Seminary enrollment stats

[MtnDwellar]

I recently spoke to a seminary student. He told me that enrollment in his school has increased 50% over the last four years. It has gone from 80-120. Also, to his knowledge, most seminaries are at or near capacity. He thinks that the number of men entering priesthood is sharply rising.

This would reverse a long term downward trend.

Is he right???

 

[Corki]

Here’s some data collected by CARA at Georgetown. The numbers seem to be trending up since 2000 but there’s a lot of ground to make up.

cara.georgetown.edu/bulletin/index.htm

It seems that from 1965 to 2000 it was downward and up since then - in the US. What’s interesting is that world-wide, the Church’s low seems to have been about 1980 in terms of ordinations. The question is why has it taken the US so much longer to recover and how can we help overcome the late start?

 

[MtnDwellar]

I saw that data. It does not seem to agree with the young man’s observations. I was hoping to hear from some seminarians or someone who has spoken to one.

 

[Corki]

I saw that data. It does not seem to agree with the young man’s observations. **I was hoping to hear from some seminarians **or someone who has spoken to one.

Ok. never mind.

Maybe you should have included that qualifier in your OP.

 

[MtnDwellar]

Ok. never mind.

Maybe you should have included that qualifier in your OP.

Thanks anyway!!!

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

Are all the increase priestly candidates? Many seminaries now enroll lay students.

 

[MtnDwellar]

I didn’t think to ask that.

 

[dachsiemom2]

Father Pacwa (? spelling - from EWTN) spoke at my parish during Lent. He talked about the priest shortage and indicated that enrollment in the seminaries is on the rise and named a couple that are full with waiting lists - preparing diocesan priests.

A friend of the pastor at my parish gave the homily on Holy Thursday and Easter vigil and again reiterated same information. After Easter he was headed to a seminary in MI (? Sacred Heart) and said that seminary is also at capacity.

My parish is a very traditional/conservative parish and currently has one young man as a Brother in a religious order and another in seminary. A third young man will enter the seminary in the fall.

Enrollment in the seminary for the diocese where I live is highest it has been in 10 years.

 

[sweetethiopia]

Vocations are on the rise, and here are the stats to prove it.

The Annuario for 2010 was just published, and while you may be wondering what this has to do with vocations, the answer is quite a bit actually.

First, the Annuario for 2010 tells us that the number of Catholics has increased worldwide, (up 1.7%) to 1.166 billion baptized Catholics worldwide; there is also an increase in the percentage of Catholics who make up the global population (from 17.33% to 17.40%).

And here is the really relevant part: There was a slight increase (around 1% between 2000 and 2008) in the number of diocesan and religious priests, from 405,178 in 2000 to 409,166 in 2008.

Europe still has the most priests; nearly half of the world’s priests serve there (47.1%), followed by the Americas (30%), Asia (13.2%), Africa (8.7%), and then Oceania (1.2%).

The really good news, however, is the world’s numbers of candidates for the priesthood. We have heard about and even seen slight upticks in the number of new seminarians over the last years, but the 2010 Annuario helps to confirm the increase. It may not seem a huge bump (rising from 115,919 in 2007 to 117,024 in 2008, or an increase of 1%), but it demonstrates that the new vocations that are exploding in such areas as Africa, Latin America, Asia, and Eastern Europe are now overcoming the declines in Western Europe and North America. In the United States, of course, vocations are also on the rise (again, not by leaps and bounds, but slowly and visibly), but we have a long way to go. Overall, there are increased vocations in Africa (3.6%), Asia (4.4%), and Oceania (up 6.5%), while declines were recorded in Europe (down 4.3%). In the Americas collectively, the numbers have stayed about the same.

 

[MtnDwellar]

[
And here is the really relevant part: There was a slight increase (around 1% between 2000 and 2008) in the number of diocesan and religious priests, from 405,178 in 2000 to 409,166 in 2008.

In the United States, of course, vocations are also on the rise (again, not by leaps and bounds, but slowly and visibly), but we have a long way to go. Overall, there are increased vocations in Africa (3.6%), Asia (4.4%), and Oceania (up 6.5%), while declines were recorded in Europe (down 4.3%). In the Americas collectively, the numbers have stayed about the same.](http://www.vocationboom.com/blog/jerry-usher/vocations-are-rise-and-here-are-stats-prove-it)

The published statistics do not seem to match the observations. The statistics do not lead one to think that there would be waiting lists to enter seminaries, or other seminaries that are near capacity.

 

[anode]

The published statistics do not seem to match the observations. The statistics do not lead one to think that there would be waiting lists to enter seminaries, or other seminaries that are near capacity.

I would trust CARA. And they update every year, I think. The Q about laypeople in seminaries is a good one.

 

[Corki]

The published statistics do not seem to match the observations. The statistics do not lead one to think that there would be waiting lists to enter seminaries, or other seminaries that are near capacity.

I think that when you factor in that there are fewer seminaries than 40 years ago, a seemingly modest increase in seminarians would translate into a larger percentage increase in any one seminary. I think seminaries also go through “popularity” phases. Some seminaries are particularly popular at any one point in time and you will see them full or nearly full while others are not near full and dragging down the average.

 

[Diaconia]

I think that when you factor in that there are fewer seminaries than 40 years ago, a seemingly modest increase in seminarians would translate into a larger percentage increase in any one seminary. I think seminaries also go through “popularity” phases. Some seminaries are particularly popular at any one point in time and you will see them full or nearly full while others are not near full and dragging down the average.

This is very true. With fewer seminaries even if the number of seminarians does not increase the fact that there are fewer places to go “increases” the numbers at those remaining seminaries.

Also, many seminaries have admitted lay students to help keep them afloat. Additionally, many seminaries now have English language programs for seminarians that are being recruited from Africa and Latin America. These students also swell the numbers although they won’t begin theological work until a few years later.

At the end of the day – there is a slight increase in seminarians world-wide, but here in America we have fewer all the time.

What is NOT occurring (even world-wide) is the development of sufficient seminarians to keep pace with the growth of the Catholic Church. The Church continues to grow at a noticeably faster pace than the priestly (and religious) vocations needed to support the growing flock.

Pray hard[er?] that more young people would respond to the call of the Lord,

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

Let us not forget that many seminaries also offer certificate programs that priests attend as well as priests going to pick up a couple of extra classes.

 

[puzzleannie]

it depends on where you are. Our African priests report seminaries for dioceses and orders in their countries are packed. I look forward with excitement and anticipation to the Church my grandchildren will know, truly “Catholic” universal and globalized in the best sense, hope I live to see it.

 

[MtnDwellar]

I think that when you factor in that there are fewer seminaries than 40 years ago, a seemingly modest increase in seminarians would translate into a larger percentage increase in any one seminary. I think seminaries also go through “popularity” phases. Some seminaries are particularly popular at any one point in time and you will see them full or nearly full while others are not near full and dragging down the average.

According to the 2009 Official Catholic Directory there are 189 seminaries. Since 2000 four seminaries have closed and three new ones have opened. The capacity for seminarians has not materially changed in the last ten years. Yet, we keep hearing about seminaries near capacity and waiting lists.

 

[Diaconia]

According to the 2009 Official Catholic Directory there are 189 seminaries. Since 2000 four seminaries have closed and three new ones have opened. The capacity for seminarians has not materially changed in the last ten years. Yet, we keep hearing about seminaries near capacity and waiting lists.

Regarding the US – I’ve not heard a thing about waiting lists. Nor being at near capacity, for that matter.

And yes, capacity HAS changed - here’s one example:

The college seminary I attended is now closed - while it was open it was one of the largest college seminaries in the US. It also had, and still has, a school of theology. The Catholic Directory is still going to list “St. Meinrad Seminary” even though the college (which was larger) does not exist any longer. Moreover, the graduate seminary (school of theology) has more *overall *students (because of lay students) and yet fewer *actual *seminarians.

But the school continues to report “higher enrollment” due to lay students, sabbaticants, permanent deacon formandi and so forth. More students overall, higher percentage of enrollment and so forth. But the reality is fewer men that will actually become priests.

So, lower capacity at seminarians does not mean an increase in seminarians – just an increase in students. Also, closing part of your seminary artificially increases the % of occupancy while making no change to the overall seminary count.

I believe CARA used to keep track of collegians as well as theologians, but today I think they only track graduate-level theologians. The declining number of collegians should be of concern to the Church as well. Cramming 30 credits of philosophy and 15-20 of theology into a year or two of pre-theology simply cannot replace the four years of spiritual and personal development gained in a college seminary. To say nothing of the added time for the Church to evaluate the seminarian and determine whether God is truly calling him to sacred orders.

As an aside - I am appreciative of men who leave their countries to become priests in America - but it’s not without complications. Language and cultural barriers are hard to overcome, even over extended periods of time.

God bless,

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

Cramming 30 credits of philosophy and 15-20 of theology into a year or two of pre-theology simply cannot replace the four years of spiritual and personal development gained in a college seminary. To say nothing of the added time for the Church to evaluate the seminarian and determine whether God is truly calling him to sacred orders.

This is one of the many reasons I went with a religious order and community life. My formation, counting the pre-novitiate (postulancy) is going to be about 8 and a half years. Now with the new requirements that you speak of it is at least 9 years of formation before ordination to the priesthood in my community.

 

[Diaconia]

This is one of the many reasons I went with a religious order and community life. My formation, counting the pre-novitiate (postulancy) is going to be about 8 and a half years. Now with the new requirements that you speak of it is at least 9 years of formation before ordination to the priesthood in my community.

And this is yet another example of why consecrated life is a higher calling.

May your imitation of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ bless you in manifold ways!

Christos anesti!

 

[MtnDwellar]

Regarding the US – I’ve not heard a thing about waiting lists. Nor being at near capacity, for that matter.

I am not in a position to know. That’s why I posted the question. We have had some people reporting that there are waiting lists and that they are near capacity. Are you in a position where you would know these things?

And yes, capacity HAS changed - here’s one example:

The number of listed seminaries has not material changed. I concluded from that stat that the capacity is not material different.
You are correct, St Meinrad is listed in the directory. Is the “shrinking” of St Meinrad indicative of a trend. Do you know how much capacity has changed?

Regarding the US – I
But the school continues to report “higher enrollment” due to lay students, sabbaticants, permanent deacon formandi and so forth. More students overall, higher percentage of enrollment and so forth. But the reality is fewer men that will actually become priests.

Are you saying that the number of lay students has increased and the number candidates for priesthood has decreased?