Number of US seminarians on the rise

Michie

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#3
10-2-13


The number of graduate-level Catholic seminarians in the United States stands at 3,694 –an increase of 16% since 1995 and 10% since 2005, according to the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate.

Religion News Service reported that the number of students in Protestant master of divinity programs has fallen over 7% since 2006 and now stands at 29,249.

According to Vatican statistics, the number of major seminarians worldwide surged from 63,882 in 1978 to 118,990 in 2010, an increase of over 86%, outstripping world population growth and Catholic population growth during the same time period.
After years of decline, Catholics see rise in number of future priests (RNS)
 
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Oct 15, 2008
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As successful as Protestants?! LOL! Really? I'm in favor of them lifting celibacy, but sure as heck not for that reason! LOL

But we need to stop the requirement of celibacy, so we can be as successful as the prots.
 
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Second Phoenix

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I was kidding - I was pointing out that married clergy, female clergy, is not the solution to the so called 'priest shortage'. Catholics see protestant 'pastors' in which they are desperate for a congregation, while Catholics are congregations desperate for a pastor. Not realizing that protestantism, as a whole, does not require any education, skills, experience, or mentoring before starting up the newest house or storefront 'church'. Only certain groups require rigorous education and training... and now it seems they are losing numbers.

Maybe some Catholics long for the protestant experience, instead of wanting more pastors, they have so many they can pick and choose.
 
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In most of the parishes in my area you'll see happy-clappy bad Baptisty music, at least 8 "extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist" trying to "bless" adults and kids, no incense, people all called to introduce themselves to their fellow worshippers around them right after the opening sign of the Cross, liberal-looking weird vestments, holding hands during the Pater Noster, and enough liturgical abuse to kill a herd of rhino, so I think you're on to something about them wanting the protestant experience! They're getting it round these here parts!

I was kidding - I was pointing out that married clergy, female clergy, is not the solution to the so called 'priest shortage'. Catholics see protestant 'pastors' in which they are desperate for a congregation, while Catholics are congregations desperate for a pastor. Not realizing that protestantism, as a whole, does not require any education, skills, experience, or mentoring before starting up the newest house or storefront 'church'. Only certain groups require rigorous education and training... and now it seems they are losing numbers.

Maybe some Catholics long for the protestant experience, instead of wanting more pastors, they have so many they can pick and choose.
 
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judechild

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Bl. John Paul II and Benedict XVI were terrific examples of how the priesthood ''ought to be'' and they were and are very inspiring for seminarians. They taught seminarians eloquently for decades, and restored their hope in what has largely become a shameful thing to the public. Numbers will continue to increase, because dioceses have stopped trying to exterminate orthodox thought, but if you think that seminarians who think like you do, Fantine, will suddenly appear, I'm afraid I'll crystal-ball to the contrary. Liturgically-liberal thought has been demonstrated in the crucible of the dioceses of the world to be profoundly un-inspiring and unable to sustain vocations.

Unrelated to that, you should probably know that the Pope, as a cardinal, was not able to raise seminary-enrollment, and he has not changed his methods.
 
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MKJ

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In most of the parishes in my area you'll see happy-clappy bad Baptisty music, at least 8 "extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist" trying to "bless" adults and kids, no incense, people all called to introduce themselves to their fellow worshippers around them right after the opening sign of the Cross, liberal-looking weird vestments, holding hands during the Pater Noster, and enough liturgical abuse to kill a herd of rhino, so I think you're on to something about them wanting the protestant experience! They're getting it round these here parts!

How does one kill a herd of rhinos with liturgical abuse?
 
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Michie

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Good news - thanks Michie.
I have heard a lot more young men wanting orthodoxy/traditionalism are going to seminary.
There seems to be a real vocations boon in my area. My hubby's cousin ust went to seminary in Maryland.

We have new priests & deacons being ordained every June.
 
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Second Phoenix

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If you think those numbers are impressive, wait till you see how they increase now that we have a Pope who is a walking billboard for "priesthood as it oughta be."

Or just plain "Catholicism as it oughta be."

That's kinda what all Pope's are... perhaps this is about preference for you.
 
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Jun 2, 2013
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My son just started in the seminary in St. Louis, this year at age 26 -- making him almost the oldest seminarian from Wichita. He got a BS degree in electrical engineering and after that he worked five successful years in flight test at Learjet, working on software and leading software teams. But he walked away from that, for this:

matt-siegman.png
 
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Michie

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My son just started in the seminary in St. Louis, this year at age 26 -- making him almost the oldest seminarian from Wichita. He got a BS degree in electrical engineering and after that he worked five successful years in flight test at Learjet, working on software and leading software teams. But he walked away from that, for this:

matt-siegman.png
My priest left a successful engineering career as well. I've met several who come from an engineering background. What's up with that?
 
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Michie

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But, are they in the process of becoming priests or decons? Don't decons also go to seminary?
Deacons don't go unless they have intentions of becoming a priest.

All priests are a deacons one year before ordination.

If a layman becomes a deacon he has to go through an approval process & several years of classes but not necessarily in a seminary.
 
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My priest left a successful engineering career as well. I've met several who come from an engineering background. What's up with that?

I think engineers like to fix things, such as improving the institutional processes, and fixing broken people. ;)

Alan
 
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Dylan Michael

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My priest left a successful engineering career as well. I've met several who come from an engineering background. What's up with that?
I don't know.
I know a lot of seminarians who have degrees in engineering.
And a lot more have degrees in accounting/business management.
 
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Michie

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I don't know.
I know a lot of seminarians who have degrees in engineering.
And a lot more have degrees in accounting/business management.
I think just about everyone I have met was an engineer. My priest was not happy in it though due to his calling. God must like engineers! ^_^
 
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