Report from the
Secretariat of
Clergy,
Consecrated
Life and
Vocations
Rev. John Guthrie,
jguthrie@usccb.org
NOCERCC CONVENTION
PASADENA, CA
JANUARY 29, 2013
INFORMATION
Power Point Available On-Line:
www.usccb.org/priesthood
OUTLINE
 USCCB
2013-16 Strategic Plan
 New CCLV Study
 Key Concerns/Opportunities for
USCCB
 Hispanic Vocations
 Demographics of Priesthood and
Religious in the United States
 Internationalization of Priesthood
and Religious Life
 Preaching Document
USCCB 2013-16 Strategic Plan
New Evangelization
Faith
Worship
Witness
Implications for Continuing
Education
2013:
Implementation of
the Preaching Document
2014-15:
Annual Themes for
Ongoing Formation
New CCLV Study
Consideration of a Vocation
to Priesthood and Religious
Life among Never-married
U.S. Catholics
--CARA Survey Report
No Shortage of Interest
Key subgroups: most likely to
have considered a vocation
Most important:

Those who attended Catholic educational
institutions at any level

Those who were encouraged to consider a
vocation by any type of person

Those who personally know priests and men
and women religious

Those involved in parish youth and young
adult groups
Other Subgroups
Also Important:
•
Weekly Mass attenders (now and in high school)
•
Those who lived in households where parents talked to them
about religion at least once a week
•
Participants in prayer and devotional activities, groups, or
programs (e.g., Bible study, Eucharistic adoration, retreats, and
prayer groups)
•
Those belonging to a group that encourages devotion to Mary
•
Those who regularly read the Bible or pray with Scripture
•
Participants in World Youth Day or a National Catholic Youth
Conference
Key Concerns/Opportunities
for USCCB
Hispanic
Key
Vocations
Demographics
Internationalization
of the
Priesthood and Religious Life
HISPANIC
VOCATIONS
Percentage of Hispanics
by Generation
Annual Surveys of New
Priests and Religious (2012)
Priests Rel. Catholics


Caucasian / White
Hispanic / Latino(a)
71%
69%
58%
15%
8%
34%
15%
4%
2%
3%

Asian / Pacific Islander

9%
African / African American
3%
Country of Birth of Ordinands
United States
71%
Vietnam
5%
Columbia 5%
Mexico
4%
Poland
3%
Philippines 2%
El Salvador 1%
Other
9%
Total Hispanics /
Latinos: 15%
U.S. Born Hispanics/
Latinos: <5%
Key Demographic:
70% of Hispanics in the
United States are nonimmigrant
Subgroup: Catholic Education
Catholic Educational Enrollment
All respondents
Non-Hispanic
white teen
Hispanic teen
Other race teen
Non-Hispanic
white adult
Hispanic adult
Other race adult
Primary Secondary Primary &
None
only
only
secondary
64%
16%
4%
10%
Primary College
& college only
1%
2%
Primary,
secondary,
and college
4%
63
76
64
17
13
16
6
1
10
10
7
3
0
0
0
2
0
2
1
4
5
54
80
43
20
7
29
2
3
8
15
2
18
1
1
0
3
4
1
6
3
1
Key Statistic:
ONLY 3% OF HISPANIC
CHILDREN AND TEENS
ATTEND CATHOLIC GRADE
OR HIGH SCHOOLS
Subgroup: Encouragement (male)
Were you ever encouraged to consider a vocation as
a priest or religious brother by any of these people?
Never-married male Catholic teens and adults responding “Yes”:
Parish Priest/Priest Chaplain
Mother
Grandmother
Other family members
Father
Parishioner from the church you
attend
Teacher/Catechist
Religious Sister
Religious Brother
Grandfather
Deacon
Youth Minister
Friend or co-worker
Campus Minister
Military Chaplain
Bishop
Non-Hispanic
white
14%
10
9
6
5
Hispanic
3%
5
5
10
5
Other race
9%
8
14
3
6
5
5
5
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
1
3
2
3
2
6
1
2
3
1
0
1
8
5
2
2
2
0
6
2
0
2
0
Subgroup: encouragement
(female)
Were you ever encouraged to consider a vocation as
a religious sister by any of these people?
Never-married female Catholic teens and adults responding “Yes”:
Religious Sister
Parish Priest/Priest Chaplain
Teacher/Catechist
Mother
Grandmother
Other family members
Father
Parishioner from the church you
attend
Deacon
Youth Minister
Grandfather
Friend or co-worker
Bishop
Religious Brother
Campus Minister
Military Chaplain
Non-Hispanic
white
9%
8
6
4
4
3
2
Hispanic
4%
2
6
5
6
4
4
Other race
5%
14
11
6
12
5
3
2
2
2
1
1
1
<1
<1
0
1
<1
3
1
<1
0
1
0
0
2
0
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
DEMOGRAPHICS OF
PRIESTHOOD AND
RELIGIOUS IN THE
UNITED STATES
Priesthood Demographics
There are about 40,000 diocesan and
religious-order priests in the United
States
Diocesan: 27,125 diocesan priests
 About 20,000 are active
 30% are retired, sick, inactive
 Average age: 62 years old
Religious: 12,593 religious-order priests
(Jesuits, Dominicans, Franciscans, etc.)
 Average age: 66 years old
Priesthood Demographics
Looking
back, there has been a
31% drop in the number of
priests in the last 35 years
Looking ahead, there will be
about 12,520 diocesan priests in
active ministry by the year 2035,
more than a third less than the
numbers who were in active
ministry in the year 2010
Retired Priests
Many more priests are now in
retirement:
 In 1970 only 3% of responding priests
were in retirement; in 2009, 22% are
either retired or semi-retired
 In 1970 less than 10% of priests were
over the age of 65; now it is more
than 40%
Collaboration in Pastoral Ministry
Actuarial Projections for the
National Religious
Retirement Office
Report available at:
www.usccb.org/nrro
Women Religious
100%
80%
60%
Over 75
40%
75 & Younger
20%
0%
2010
2015
2020
2030
Demographics for Religious
WOMEN
Men Religious
100%
80%
60%
Over 75
40%
75 & Younger
20%
0%
2010
2015
2020
2030
Demographics for Religious
MEN
Combined Religious
100%
80%
60%
Over 75
40%
75 & Younger
20%
0%
2010
2015
2020
2030
Demographics for Religious
COMBINED
INTERNATIONALIZATION
OF PRIESTHOOD AND
RELIGIOUS LIFE
Internationalization of
Priesthood
Because of dropping numbers, Bishops
are relying more and more on priests who
are from outside the country
Percentages:
 In 1985: 93% born in US; 6% born in
Europe or Canada; 1% international
 In 2009: 89% born in US; 6 % born in
Europe or Canada; 5% international
Internationalization of
Priesthood
International priests tend to be younger
so the trend will continue:
 51% of all international priests were
ordained in 1992 or after (compared
to 15% of those from the US)
 98% of all international priests are in
active ministry (compared to 77% of
US-born priests)
Internationalization of
Priesthood
In addition:
25% of all seminarians studying
in US are foreign-born and
29% of newly ordained are
born outside the US
Internationalization of
Priesthood
USCCB Goal:
 Revise
Guidelines for the Reception
of International Pastoral Ministers
CCLV presenting plan for
document in March
Completion by September 2014
Key Workshops
 Seminar
for Writing Policy
April 24-26 Sacred Heart Institute,
Huntington, NY
 Seminar on Assessing and Welcoming
International Clergy
June 10
St. John Vianney Center
& CCLV, San Diego, CA
PREACHING
DOCUMENT
Preaching Document
PDF available at:
www.usccb.org/priesthood
Available in English
www.usccbpublishing.org
Available also in Spanish
www.usccbpublishing.org
Preaching Document
 30
years since Fulfilled in Your Hearing
 Goal:
Improve the Quality of Preaching
at Sunday Mass



Biblical, Liturgical & Catechetical
Apprenticing to Jesus, the Master Preacher
Spirituality of the Preacher
 An
opportunity for NOCERCC
Preaching the Mystery of Faith:
A USCCB Conference for
Teachers of Homiletics
 June
24-25, University of Notre Dame
 Registration available through CCLV
 Limited Space Available for



Seminary Homiletics Professors
Diaconate Formation Teachers
Continuing Education Presenters
Secretariat of
Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations
www.usccb.org/cclv
email: cclv@usccb.org