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
POWERPOINT AVAILABLE www.usccb.org/vocations
OUTLINE General Demographic Trends Profession Class of 2013 Ordination Class of 2014 CCLV/CARA Study on Consideration of a Religious Vocation Key CCLV Initiatives
DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS--PRIESTHOOD The number of priests in the US continues to decline by 1% annually 1995: 49,054 2005: 42,839 2013: 39,839 (26,979 diocesan) *Average Age=62 years old (diocesan) 66 years old (religious)
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
DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS--ORDINATIONS 1995: 511 2000: 442 2005: 454 2014: 477
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
NEWLY ORDAINED 20-30% of newly ordained were born outside the US for each of the last ten years (jumped to 31% this year)
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
DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS DIOCESAN SEMINARIANS 1995: 3,172 2000: 3,474 2005: 3,308 2013: 3,441
DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS RELIGIOUS LIFE Continued overall decline in number of sisters: 1995: 90,809 2005: 58,634 2013: 52,557 91% of sisters are 60 years old or older 69% of sisters are 70 years old or older
DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS RELIGIOUS LIFE Continued overall decline of religious brothers 1995: 6,535 2005: 5,451 2013: 4,459
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
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
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
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
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)
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
KEY CCLV INITIATIVES Hispanic Vocations Youth, Young Adult and Campus Ministry World Youth Day Catholic Volunteers
HISPANIC VOCATION INITIATIVE
PERCENTAGE OF HISPANICS BY GENERATION
ANNUAL SURVEYS OF NEW PRIESTS (2014) AND RELIGIOUS (2013) Caucasian / White Hispanic / Latino Asian / Pacific Islander African / African American 2014 2013 National 67% 74% 54% 15% 12% 38% 11% 14% 5% 4% 0% 3%
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)
FUTURE ORDINATION CLASSES MAJOR SEMINARIANS (2013) Caucasian/White 65% Hispanic/Latino 15% Asian/Pacific 10% African American 4% Other 6%
FUTURE ORDINATION CLASSES COLLEGE SEMINARIANS (2013) Caucasian/White 70% Hispanic/Latino 20% Asian/Pacific 6% African American 3% Other 2%
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%
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)
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)
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)
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
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
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
CATHOLIC EDUCATION Only 3% of all US Catholic Hispanics attend a Catholic school
CATHOLIC SCHOOLING MAKES A DIFFERENCE FOR HISPANICS
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 26 38 17 19 Other race 0 26 32 42 Female adults Non-Hispanic white 2% 32% 37% 29% Hispanic 18 42 24 17 Other race 2 17 31 50
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
YOUTH, YOUNG ADULT AND CAMPUS MINISTRY
YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULT MINISTRY Collaboration with the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry (NFCYM) Possible involvement of LaRed Importance of World Youth Day
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
WORLD YOUTH DAY
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
CATHOLIC VOLUNTEERS
CATHOLIC VOLUNTEER NETWORK STUDY FOR WOMEN never-married Catholic population Have you ever considered becoming a Catholic religious sister? 10% YES NO 90%
CATHOLIC VOLUNTEER NETWORK STUDY FOR WOMEN Catholic volunteers Have you ever considered becoming a Catholic religious sister? 33% YES NO 67%
CATHOLIC VOLUNTEER NETWORK STUDY FOR MEN never-married Catholic population Have you ever considered becoming a Catholic priest or brother? 13% YES NO 87%
CATHOLIC VOLUNTEER NETWORK STUDY FOR MEN Catholic volunteers Have you ever considered becoming a Catholic priest or brother? 46% YES 54% NO
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Secretariat of Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations www.usccb.org/vocations email: jguthrie@usccb.org