CURRENT TRENDS IN VOCATIONS & USCCB INITIATIVES

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1 CURRENT TRENDS IN VOCATIONS & USCCB INITIATIVES J. S. Paluch Vocations Awareness Seminar August 19, 2014 REV. JOHN GUTHRIE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR SECRETARIAT OF CLERGY, CONSECRATED LIFE AND VOCATIONS

2 POWERPOINT AVAILABLE

3 OUTLINE General Demographic Trends Profession Class of 2013 Ordination Class of 2014 CCLV/CARA Study on Consideration of a Religious Vocation Key CCLV Initiatives

4 DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS--PRIESTHOOD The number of priests in the US continues to decline by 1% annually 1995: 49, : 42, : 39,839 (26,979 diocesan) *Average Age=62 years old (diocesan) 66 years old (religious)

5 DID YOU KNOW? Annually there is a 1% decrease in number of priests and a 3% increase in number of permanent deacons At that rate, there will be more permanent deacons than priests in the US by 2030

6 DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS--ORDINATIONS 1995: : : : 477

7 NEWLY ORDAINED Average age is mid-thirties and trending slightly younger 80% between ages 25 and 39 More ethnically diverse but not as diverse as general Catholic population

8 NEWLY ORDAINED 20-30% of newly ordained were born outside the US for each of the last ten years (jumped to 31% this year)

9 EDUCATIONAL DEBT For newly ordained: 26% had debt coming into the seminary; average debt was $22,500 For newly professed: Most religious did not report that educational debt delayed their entry For those that did: averaged two years delay Average debt: $31,100

10 DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS DIOCESAN SEMINARIANS 1995: 3, : 3, : 3, : 3,441

11 DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS RELIGIOUS LIFE Continued overall decline in number of sisters: 1995: 90, : 58, : 52,557 91% of sisters are 60 years old or older 69% of sisters are 70 years old or older

12 DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS RELIGIOUS LIFE Continued overall decline of religious brothers 1995: 6, : 5, : 4,459

13 2012 CCLV/CARA STUDY On consideration of a religious vocation by never-married youth and young adults Good news: 600,000 never-married Catholics (aged 14-35) have seriously considered a call to the priesthood and religious life

14 2012 CCLV/CARA STUDY Key factors were all RELATIONAL Attendance in a Catholic School Participation in parish youth groups Personal encouragement Personally knowing a priest, seminarian or religious

15 CATHOLIC EDUCATION Men are more than 6 times more likely to seriously consider if they attended a Catholic high school Women are more than 3 times more likely to seriously consider if they attended a Catholic grade school

16 YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULT MINISTRY For men, participation in youth group at primary school level increases serious vocational consideration by 5 times For women, participation in youth group at high school level increases serious vocational consideration by 9 times

17 IMPORTANCE OF RELATIONSHIPS Encouragement: If one person encourages a person to consider a religious vocation, he/she is TWICE as likely to do so If three persons encourage, he/she is more than FIVE times as likely to do so (the studies indicate that 3 seems to be the key number)

18 IMPORTANCE OF RELATIONSHIPS Knowing someone in religious life: Knowing a priest, sister, brother or seminarian, increases the consideration of a religious vocation by 1.5 times

19 KEY CCLV INITIATIVES Hispanic Vocations Youth, Young Adult and Campus Ministry World Youth Day Catholic Volunteers

20 HISPANIC VOCATION INITIATIVE

21 PERCENTAGE OF HISPANICS BY GENERATION

22 ANNUAL SURVEYS OF NEW PRIESTS (2014) AND RELIGIOUS (2013) Caucasian / White Hispanic / Latino Asian / Pacific Islander African / African American National 67% 74% 54% 15% 12% 38% 11% 14% 5% 4% 0% 3%

23 ANNUAL SURVEYS OF NEW PRIESTS (2014) AND RELIGIOUS (2013) NOTE: Total Hispanic/Latino: 15% US-Born Latinos: <5% (The key target: 70% of young Hispanic Catholics are US-born)

24 FUTURE ORDINATION CLASSES MAJOR SEMINARIANS (2013) Caucasian/White 65% Hispanic/Latino 15% Asian/Pacific 10% African American 4% Other 6%

25 FUTURE ORDINATION CLASSES COLLEGE SEMINARIANS (2013) Caucasian/White 70% Hispanic/Latino 20% Asian/Pacific 6% African American 3% Other 2%

26 NRVC/CARA REPORT ON CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN RELIGIOUS LIFE Percentage of Hispanics as: Full members 6% Members entering in last ten years Members in initial formation 17% 13%

27 CCLV HISPANIC VOCATIONS INITIATIVE Collaborative Relationships with: National Conference of Diocesan Vocation Directors (NCDVD) National Religious Vocation Conference (NRVC) Asociación Nacional de Sacerdotes Hispanos (ANSH) National Catholic Council for Hispanic Ministry (NCCHM)

28 WITH NCDVD In the curriculum of the annual New Directors Workshop Regional workshops for all directors to develop intercultural competencies and other strategies Challenge: increase the numbers of Hispanic vocation directors (currently 11% of all vocation directors are Hispanic)

29 WITH NRVC CARA Study: Incorporating Cultural Diversity in Religious Life Proposed CARA study on the family and its impact on vocations (funding approved by the Hilton Foundation)

30 WITH ANSH Annual update at their annual conference encourage them to continue to build a culture of vocations in the Hispanic communities in which they serve

31 WITH NCCHM Raices y Alas Meeting in San Antonio CCLV and NCDVD will offer a workshop (repeated once) Present the Framework for Promotion of Hispanic Vocations in the United States Offer best principles/practices for this promotion

32 OTHER KEY CONSIDERATIONS (BEYOND THE SOLE COMPETENCY OF CCLV) From the 2012 CARA Study on Priesthood and Religious Life among Never-married US Catholics Key factors which moved an individual to seriously consider a vocation to priesthood or religious life: Catholic education Youth and young adult ministry Encouragement within key relationships

33 CATHOLIC EDUCATION Only 3% of all US Catholic Hispanics attend a Catholic school

34 CATHOLIC SCHOOLING MAKES A DIFFERENCE FOR HISPANICS

35 A KEY CHALLENGE: LEVEL OF EDUCATION Highest Level of Education among Adult Respondents Less than high school High school Some college Bachelor's degree or more Male adults Non-Hispanic white 4% 32% 35% 29% Hispanic Other race Female adults Non-Hispanic white 2% 32% 37% 29% Hispanic Other race

36 IMPORTANCE OF RELATIONSHIPS Family: Importance of the family especially in Hispanic cultures Oye! is developing resources in this area Proposed NRVC/CARA study on the family and its impact on vocations

37 YOUTH, YOUNG ADULT AND CAMPUS MINISTRY

38 YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULT MINISTRY Collaboration with the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry (NFCYM) Possible involvement of LaRed Importance of World Youth Day

39 CAMPUS MINISTRY--BOSTON COLLEGE/CARA STUDY Importance of a strategic plan being intentional Once again, ongoing relationship is the key Professors (!) and support staff are very important in a college level Build a community of discernment Spiritual direction

40 WORLD YOUTH DAY

41 WORLD YOUTH DAY Men who attended World Youth Day (or NCYC) are MORE THAN FOUR TIMES more likely to consider being a priest or a brother

42 CATHOLIC VOLUNTEERS

43 CATHOLIC VOLUNTEER NETWORK STUDY FOR WOMEN never-married Catholic population Have you ever considered becoming a Catholic religious sister? 10% YES NO 90%

44 CATHOLIC VOLUNTEER NETWORK STUDY FOR WOMEN Catholic volunteers Have you ever considered becoming a Catholic religious sister? 33% YES NO 67%

45 CATHOLIC VOLUNTEER NETWORK STUDY FOR MEN never-married Catholic population Have you ever considered becoming a Catholic priest or brother? 13% YES NO 87%

46 CATHOLIC VOLUNTEER NETWORK STUDY FOR MEN Catholic volunteers Have you ever considered becoming a Catholic priest or brother? 46% YES 54% NO

47 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Secretariat of Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations