It seems like the first instinct of the news media when it comes to the Church's response to a shortage of priests is to end the rule enforcing celibacy. But that is not what the Church has been doing. So, what has she done (as a whole) to address the fact that an aging population of priests is not being replaced at the rate that the Church is growing?
asked Mar 12, 2017 at 4:13
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Why aren't young people joining the priesthood at rates that match growth? Are they actually and you have bad information? Is there actually a priest shortage while church membership is growing?– user3961Mar 12, 2017 at 17:35
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@fredsbend Yes. It's not so much the current shortage but the demographic lump/graph.– KorvinStarmastMar 13, 2017 at 13:12
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3 Answers
The comments by Pope Francis about allowing older married men to be ordained and serve in isolated areas is interesting, although I don't think this will happen any time soon, and certainly not in the numbers needed if 25 per cent of churches do not have a resident priest.
What I have observed being reported is that dioceses around the world are addressing the shortage of priests as best they can, by merging parishes. This seems to have been made possible because fewer Catholics are attending mass at the same time as there are fewer priests1. Another thing I have noticed in a limited way is the employment of lay ministers to assist the priests.
1The RCC is growing in sub-Saharan Africa. Gross numbers are steady in US, balancing leavers with Latin immigrants, but with falling attendances at mass, which is what we are talking about. Numbers are falling in Europe because of a move away from religion, and also in South America, where significant numbers are converting to evangelical denominations.
answered Mar 12, 2017 at 5:41
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Peter says the church is growing. You say mass attendance is down. Who's right? Are both of you?– user3961Mar 12, 2017 at 17:37
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@fredsbend The RCC is growing in sub-Sahara Africa. Gross numbers are steady in US, balancing leavers with Latin immigrants, but with falling attendances at mass, which is what we are talking about. Falling in Europe & South America. Mar 12, 2017 at 20:09
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Dick, can you add your points in that comment into the answer? I think they support your answer. @fredsbend the non marriage of Priests is a "discipline of the church" not dogma ... and in the Eastern Rite, priests may marry (but bishops can't ...) Mar 13, 2017 at 13:14
In my diocese, the bishop has done several things: he merged some (smaller) parishes, he assigned some others to monks from religious orders (which are not part of diocesean clergy, but are priests too) and he made a deal with some other diocese in Africa or India. Those dioceses send some young priests here to serve in our dioceps for some years, and our diocese allow them to study Italian and theology in or schools. After some years (usually, when they completed their studies) those priests can return to their homelands (where they will be very educated for their country standard, and maybe receive some important role) or choose to stay in here in Italy
One of the things some bishops are doing is increasing the number of permanent deacons in their dioceses. In my diocese, the archbishop has increased the number of permanent deacons in the archdiocese. Many of these permanent deacons will be working in federal institutions of correction (prisons) and thus easing the burden of the workload for priests to work more exclusively in parishes. Nevertheless, priests will visit prisons, but will do it less frequently. Some of the other permanent deacons will be assigned to hospitals or other facilities to ease the workload of priests.
Some diocese are also permitting the Sunday obligation of attending Mass to be transferred to another day of the week in more isolated areas in order to make it possible to have a priest travel to them and say Mass for parishes in more isolated locations.
Eucharistic Ministers have their particular area of aiding the parish priest, such as taking communion to the sick in hospital or at home and informing the pastor if a particular soul desires to go to confession, so that the parish priest may fulfill his parishioner's desire.
It can arise that the number of priests is so few that a diocesan bishop may even have recourse to Rome to have some Pastoral Administrators established in order to fulfill the Sunday obligations for the faithful. This naturally involves reading the gospel during a communion service by lay ministers (outside of Mass). The Diocese of Whitehorse, Yukon has between 4-8 priests at any one time and has several Pastoral Administrators working in the diocese.
Many dioceses have opted to institute what is now termed as lay ministers at various levels of “lay ministry”.
More information may be gleaned in the following post:
How does one become a “lay-ministers” in the Catholic Church?
answered Mar 12, 2017 at 14:53
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Our diocese is doing that, increasing the diaconate. FWIW, my wife serves in the Homebound Ministry (bringing the Eucharist to those unable to attend) and I serve as an EM (when called on, I assist the priest/deacon in distributing body/precious blood during Mass. Mar 13, 2017 at 13:18
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Why increase the number of permanent deacons rather than the number of priests?– curiousdannii ♦Mar 13, 2017 at 21:38
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@curiousdannii priesthood is a calling. Are you aware of the attrition rate from start to finish? Also, deacons can come from the number of married men in a community. Priests cannot. Aug 3, 2019 at 20:49
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@Korvin Ah, I wasn't aware deacons could be married. But is being a deacon not also considered a divine calling?– curiousdannii ♦Aug 3, 2019 at 22:31
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@curiousdannii Yes, it is, and many who begin the 5 year course do not complete it. Aug 3, 2019 at 22:51