Is Greed Behind The Shrinking Priesthood?

I am not Catholic, but when I was young, a large number of kids I knew went to Catholic school. Now, there are very few Catholic schools in the area where I live.

The number of young men who go into the priesthood is dwindling every year, and I suspect the same is true for the number of young women who choose becoming a nun as their life's vocation.

High school preparatory seminaries used to be quite common and in 1960, as many as 16,000 boys who were preparing for the priesthood attended more than 122 high school seminaries in the United States. Today there are only 500 students at 7 preparatory seminaries.

Quigley Preparatory Seminary in Chicago was one of the most well-known preparatory seminaries, but it finally closed last week because it was deeply in debt, and had only ordained one priest in the last 17 years.

This must be a sad situation for the Catholic Church in America. Most of the priests ordained here now are coming from other countries.

This should cause other Christians to look at what is happening with their young people, too. Many churches are having difficulty filling their pulpits. Young men and women are too often concerned only with how much money they can make.

The ministry, no matter what denomination you are from, takes a person willing to dedicate their lives to the needs of others. Unfortunately, the sacrificial life is a commodity that is in short supply these days.

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Some great comments...

Submitted by huttriver12 on Thu, 2007-06-28 20:04.

that have said everything I could say. Bad press and competition for youth leisure time,perhaps succinctly.

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All very good points

Submitted by Jellen on Wed, 2007-06-27 14:01.

May I add my two bits too? I think our media has discouraged entry into the ministries in two ways.

1. Ministers and priests have been made a laughing stock on television programs and movies.

2. Sexual exploitation and temptation of our young has caused personal purity to be sacrificed. Choosing the priesthood and celibacy is not something readily chosen.

3. As has already been stated, our youth are often too me oriented to think of become service oriented.

But on the brighter side, my teen attends an active youth group with an on-fire youth pastor who exhibits personal integrity and a passion for God. His wife teaches and works with the gals, and together they hold mid-week programs and Sunday school classes. Youth activities and Bible teaching in creative ways, still implant truth. Methods may not be what they were in my day, but the goal is a life that models Christ.

One very good thing about the work of God's Kingdom on earth is that it will go on, with or without credentialed ministers with seminary degrees.

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On the one hand -

Submitted by djbtol on Wed, 2007-06-27 11:20.

we think of young people making different choices now. They look at their many options and decide that the life of a priest or a pastor is not for them. Pretty much a career choice.

I would say there is another factor. Throughout the centuries, the church's best leaders have been men who are on fire for God. They have a vibrant relationship with Him and it is the driving force in their lives. They firmly believe that God called them into service and thereby they have the courage to overcome the obstacles.

Obviously this was God working in their hearts. But one might also consider the godly examples that they had around them. How about their parents? How about the leadership in their church? Could they see the power of Christ lived out in these lives? Did God use these examples to light a fire in their hearts?

It seems, and you might disagree, that there are not so many of these inspiring examples around anymore. It is so easy to go lukewarm and then cool in your Christian life.

We do all struggle with greed for it is a key component of our sin nature. But when a young man has the 'call of God' upon him, he will sacrifice everything this world has to offer to be faithful to that call.

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A fire in their hearts, Djbtol? Most young people today would

Submitted by Jeanne on Wed, 2007-06-27 12:24.

say, "Huh? What's that mean?" I was privileged to work with a group of young people in the late 1960's who truly had that fire in their hearts. Some of them still do, but today, I weep (is that over-dramatic?) for the young people in my own church.

For some reason, the powers that be in today's church have the idea that the Bible is a bit out-dated to interest the youthful generation today so they hire youth ministers who think that they have to compete with the world in order to interest kids in spiritual things. Ergo, the youth minister must be almost as young as the kids themselves so they can think like a kid thinks. Unfortunately, the kids are being deprived of the wisdom of more mature Christians that might be able to help them avoid pitfalls that the youthful minister is still struggling with.

Instead of making the Word of God a priority in these kids' lives, trips to the food court at the mall, movies, "Christian" rock concerts where it almost takes an interpreter to discover any reference to Jesus in the lyrics screamed at the top of their lungs, and other various "fun" activities are the norm. I'm all for fun, but let's not lose sight of our purpose for gathering together in the first place.

I have heard kids asking other kids if they are coming to the youth service and the answer they get is, "Only if they are having pizza" Or it is announced that the kids will meet after church to go for pizza so everyone should bring $10. How many parents, especially if they have more than one child, can afford things like this every week? So sad. (Not that I have anything against pizza, you understand.)

Sorry, but this is one of my favorite soapboxes.

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Jeanne -

Submitted by djbtol on Thu, 2007-06-28 04:49.

I totally agree with you. Your comment is well-written and your soapbox quite valid. God changes hearts through the power of His word and the Holy Spirit. All throughout the church you have seen people try to replace that with more modern programs of one kind or another.

Then when you get to the youth group, there is another whole world of issues that are off-base and you have hit on several of them.

These can be broad issues and much to pray about.

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Similar stats here, Jeanne,

Submitted by Elly on Wed, 2007-06-27 01:45.

as I think the whole scene has changed. There were big families, and many in the past provided one male for the priesthood and one female for the convents. The church in Australia is having the same problems. I think the idea of being celibate has something to do with it, and, as you say greed, although I'd not use that word necessarily.

I think there are other factors too that come into play. Some of the churches (including the Catholics) have had some issues with paedophilia in their midst and I think young males don't wish to be associated with that.

I'm not a Catholic - in fact am somewhat distant from the church, but I see so many opportunities for yong men and women now, that were no available in the "boom" times of the churches.

Elly

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