Catholic seminary enrollment up
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In his first months as rector of Theological College in Washington, Father Phillip J. Brown has been confronting a problem that the national diocesan seminary for the U.S. Catholic Church “has not had for a long time” — it is bursting at the seams.
Enrollment is maxed out for the 2011-12 academic year at 90 seminarians. Five of those seminarians are back in their dioceses this year gaining pastoral experience, but a Sulpician seminarian and five priests from other countries also live there, bringing the total number of residents to 91 plus faculty members.
“If I had to start with a problem, that’s the problem I’d like to have,” Father Brown told Catholic News Service. “It’s a very healthy sign, a positive sign for Theological College and for the U.S. priesthood.”
The trend of rising seminary enrollment is being duplicated around the country:
– At the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio, 40 new seminarians arrived this year, bringing total enrollment to 186, the highest level since the 1970s.
– St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minn., welcomed 30 new graduate-level seminarians, making its class of 100 seminarians the largest since 1980. The influx forced 24 seminarians and two priests off campus into leased space at a former convent.
– In the Diocese of Scranton, Pa., where the St. Pius X diocesan seminary closed in 2004 because of declining enrollment, the number of seminarians has more than doubled from eight to 17 in the past two years. [more]
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6 Comments
God is indeed answering prayers inspite of the Tonys’ of the world. Or it could be BECAUSE the Tonys’ of the world God is calling and more of us are answering “yes”!
This is good news. We don’t have to be discouraged by these perpetually disgruntled posters to the Cathnewsusa site. Your comment is right on the mark.
As the children of the lost 60s generation are maturing, they realize the vanity and emptiness of most of this passing world. They long for deeper meaning and purpose that is lacking in the media-driven, nihilistic culture we live in. They sense the eternity that awaits us after this rapidly fleeting exile on earth ends. Given this, an increase in vocations to the priesthood is very logical and makes convincingly good sense. Nowhere else can one make such a profoundly positive difference in the lives of so many others than in the priesthood.
Our prayers are being answered. We need more good and holy priests. No priests, no Eucharist; no Eucharist, no Church.
This is a pleasant surprise?
What wonderful news to read!! May God forgive Tony for his remarks. Obviously, he does not understand the priesthood. Seven years of education – same as a medical doctor. I have not met one lazy priest.
Prayers of the Serra Club are being answered! (Serra Club supports the vocations of priests, nuns, etc.
May God Bless all of the priests!
Let’s see, unemployment is high today, three squares, and guarented employment and a lazy life style probably look good to these candidates.