Father Paul Embery, director of the National Office for Vocations, is quoted as saying
"After several decades of decline in the number of those training for the priesthood, we have seen four consecutive years of growth, which is good news; however we have no guarantee that this growth will continue,"Now wait a minute! We have had documents for years now predicting that we'll have to close parishes because the Church will run out of priests by 2020 or whenever.
Let's do the same sort of meaningless linear prediction. The rise from 2003 to 2006 is a 57% rise so we'll assume naively that things carry on in the same way over the next five three-year periods. By 2021 we will have 419 seminarians wanting to enter the seminary. So instead of closing Churches, we should be building new seminaries!
Of course I don't believe that the statistics "show" this. But I am skeptical about the predictions of disaster. Growth of a quarter of that rate would be very healthy indeed.
(By the way, someone needs to explain to Zenit that England and Wales is not "The UK".)
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(By the way, someone needs to explain to Zenit that England and Wales is not "The UK".)
Well, not at the moment... but who knows in a few years time! ;)
And Scotland is doing pretty well this year as well, with 19 on this years Applicants Year.
Heheheh... it will be if the Scots get their way...
We should practice the Christian spirit of Hope and Joy a lot lot more and be OPTIMISTIC instead of always looking down at the ground barely daring to raise our eyes in case someone questions us on our Catholic Faith.
Yes! Great news! More priestly vocations! They're on the up and up! Shout it from the roof tops!!!
BBC, secular press and aetheists - are you taking note of this?? You are becoming more irrelevant as the hours march on.
God Bless all seminarians. The world needs you.
I will (God Willing) be off to the Seminary of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest (ICRSS) this September, and I know several other people in England who are doing the same, and choosing not to go with a Diocese in this country.
We just don't know how many people there are who are like me, joining orders or fraternities which are abroad.
Will there be seminaries or indeed Christianity on Gleece 581c? Can't find a relevant post for this comment, as I expect Father is busy marking essays.But if its true whats in the news today that an earth like planet is 20 light years away, and has a temperature between 0c and 40c; water and possibly life then how does one reconile this possible scientific discovery with religion?
Simon
Benedicat - that's great news. I know that we have had vocations for years in E&W but they have gone abroad to study...
Anon - if there is life on other planets, then either they will have an incarnation of God as we did or we will have to evangelise them.
No problem reconciling this possible development which has been discussed for decades.
I wonder if the real reason for the shortage of vocations is that many good and holy young men were rejected in their applications or turfed out of seminaries for being "Holy Joes" which is a derogatory phrase I read was used against seminarians who showed outward signs of piety (such as kneeling during mass) at one seminary.
A "yoghurt knitters only may apply" policy is very likely to cause a shortage of vocations
I shall be visiting the English College in Valadolid in June to assist with bringing the students' luggage back to Blighty.
I believe that nearly 30 students are expected to complete the course this year, and that more than 40 are expected for next year to undergo a personalised foundation year prior to entering Seminary.
Great news, I think you'll agree!
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