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J. S. Paluch Vocations Awareness Seminar
August 19, 2014
CURRENT TRENDS IN
VOCATIONS
& USCCB INITIATIVES
REV. JOHN GUTHRIE
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
SECRETARIAT OF CLERGY, CONSECRATED LIFE
AND VOCATIONS
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www.usccb.org/vocations
POWERPOINT AVAILABLE
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General Demographic Trends
Profession Class of 2013
Ordination Class of 2014
CCLV/CARA Study on Consideration of a Religious Vocation
Key CCLV Initiatives
OUTLINE
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The number of priests in the US
continues to decline by 1% annually
1995: 49,054
2005: 42,839
2013: 39,839 (26,979 diocesan)
*Average Age=62 years old (diocesan)
66 years old (religious)
DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS--PRIESTHOOD
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Annually there is a 1% decrease
in number of priests and a 3%
increase in number of permanent
deacons
At that rate, there will be more
permanent deacons than priests
in the US by 2030
DID YOU KNOW?
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1995: 511
2000: 442
2005: 454
2014: 477
DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS--ORDINATIONS
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Average age is mid-thirties and
trending slightly younger—80%
between ages 25 and 39
More ethnically diverse but not
as diverse as general Catholic
population
NEWLY ORDAINED
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20-30% of newly ordained were
born outside the US for each of
the last ten years (jumped to 31%
this year)
NEWLY ORDAINED
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For newly ordained: 26% had debt coming into the seminary; average debt was $22,500
For newly professed:
Most religious did not report that educational debt delayed their entry
For those that did: averaged two years delay
Average debt: $31,100
EDUCATIONAL DEBT
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1995: 3,172
2000: 3,474
2005: 3,308
2013: 3,441
DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS—DIOCESAN
SEMINARIANS
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Continued overall decline in number of
sisters:
1995: 90,809
2005: 58,634
2013: 52,557
91% of sisters are 60 years old or older
69% of sisters are 70 years old or older
DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS—RELIGIOUS LIFE
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Continued overall decline of
religious brothers
1995: 6,535
2005: 5,451
2013: 4,459
DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS—RELIGIOUS LIFE
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On consideration of a religious
vocation by never-married youth and
young adults
Good news: 600,000 never-married
Catholics (aged 14-35) have
“seriously considered” a call to the
priesthood and religious life
2012 CCLV/CARA STUDY
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Key factors were all RELATIONAL
Attendance in a Catholic School
Participation in parish youth groups
Personal encouragement
Personally knowing a priest,
seminarian or religious
2012 CCLV/CARA STUDY
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Men are more than 6 times more
likely to seriously consider if they
attended a Catholic high school
Women are more than 3 times
more likely to seriously consider
if they attended a Catholic grade
school
CATHOLIC EDUCATION
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For men, participation in youth group
at primary school level increases
serious vocational consideration by 5
times
For women, participation in youth
group at high school level increases
serious vocational consideration by 9
times
YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULT MINISTRY
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Encouragement:
If one person encourages a person to
consider a religious vocation, he/she is
TWICE as likely to do so
If three persons encourage, he/she is
more than FIVE times as likely to do so
(the studies indicate that 3 seems to be
the key number)
IMPORTANCE OF RELATIONSHIPS
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Knowing someone in religious life:
Knowing a priest, sister, brother or
seminarian, increases the
consideration of a religious
vocation by 1.5 times
IMPORTANCE OF RELATIONSHIPS
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Hispanic Vocations
Youth, Young Adult and Campus
Ministry
World Youth Day
Catholic Volunteers
KEY CCLV INITIATIVES
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HISPANIC
VOCATION
INITIATIVE
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PERCENTAGE OF HISPANICS BY
GENERATION
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2014 2013 National
Caucasian / White
67% 74% 54%
Hispanic / Latino
15% 12% 38%
Asian / Pacific Islander
11% 14% 5%
African / African American
4% 0% 3%
ANNUAL SURVEYS OF NEW PRIESTS
(2014) AND RELIGIOUS (2013)
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NOTE:
Total Hispanic/Latino: 15%
US-Born Latinos: <5%
(The key target: 70% of young
Hispanic Catholics are US-born)
ANNUAL SURVEYS OF NEW PRIESTS
(2014) AND RELIGIOUS (2013)
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Caucasian/White 65%
Hispanic/Latino 15%
Asian/Pacific 10%
African American 4%
Other 6%
FUTURE ORDINATION CLASSES
MAJOR SEMINARIANS (2013)
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Caucasian/White 70%
Hispanic/Latino 20%
Asian/Pacific 6%
African American 3%
Other 2%
FUTURE ORDINATION CLASSES
COLLEGE SEMINARIANS (2013)
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Percentage of Hispanics as:
Full members 6%
Members entering in last ten years
17%
Members in initial formation
13%
NRVC/CARA REPORT ON CULTURAL
DIVERSITY IN RELIGIOUS LIFE
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Collaborative Relationships with:
National Conference of Diocesan Vocation Directors (NCDVD)
National Religious Vocation Conference (NRVC)
Asociación Nacional de Sacerdotes Hispanos (ANSH)
National Catholic Council for Hispanic Ministry (NCCHM)
CCLV HISPANIC VOCATIONS INITIATIVE
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In the curriculum of the annual New
Directors Workshop
Regional workshops for all directors to
develop intercultural competencies and
other strategies
Challenge: increase the numbers of
Hispanic vocation directors (currently
11% of all vocation directors are
Hispanic)
WITH NCDVD
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CARA Study: Incorporating Cultural
Diversity in Religious Life
Proposed CARA study on the family
and its impact on vocations (funding
approved by the Hilton Foundation)
WITH NRVC
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Annual update at their annual
conference—encourage them to
continue to build a culture of
vocations in the Hispanic
communities in which they serve
WITH ANSH
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Raices y Alas Meeting in San Antonio
CCLV and NCDVD will offer a workshop
(repeated once)
Present the Framework for Promotion of
Hispanic Vocations in the United States
Offer best principles/practices for this
promotion
WITH NCCHM
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From the 2012 CARA Study on Priesthood and
Religious Life among Never-married US
Catholics
Key factors which moved an individual to
seriously consider a vocation to priesthood or
religious life:
Catholic education
Youth and young adult ministry
Encouragement within key relationships
OTHER KEY CONSIDERATIONS (BEYOND
THE SOLE COMPETENCY OF CCLV)
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Only 3% of all US Catholic
Hispanics attend a Catholic
school
CATHOLIC EDUCATION
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CATHOLIC SCHOOLING MAKES A
DIFFERENCE FOR HISPANICS
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Highest Level of Education among Adult Respondents
Less than
high school
High
school
Some
college
Bachelor's
degree or more
Male adults
Non-Hispanic white 4% 32% 35% 29%
Hispanic 26 38 17 19
Other race 0 26 32 42
Female adults
Non-Hispanic white 2% 32% 37% 29%
Hispanic 18 42 24 17
Other race 2 17 31 50
A KEY CHALLENGE: LEVEL OF EDUCATION
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Family:
Importance of the family especially
in Hispanic cultures
¡Oye! is developing resources in
this area
Proposed NRVC/CARA study on the
family and its impact on vocations
IMPORTANCE OF RELATIONSHIPS
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YOUTH, YOUNG ADULT
AND CAMPUS
MINISTRY
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Collaboration with the National
Federation for Catholic Youth
Ministry (NFCYM)
Possible involvement of LaRed
Importance of World Youth Day
YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULT MINISTRY
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Importance of a strategic plan—being
intentional
Once again, ongoing relationship is the
key
Professors (!) and support staff are very
important in a college level
Build a community of discernment
Spiritual direction
CAMPUS MINISTRY--BOSTON
COLLEGE/CARA STUDY
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WORLD YOUTH DAY
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Men who attended World Youth
Day (or NCYC) are MORE THAN
FOUR TIMES more likely to
consider being a priest or a
brother
WORLD YOUTH DAY
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CATHOLIC VOLUNTEERS
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FOR WOMEN—never-married Catholic population
Have you ever considered becoming a Catholic religious
sister?
CATHOLIC VOLUNTEER NETWORK STUDY
10%
90%
YES
NO
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FOR WOMEN—Catholic volunteers
Have you ever considered becoming a Catholic religious
sister?
CATHOLIC VOLUNTEER NETWORK STUDY
33%
67%
YES
NO
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FOR MEN—never-married Catholic population
Have you ever considered becoming a Catholic priest or
brother?
CATHOLIC VOLUNTEER NETWORK STUDY
13%
87%
YES
NO
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FOR MEN—Catholic volunteers
Have you ever considered becoming a Catholic priest or
brother?
CATHOLIC VOLUNTEER NETWORK STUDY
54%
46% YES
NO
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United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Secretariat of
Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations
www.usccb.org/vocations
email: [email protected]