This post was originally published on this site.
In 2026, the Church in the United States saw 9% fewer priestly ordinations than it had 10 years earlier.
According to the best numbers available, 342 men were ordained diocesan priests for U.S. dioceses this year. While that number represents a slight uptick from years prior, it also signifies a decline from a decade prior — in 2016, 376 men were ordained U.S. diocesan priests, about 9% more than this year.
Experts cite a number of factors behind a trend of smaller U.S. ordination classes than in prior decades, including the 2018 abuse scandals in the Church, the Covid pandemic, a rise in secularism, the proliferation of pornography, and the breakdown in family life.
But some dioceses have seen steady or even growing numbers of priestly vocations.
The Pillar spoke with bishops and vocations directors from across the country about the contemporary obstacles to fostering vocations, and the factors that can help promote priestly vocations despite those challenges.
Credit: Godong / Alamy.Regional differences
Regionally, the Midwest and Southeast have the largest groups of priests ordained in 2026, while the regions along the coasts and the Southwest had smaller groups of new priests.
A number of bishops who spoke with The Pillar said they believe smaller, rural
Read more...
