What has caused the decline in vocations?
Some people say that there is no decline in vocations, because God continues to call people to priesthood, religious life, and other Church ministry. The problem is that people either fail to recognize the call or choose to say “no.” On a practical level, the decline in the actual number of active priests exists because retirement and death outstrips the number of new ordinations. Why are people choosing career and life options other than priesthood or religious life? · A materialistic culture, prospects of high salaries, and business perks exert considerable draw. · Ordination encompasses a lifetime commitment, whereas opportunities for lay ministry abound-without commitment to a lifetime of obedience and celibacy. · Whereas priests were once generally regarded with respect and even awe, they now find themselves suspect, particularly in the area of sexual misconduct. · Decreased family size has changed the “vocations climate.” A child becoming a priest or sister decreases the potentia
