[ventana]

And BTW, there has been an across the board decline in vocations in all faiths; this is true for those who allow marriage. Where Diocese are conservative, and a fair degree of orthodoxy is maintained, vocations are on the rise. The many Protestant sects are having an extremely difficult time attracting ministers: low pay, less then desirable housing allowances, and the pressures of having to answer to a congregation which may be overbearing are all named as causes of the decline, that and the secular nature of today's society. It's just the Catholics everybody talks about; go figure! V's wife.

[sinkspur]

And BTW, there has been an across the board decline in vocations in all faiths; this is true for those who allow marriage.

That is not true. There is a shortage in rural congregations, but, as you know, in many Protestant denominations, the congregations call the pastor. There is absolutely no shortage of men willing to serve in Protestant Churches where families can be supported.

Ministry is hard, period. Not unlike many other vocations and lifestyles.

[r9etb]

It's just the Catholics everybody talks about; go figure!

I think we know why that is, too.

First, there's no person so vindictive about a church as an estranged Catholic -- and they're the ones who tend to write "authoritatively" about the Roman Catholic Church.

Second, in this sex-soaked age, celibacy is seen by many as a strange and perverted thing. (The sex abuse scandals haven't helped there....)

Third, there's the rules against divorce. These days, divorce is seen as a path to "self-actualization."

Finally, there's the Church's strident opposition to abortion -- I think it's impossible to overstate how much this affects how the media treats the Catholic Church.