After years of decline, Catholics see rise in number of future priests
Cathy Lynn Grossman | Sep 24, 2013
WASHINGTON (RNS) After decades of glum trends — fewer priests, fewer parishes — the Catholic Church in the United States has a new statistic to cheer: More men are now enrolled in graduate level seminaries, the main pipeline to the priesthood, than in nearly two decades.
This year’s tally of 3,694 graduate theology students represents a 16 percent increase since 1995 and a 10 percent jump since 2005, according to Georgetown University’s Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA).
Seminary directors cite more encouragement from bishops and parishes, the draw of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and the social-justice-minded Pope Francis, and a growing sense that the church is past the corrosive impact of the sexual abuse crisis that exploded in 2002.
Ultimately, it was “a calling in my heart,” says Kevin Fox.
http://www.religionnews.com/2013/09/24/years-decline-catholics-see-rise-number-future-priests/
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UrbScotty
(23,980 posts)My diocese had to close and merge several parishes recently. This year, they ordained three new priests, with several more coming up the ranks.
TommyCelt
(838 posts)I don't think Pope Francis is a factor in seminary graduates yet. A lot of these new graduates may be boosters of the Tridentine Mass and associated liturgy, encouraged by JPII's advocacy of the Extraordinary Rite and Benedict's continued openness to it, his outreach to SSPX, the changes in the Ordinary Form, etc.
While I LOVE me a good Latin Mass (they are breathtakingly beautiful when done right), the right-wing traditionalist anti-Vatican II hoopla unfortunately goes with it. Our former associate pastor, recent grad from seminary in 2009, wears a cassock and spent much of Holy Week liturgy with a biretta on his head. This is the brand of priests coming out around here (Diocese of Rockville Centre) since 2005.
rug
(82,333 posts)In the Scranton Diocese, where I live, the Proestly Fraternity of St. Peter seems to be doing ok but it's doing its own thing and doesn't seem to have any significant impact beyond its own parishes. That group itself was formed from the SSPX but they took the invitation to return in 1988.
The right wing group that concern me are the Legionaries of Christ that, while not based on the Latin Mass, is a growing conservative, thereby excluding, group.
47of74
(18,470 posts)I've been to a few of those at the Basilica in Dyersville. They were very nice, with lots of ceremony that didn't make it into the Paul VI Mass. The priest who said them at the time was pretty friendly (he passed away a couple years back). It gave me a window into the Mass that my Parents and Grandparents had when they were growing up.
But what turned me away was the distance that it imposed between the people in the pews and the clergy up front. It felt sometimes like it was more the priest's mass and we were just spectators. Especially with a large majority of the Mass after the creed being silent. But what drove me away even more was the far right stuff that came with the Latin Mass. And that was back when I identified as either a centrist or a very mild conservative. Even the ones who stayed within the church were often way far to the right of JP II. It was a struggle to find a site that presented the Latin Mass that didn't have the right wing horse manure along for the ride.
