United States Conference of Catholic Bishops



FACT SHEET ON VOCATIONS IN THE UNITED STATESGENERAL TRENDS (CARA Frequently Requested Church Statistics; cara.georgetown.edu) Priesthood (slight, steady increase of seminarians and ordinations since 2006; 1.2% drop per year)The number of priests in the US has declined: 49,054 (1995) to 42,839 (2005) to 38,964 (2012)Ordinations 1995: 5112000: 4422005: 4542013: 497Major Seminarians1995: 3,1722000: 3,4742005: 3,3082012: 3,723Average age at ordination is mid-thirties and is trending slightly youngerOrdinands are more ethnically diversified than in the past (in 2012: 71% Anglo; 15% Hispanic; 9% Asian or Pacific Islander; 3% African or African American). However, this trend has not caught up with the increased ethnic diversification in the Catholic population as a wholeBetween 20 and 30 percent of ordinands to diocesan priesthood for each of the last ten years were born outside of the United StatesReligious LifeThe number of brothers in the US has declined: 6,535 (1995) to 5,451 (2005) to 4,477 (2012); average drop of 1.9% per yearThe number of Religious Sisters in the US has declined: 90,809 (1995) to 68,634 (2005) to 54,018 (2012); average drop of 2.4% drop per yearMost religious institutes are experiencing challenges in the recruitment of new religiousThere is ethnic diversity here as well with a spike in professions from the Asian community in 2012: 69% Anglo; 8 % Hispanic; 15% Asian or Pacific Islander; 3% African or African American)The average age of religious of the Profession Class of 2012 was 39 CONSIDERATION OF A RELIGIOUS VOCATION BY YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTSGood news: the recent CCLV survey reports that over 600,000 never-married Catholics (aged 14-35) have “seriously considered” a call to the priesthood or religious lifeThe key factors correlated with the consideration of a vocation were all relational. There was a much greater likelihood for a young man or woman to consider a vocation if they:Attended a Catholic school (men who attended Catholic high school were 6 times more likely to consider a vocation)Participated in parish youth groups (women who participated in a high school parish youth group were 9 times more likely to consider a vocation)Were personally encouraged to consider a vocationPersonally knew a priest, seminarian, or religiousHISPANIC VOCATIONSUS-born Hispanics are a significant untapped demographic. Less than 5% of the ordinands were US-born Hispanics. Yet, 70% of young Hispanics in the US were born in the US. The percentage of Hispanics who are in seminary, ordained or professed are significantly less than the percentage of Hispanic in the US Catholic population. Hispanics make up 41% of all US Catholics born 1961-81 and 48% of all US Catholics born after 1981. In 2012, the number of Hispanic professed (8%) and in 2013 the number of Hispanic ordinands (15%) demonstrates the massive gap. ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download