Posts tagged Priest Shortage
Pope Francis and Cardinal Sarah look at European Catholicism and do the math
Pope Francis and Cardinal Sarah look at European Catholicism and do the math

(COMMENTARY) Europe was once the heart of Christendom and sent waves of missionaries around the world. Now it’s is suffering from "vocational sterility," in part because of a "dictatorship of money" that is seducing the young. In a recent speech to Italy's bishops, Pope Francis offered a sobering sound bite: "How many seminaries, churches, monasteries and convents will be closed in the next few years? God only knows."

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Opinion, EuropeTerry MattinglyTerry Mattingly, Pope Francis, Cardinal Sarah, France, European Union, Birth Rates, Africa, Priest Shortage, Vatican, Catholicism, Christianity
When it comes to recruiting Catholic priests, doctrine often shapes demographics
When it comes to recruiting Catholic priests, doctrine often shapes demographics

(COMMENTARY) It's an often quoted fact: The number of men ordained each year is about a third of what's needed to replace priests who are retiring, dying or simply leaving. Two decades ago it was common to see between 800 and 900 ordinations a year.

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Religion, Opinion, Europe, North AmericaTerry MattinglyTerry Mattingly, Humanae Vitae, Fertility, Demographics, Priest Shortage, Cara, Georgetown University, Anne Hendershott, Catholic Families, Home Schooling, commentary, Catholicism, Catholic Priests, Catholic, demographics, Opinion, Ordination