggest for him regarding seminary, I would suggest suggest seeking a traditionally-minded order—FSSP, ICK, MIC (I think) to name a few—where he would stand a decent chance of learning serious theology and Latin, along with general traditional practice.
I think for any student, seminary-minded or otherwise, I’d recommend some business administration classes—management and other accounting especially—to better enable a comprehension of how wealth really..happens.
I’d also recommend a book by Fr Robert Sirico, “Defending the Free Market”, because he offers lots of good material about capitalism v socialism, and from a Catholic point of view, no less.
As hinted at a moment ago, I’ve heard more than a little in my time regarding the whole class warfare argument. Sad to say, I’ve come to understand that the Church, as a human institution, currently holds a rather nasty bias against even a minor whiff of capitalism. Unfortunately, that won’t be disappearing anytime soon.
I contend though, this should NOT be a cause for a young man to avoid the seminary. We must have faith that God will find the means to properly form him, possibly even using the voluntary efforts of some of we lay folk to help out.
Any young priest who wishes to discern fact from half-fact will certainly be able to find a way.
No one can afford to pay for the education needed for the priesthood today. No one wants to speak to young people nor their parents about the financial realities of seeking the ordination as a priest. In our parish, nearly all of our new priests for the past decade have been from Columbia, not local men. 80% have not stayed for long after ordination, but have returned to the land of their origins.
It is not true that the FSSP doesnt accept late vocations. Just like most religious communities they usually give an age that they prefer entrants to be in order to enter. However, they will decide on a case by case basis. This is the truth because my Parish Priest was accepted as a later vocation into the FSSP only 6 years ago. I am an older vocation by the standards of most regligious communites but they as well usually do not say No just due to age but give an opportunity to test the vocation. Do not be afraid to encourage your children to follow their heart and serve God in whatever vocation He desires. Regardless of age God will fulfill His plan.
John - Are you familiar with the three New Testament books called “The Pastoral Letters”? What are the requirements written in those that are to serve as QUALIFICATIONS for our men in ordained ministry?
If you wanted to take a college course, even at a Junior College, it’s customary to have fulfilled a “requirement” class first, say, one must take English 101 before being allowed to take English 102, as a rule.
So what are the requirements and/or “qualifications” for men in the ordained ministry, per the New Testament? Please provide the verse numbers you use, so we too, can look it up in our own Bibles. Thank you.
Why? A number of reasons. Don’t misunderstand me. If, after a few years of having to live more or less independently with a job, payroll experience, car payments, and the like, they want to become a priest and evangelize the masses in the US, or the Muslims et al overseas, no problem. Unfortunately, in my brief 16 years as a convert to the faith, I have had more than my share of The Rich go to Hell, the Poor Go to Heaven homilies. Let’s tax the rich to pay for health care for the poor. The Government needs to fund XYZ service for the needy.
There seems to be zero, zip, nada appreciation for the work goes into generating wealth. Some people are crooks. (Bernie Madoff anyone?) Most millionaires aren’t. And they aren’t necessarily all that uncaring toward the less fortunate either, although I can see where the steady drum beat of Evil Rich People might harden their hearts.
There seems to be no appreciation for the sins (say, fornication that leads to out of wedlock births? Or abortions that may lead to drug uses to dull the heartache? Contraception that damages marriages and contribute to divorce) which that may cause someone to destroy his/her chance for economic success.
Having to live in the marketplace and having to deal with the rules and regs first hand may not help a priest understand the people he must serve. I am not sure how it would hurt. If it did, I am forced to wonder why the first Pope was a married man (at at least a widower) who had to provide for his family and had family responsibilities.
@Brenda: It’s interesting you bring up Deacons in the archdiocese of Boston. Did you know that at the current rates, that in 10 years there will be more deacons than priests in the archdiocese?
Right now the number priests is 398 and by 2022 its expected to drop to at least 220 through retirements (and unforeseen deaths.) Right now there are 251 deacons and at current rates there will be about 275 in 2022.
The permanent diaconate will lead the rebirth of the Church and bring the layity back to the pews. The office of priest will become more of an administrative one, one reserved for special masses (such as funeral masses, etc.) as the number of priests flatlines.
The concept of a weekly mass will wane in favor of monthly mass with weekly Eucharist adoration. Also as is happening in Boston right now, a single priest will head a cluster of two or more parishes with fewer mass times.
Per its history and as society changes around it, the institutional Church will either make these changes (which they will have vehemently opposed) or allow them to happen and then invoke circular reasoning to say that this is what they planned all along.
“I definately would not want any of my sons going into the seminary right out of high school/college.”
Why not?
Very sad to hear that the FSSP/ICK do not want late vocations. I cannot fathom the reasoning behind that. Seems as even the Church is infected with the fashion industry’s “youth” and “anti-aging” nonsense. I definately would not want any of my sons going into the seminary right out of high school/college.
Interesting how my post wasn’t approved. I meant it. Look in to Bishop Kagan’s past. Never mind. There’s a documentary coming out very soon. It will clear up what I posted previously.
Interesting to read so many talking about being turned away from different religious orders due to their love of tradition. That is exactly what happened to me as well. We must move forward with hope God will provide us with His mission. My friend who is a Priest said that Holy Mother Church is sick right now and I may very well have a calling but there may not be a place available that would fit my desire for Tradition. It may very well be that some of us have a calling to form up new traditional communties. The few that have begun with the Traditional Latin Mass are overflowing.
We have a wonderful young deacon in our church. He is married and has children, so is not a candidate for the full priesthood. He grew up in our small town and attended Mass at our church. He is very devout and has started Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament every week, which has several faithful participants, including several men. We all love him! He is a great help to our pastor.
We recently have had two deacons from the seminary for older men In Boston, who came for parish experience. They are both widowers and both are in their sixties.
Having been married and raised children, they will probably be able to relate well to families.
The scandal has been a very sad chapter, but I think that God is shaking the tree, and the rotten apples have fallen off. We may end up with a smaller number of priests, but hopefully they will be truly holy and committed to our church. The decreased numbers also give an opportunity for young men like our deacon to fill some of the gaps. We need to keep praying for them all.
I wish our church leaders would sit down with the Bible, and insist that only men meeting its qualifications for the ordained clergy be accepted.
That hasn’t been done since the days of the apostles. It’s time to try it.
If we are going to use the Bible to prove a point, at least we should use the proper verses and context.
Or just close the Bible entirely. It’s either/or. It’s not both/and in this case. Bishops can discuss this at their USCCB meetings this fall. Open the Bible. Read what it says. In context.
I wish that those in charge of accepting entrants to the priesthood would give those a chance
That are conservative Catholics , it seems they only accept the liberal agenda, sending less faithful
Priests to do the job and in turn they send away the true believers…. Just what the church need ?
I think not, let’s get behind our pope, and do the job right…......
Jason’s right! I have a friend who hopefully will become a priest someday, but vocations office after vocations office wouldnt return his calls or respond to his inquiries. One diocese sent a “no thank you” email after he wrote a beautiful letter and wrote of his traditional leanings and mentioned that he read Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict b4 papacy) books…and age keeps many out of religious life…
This is an area for all Bishops to take a lead on and to provide additional training on their education-retreat days with their own priests in their dioceses - to encourage not just the men but also the women (single, divorced and widowed) to consider religious life. The umbrella organization for all Bishops should also hold several information days at their gatherings for planning and education for this goal. Passing the buck over to the families (that was something for decades ago) makes no sense as many families are single parent families or the youth have already left home for college or work. And perhaps Bishops and priests require a wider understanding of religious women in 2012.
Celibacy has biblical backing:
Refer to the portions of one of the Gospels during which Christ mentions “those who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the Kingdom”.
Our current vocations “crisis” both to priesthood and to marriage shouldn’t be a real surprise. When we treat relationships between men and women AND relationships with God like cute playthings, it’s small wonder when we see people losing interest in faith.
Tim - regarding your discernment, I hope you might consider Brotherhood. And those who are interested in Religious Life, please be sure to keep looking, even if you’re initially turned away or you think it’s too late. There are many communities who want you, it’s all about the right fit, of course. Which is why it’s important to visit those communities, research them and attend Come and Sees, etc. There are many many many vocations ministers who are willing to walk with discerners on their journeys. Hopefully the seekers and ministers will find each other.
this sort of stuff is laughable! Obviously it’s WRONG else how else could you explain the the Los Angeles Archdiocese, THE LARGEST, WEALTHIEST ARCHDIOCESE IN THE WORLD! Can’t field more than a small handful of priests each year, and almost none of them are native-born Americans. They’re all from Spanish speaking countries, Asia, or Africa!
This is wonderful news!
I hope they have all read in entirety the “CATECHISM of the CATHOLIC CHURCH, Second Edition”, because many seminaries and convents do not require it as a student text.
If they have not read the CCC, they can not reform the Church from within nor teach the truth of our Faith to others accurately.
In this year of Faith, give your local Priest a CCC for Christmas.
Thanks, Tim, on your great follow-up to the CARA study on potential vocations. I encourage all of your readers, including parents, religion teachers, youth ministers, pastors, and parish administrators, to invite young people to consider a religious vocation and present it as a joyful and fulfilling life choice, which it is. Just ask any religious sister, brother, or priest you know!
I too find these statistics possibly misleading. I “seriously considered” seminary myself about 3 or 4 years ago; I know two others who did as well. Of the three of us, one has married, I’m still single, only the third has actually begun seminary studies. I even visited a seminary.
I think I likely would’ve enjoyed the philosophy coursework, likely I would’ve also enjoyed the theological studies.
For what it’s worth, I enjoyed being in a communal college environment again.
Problem was, try though I might, I couldn’t imagine myself offering the Mass. I can do public speaking as needed, but I couldn’t imagine myself offering worthwhile homilies, nor could I envision consecrating the Eucharist. I had to admit that I could more readily see myself offering the chants of a Mass or playing an organ.
Deciding that these would create major difficulties, I ceased pursuing the process.
If the Church wants vocations, Her faithful will need to insist upon no-kidding holiness. Not merely something nice that will make politicians and the IRS happy.
Passionate faith and happy-go-lucky mindsets simply don’t work together.
The article is wishful thinking. So where are they? The real impediment is the unscriptural and absolutely unnatural requirement of celibacy. Eastern Catholics, who are in full communion with the Apostolic See at Rome, ordain married men to the priesthood, and we get along just fine. In fact, the typical Eastern Catholic priest, married, and with children, is a much more effective priest. The Roman Rite ordained married men to the priesthood until 1123.
If married men were ordained to the priesthood, it would drive the homosexuals out. While not all homosexuals are pedophiles, all of the pedophiles have been homosexual, otherwise we would be hearing stories about little girls.
This survey seems like a waste. Most of its “findings” are what you would suspect in the first place. If the Church would take a greater look at the people who are already priests and nuns, look for more personal commonalities beyond went to Mass every week and Catholic school and work up a profile from within they would know exactly who to target and market to. In general, surveys simply verify what you already know, they don’t tell you what you need to know to formulate a plan for the next 10 years.
There are tons of people out there considering a vocation. For many of us, however, there is no room at the inn.
I am a “late vocation.” I would have preferred a traditional order like the FSSP or the ICK but they don’t want late vocations. The only option for me was the diocesan Priesthood.
I had a sit down with the vocations director of my diocese and expressed truthfully my love of tradition and the Tridentine Mass.
They couldn’t wait to get me out of there and I never heard from them since. About a month after that I saw the vocations director at a pro life event. He definitely noticed me and remembered me but said not a word to me.
Helping organizations like Mater Ecclesiae Fund for Vocations may be the absolute best thing we can do to encourage the religious life - student loan debt is a huge barrier to joining a religious community as a young adult. Removing or reducing the need to clear that debt will free a lot of people to answer their callings.
Why the concentration on just “never married” men and women? There are quite likely as many or more previously married single men and women who would be excellent candidates. Our pastor, who is doing a wonderful and heroic job is just such a person.
This is indeed good news but a little bit of counting your chickens before they’ve hatched. 600,000 men and women have seriously *considered* religious life. “Seriously” is an unquantifiable, subjective term. How many are being effectively shepherded through the process?
As of 2011 there were only 3600 seminarians in the US, and increase of about 125 over 2010. So out of these hundreds of thousands seriously considering only a fraction actually entered seminaries.
I’m happy to have any increase in priestly vocations to offset the catastrophic decline in second half of the 20th century (45,000 seminarians in 1965 vs 3600 today). But its hardly time to declare the vocations crisis over.
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