Article: Sad Decline in Priestly Vocations

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Good question. Diocesan Vocation directors avoid them like the plague if they are more mature. If they are over 40, which most widowers are, they are no longer worth the financial investment. (This is a certainty at 45.) I’ve seen it happen in many dioceses.
 
Cloisters said:
Nobody’s said anything about widowers. Why aren’t they being asked?
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Probably would not be that fruitful. Not only are these men a lot older and would have fewer years as a priest— most have careers and obligations to meet and have to continue to work.
 
I think it couldn’t hurt for more dioceses to look at what Lincoln is doing. They are doing something right…

With the Our Lady or Providence seminary, it makes sense that there is a decline there. It is my understanding that it is a college seminary. It seems that most new seminarians are college graduates, negating the need for college seminary. College seminaries used to be vital, but the culture is different now.
 
I grew up in the late 90’s, went to Catholic school and no one mentioned ideas of the priesthood to any of the boys. My cousin went to Catholic school in the 80’s and he said it was talked about semi-regularly. What happened in just a decade?

The priest shortage is absolutely tragic!
 
Some of the younger retired pastors-those maybe who are still “able-bodied”; -between ages 65-75 maybe could be asked by their bishops to serve a parish again. Maybe as an assistant at least.
 
I have no doubt that the priestly shortage correlates closely with the general decline in church attendance during the same period. Fewer and fewer families going to mass, yet we expect the same number of priests? That’s not going to happen. Frankly it’s unfair to place that burden on the few young men that are still in the pews. I’ll be honest: I am one of them, and I’ve been asked multiple times if I feel a call to the priesthood; I do not, yet people continue to ask, and it feels like pressure, which a call to the priesthood should not.

I agree with this article though: whatever the Diocese of Lincoln (and select others) is doing should be studied and copied.
 
It’s a bit ridiculous to be writing off guys age 40 when there are priests still working at age 75 and 80.
I can understand expecting them to make some kind of a financial contribution, as they have had some years to build up assets and get/ pay for their own education. But not excluding them all together.
 
i don’t know bear

the majority of “catholic widowers” are basically very old men, who, somehow, outsurvived their spouse

not too many of them are in their 30’s or 40’s
 
I know a number of middle aged guys with wives who died of stuff like cancer.
They aren’t all Catholic, but I’m sure Catholic ones are out there.

However, a bigger issue is that these guys usually have some kids and can’t just ditch out on them to go be priests. Deacons yes, priests no.

Having said that, if a man is 40 and wants to change careers, it’s usually not impossible assuming he’s not trying to become something focused on looks or athletic ability, and a priest is neither
 
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it is certainly not impossible; but a widower in his 30’s or 40’s most likely has children (young ones)

they will most likely need to be supported by an economy based salary

there are many good reasons why the Catholic Church insists on celibate priests

the raw economics of supporting a family is just one of them…
 
margaret42 said:
Some of the younger retired pastors-those maybe who are still “able-bodied”; -between ages 65-75 maybe could be asked by their bishops to serve a parish again. Maybe as an assistant at least.
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Most dioceses don’t allow priests to retire until at least 70. Some are raising the minimum retirement age to 75. Even many retired priests are working well into their 80’s as “retired priests in residence.” I don’t think we can ask too much more of our older priests.
 
Tis_Bearself said:
However, a bigger issue is that these guys usually have some kids and can’t just ditch out on them to go be priests.
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Its not just the kids, men in their 30’s and 40’s also have other fiscal responsibilities- student loans, credit cards, mortgages, car notes. The average American in AD 2018 is technically broke.

Further, becoming a priest is a long process, college, seminary, its at least 6 years of education
 
Making a general assumption, but wouldn’t most Catholic widowers have children at home to support?
 
I’m curious, do Catholic parents encourage their sons to consider priesthood, girls to become nuns?
 
Certainly, in our case. One of our desires was to see at least one of the children became priest or religious. We exposed them to these vocations and many of our close friends were priests and sisters.

We did not force them, but always spoke highly of the priestly vocation.

None of them went the way of priesthood or religious. They were just too good looking kids, popular among their peers and eventually ended having girlfriends and getting married, despite the fact that they were very active in the church and leaders in campus ministry.

Guess priesthood is still a calling. One is called.
 
because the priesthood is a young mans game, like any industry people want incoming recruits that are moldable and not set in their ways, so that they can learn a certain way of thinking and acting that benefits the industry they are in. Could a widower be a priest, sure, could I win the lotto on a one dollar ticket, yup i sure could.

Wish in one hand and spit in the other an see which one you get first kind of thing.
 
HolySpirit1 said:
because the priesthood is a young mans game, like any industry people want incoming recruits that are moldable and not set in their ways, so that they can learn a certain way of thinking and acting that benefits the industry they are in. Could a widower be a priest, sure, could I win the lotto on a one dollar ticket, yup i sure could.
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This is harsh. You seem to be saying the exact opposite of what is being discussed in terms of viri probati…older married men becoming priests.

In reality there isn’t that… much difference between asking a widower to become a priest vs using viri probati as priests.
 
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I’m misunderstanding something maybe. Are you saying that fewer people going to mass is the reason why there are no new priests?
 
Maybe people need to pray for vocations. Our parish used to have a “vocation chalice” for people to take home for a week. The person or family prayed the prayers for that week and then brought the chalice back. The person in charge quit 8 years ago and we have not had any formal prayer for vocations.
 
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