New Statistics on Vocations Reveal Priests are Declining but 1 Factor is Key for Encouraging Vocations in the Catholic Church

Newly released statistics on Vocations Reveal Priests in the Catholic Church are Declining but 1 Factor is Key for Encouraging Vocations: when a family member, friend or religious minister asked them to consider it. 

This study, conducted by Vocation Ministry, is the fruit of hundreds of hours of work dedicated to understanding the state of vocations to the priesthood in the Catholic Church in the United States today.

The number of Catholic priests is on a consistent downward trend in the United States, even in dioceses that are doing comparatively well. 

* Over the past 50 years, both the Church and culture have experienced many shifts in values, priorities, and family life.

 * In 1970, the Church in the United States had more than 59,000 priests, serving just over 18,000 parishes. By 2021, that number had fallen to 34,923 priests, serving 16,579 parishes. 

* Many dioceses, particularly in the North and Northeast anticipate 50 percent of their priests reaching retirement age in less than a decade. 

* Though many priests stay on as pastors beyond retirement age to help alleviate this problem, this is not a long-term solution. 

2021 Vocation Data Dioceses that ordained enough for its Base Need Ordination Rate.* 

33 Dioceses that had no ordinations. 

42 Dioceses meeting the Base Need Seminarian Rate.*

 17 Average age of men at ordination.

 34 Average retirement age. 

71 Average number of years a priest serves in active ministry. 

37 Replacements each priest needs to inspire over the next 5-10 years. 

 So, what do all these numbers and statistics really mean for the Church in America? The number of ordinations in most dioceses is on a steady decline. 

* In 2021, only 33 of 175 dioceses ordained at or above the number of priests needed to maintain status quo. 

 * 30 of 175 dioceses have ordained at or above the number of priests they need over a five-year average (2017-2021). 

* In healthy dioceses with plenty of priests, a replacement rate of 1:1 (each priest is replaced by one other priest) should roughly ensure continuation of sacramental ministry for the faithful. However, in the current state of many dioceses, with imminent high attrition rates due to Regardless of the factors affecting the priesthood today, 75 percent of newly ordained priests, year over year, report having heard the call before 18 years of age. Just based on this, priests need to become vocation promoters at their parishes, cultivating the harvest with boys and young adult men who are in the pews each week, by inviting, encouraging, and mentoring them until they are ready to visit with the diocesan vocation director. 

 Fact: The main reason young people do not consider the priesthood or consecrated life is that they have never been personally asked. Yet almost ten percent of young adults have considered priesthood or religious life. 

  Fact: Men first consider the priesthood because a priest encouraged them to do so. Year over year, around 70 percent of those ordained report that it was a priest who invited them to consider the priesthood. This fact should not be overlooked. The overall role of priests in fostering vocations is significant.

  Fact: The majority of priests do not encourage men to consider the priesthood. Surveys indicate that only 30 percent of priests actively invite men to consider the priesthood. If every priest takes seriously the call to invite more young men to consider the priesthood, the number of seminarians would increase. The parish priest has proven over and over again to be the number one influence on young men considering the priesthood. 

 When asked: Were you encouraged to consider the priesthood by any of these people? Percentage of all responding diocesan ordinands 

Parish Priest 71%

 Friend 48%

 Parishioner 47% 

Mother 37% 

Teacher/Catechist 32% 

Father 29% 

Grandparent(s) 22% 

Other Relative 17% 

Youth Minister 21% 

Religious Brother/Priest 13% 

Campus Minister/School Chaplain 17% 

Religious Sister 10% 

Bishop 16% 

Deacon 13% 

Source: file:///C:/Users/weste/Downloads/VM_State-of-Vocations_Final-Med.pdf

https://vocationministry.com/stateofpriestlyvocationsreport/