What percentage are Christian?
Congratulations on Savannah! Do you have a new bishop? What accounts for the rise in vocations?
My daughter lives in Charleston, where things were very bad but are now finally (new bishop) picking up. I don't know what their ordination numbers are, though.
Perhaps chasing sodomites out of the Catholic Church encouraged priestly candidates who only want to put a wafer in someone's mouth.
It will be interesting to see the size of the classes under BXVI.
I think this is a refelction of the impact that Pope John Paul II had on the youth. His example along with that of Mother Theresa have given a good witness to a religious vocation. In fact, I think it has stimulated a return to a true belief in Christianity and the person of Jesus Christ as Redeemer and second part of the Trinity.
Christian denominations which have abandoned orthodoxy are seeing their numbers dwindle while those which stay true to traditional beliefs are capturing the interest of more young people. Sometimes it's hard to see the changes taking place because the pop culture is so strong and pervasive, but I am sensing a change in the winds! During the funeral of JPII a priest from the St. Paul Archdiocese was on EWTN, and he mentioned that they will be ordaining a large group of priests this year too. I think it was about 15 or 16.
**Cardinal Francis George ordained 16 men to the priesthood—the largest ordination class of any diocese in the U.S. **
What are they doing right in Chicago that other dioceses can duplicate?
Also note that there will be yet another ordination of a priest for the society of St John Cantius, for now only located within the Archdiocese of Chicago, as well.