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S
SuperLuigi
Guest
Now, that is good news!
M
manualman
Guest
Astonishingly good news! Let me see if I can analyze this a bit more. Seminary takes, what 4 years? Maybe 6? We’ll say 6. So the seminarian population turns over every 6 years and we’ll say 70% of seminarians go through with ordination (wild guess).
US population is about 300 million and ballpark 25% are catholic. If the average lifespan is 80 years, then the current seminarian population if it holds steady forever would serve 6/80’s of the catholic population. In other words,
(300million0.256/80) / (0.7*3,694) = one priest per 2,175 catholics. Since less than half of nominal catholics attend mass regularly, we now seem to be pretty well on par to serve the parishes. Looks to me like we’re back on a pretty decent pace.
Keep praying, but please add religious vocations to the list too. We’re in dire need of spiritual mothers out there too. Encourage your kids to discern God’s call, not just live out “normal” expectations.
US population is about 300 million and ballpark 25% are catholic. If the average lifespan is 80 years, then the current seminarian population if it holds steady forever would serve 6/80’s of the catholic population. In other words,
(300million0.256/80) / (0.7*3,694) = one priest per 2,175 catholics. Since less than half of nominal catholics attend mass regularly, we now seem to be pretty well on par to serve the parishes. Looks to me like we’re back on a pretty decent pace.
Keep praying, but please add religious vocations to the list too. We’re in dire need of spiritual mothers out there too. Encourage your kids to discern God’s call, not just live out “normal” expectations.
L
Lapey
Guest
My boy is one of them!!! He is in his third year at St. Ben’s in Covington, La.
Our diocese has four that will be ordained Transitional deacons in the spring and priesthood (God willing!) in 2015. We have 16 total in formation for our diocese. That matches a high for our little diocese.
There is somthing going on in the Church!
J
JimG
Guest
L
Lapey
Guest
59…did I count that right??? WOW!!!
P
PTL
Guest
Thank you for this thread! We need some good news! I pray for seminarians every day!
K
kwitz
Guest
We are one of the archdioceses that are growing. We just did a major renovation of the seminary here in St. Louis to accommodate the increased numbers and bring the facilities up to date. One of my DS’s best friends is in the college with plans to enter the seminary next fall. I am hopeful to attend his ordination in about 4 years.
Kris
Kris
B
Brendan
Guest
It depends on when you enter the seminary.
For a young man just out of high school , the process might look like
2 years of beginning college ( basic undergrad requirements you might find in every Bachelors program
2 years Philosophy undergrad
Bachelors of Philosophy
2 years graduate seminary on Theology
3-6 months parish internship
Masters of Divinity Degree
Ordination to the Diaconate
1 year Diaconal work in parishes
Ordination to the priesthood.
From high school to Priestly ordination is about 7 years.
If a person comes in with some college, or even a Bachelors degree, that would take less time. A man from my parish had a degree in Elec Engineering. That meant that he started seminary as a Philosophy I student (needing the Bachelors in Philosophy). It therefore took him 5 years to be ordained.
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