From David Hartline's 2006 book, The Tide is Turning Toward Catholicism, pages 52-53 (emphasis added) ...
The United States certainly has seen a decline in the number of priests in the last 40 years. However, in dioceses where the practice of the faith is very orthodox, most would simply say there is no priest shortage.
For example, the Dioceses of Wichita, Kansas; Lincoln, Nebraska; Arlington, Virginia; Fargo, North Dakota; and Peoria, Illinois, have been ordaining more men that archdioceses that are five to ten times their size.
...
To say that surging numbers in priestly vocations are tied to Church orthodoxy would be an understatement. Two examples illustrate this point. The Diocese of Rochester, which is considered to be one of the most liberal in America, has a Catholic population of 342,000. They have a total of six seminarians studying for the priesthood. The Archdiocese of Omaha has a Catholic population of 230,000 with 30 seminarians. In Nebraska, the Diocese of Lincoln (run by perhaps the most conservative ordinary in America, Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz) has a population of 89,236 Catholics with 24 in their local seminary and 10 in other seminaries. Put another way, while Lincoln and Omaha do not have as many Catholics as Rochester, these two dioceses have sixty-four men studying for the priesthood while Rochester has only six men.
...
Denver, home to Archbishop Charles Chaput, has a Catholic population of 344,042 with 76 men in their own seminary and 2 men studying in other seminaries.
Tip: Gene Michael
3 comments:
The tide couldn't turn soon enough to suit me. We have been in this stinking, liberal cesspool long enough. Long Live Pope Benedict.
Ad multos annos!
Well, as the kids now say: Duh!
Who wants to be a celibate social worker with bad clothes, peculiar living conditions and angry at the institution he/she works for?
People become priests, sisters and brothers because they are called and want to serve God and man - not just man - within the Church. Those that can't stand the Church are not likely to join, and if they do are not likely to stay. Those who love the Church will join if the Church is true to itself (i.e., orthodox), God and man. If not, they leave or don't join.
It's so obvious that orthodoxy is the key to vocations as to be almost axiomatic. That the Spirit of Vatican II crowd can't or won't see this makes one suspect they have an ulterior motive.
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