Catholic men set to become priests later this year are trending younger than average and said their parents often influenced their decision to pursue the vocation, according to a new survey.
Survey of new priests: Most pray rosary, go to eucharistic adoration, parents stayed married catholiccitizens.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from catholiccitizens.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Null / Credit: Father Luis Ángel Espinosa, LC/CathopicDenver, Colo., Apr 26, 2023 / 12:00 pm (CNA).More than 450 men are set to be ordained priests this year, and the survey of their ordination class shows that the overwhelming majority of priests-to-be were raised Catholic in intact families and individually showed habits of frequent church service and regular prayer life."On this day, let us thank God for continuing to call men and women to serve him and his Church as priests, religious, and consecrated persons," Bishop Earl Boyea of Lansing, Michigan, said April 25. "We pray that all families, teachers, and priests will continue their essential work of instilling the faith and love of Jesus in our children."Boyea chairs the U.S. bishops Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life, and Vocations. On Tuesday the committee released the "Ordination Class of 2023 Study" from the Georgetown University-based Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA).CAR
The survey was released ahead of the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, marked by the Catholic Church this year on April 30, the Fourth Sunday of Easter.
CARA sought survey responses from the 458 seminarians to be ordained this year. It received 334 responses, a response rate of 73%. Responses came from ordinan.