Most of these numbers are bogus in one sense. It doesn’t really matter how few priests America produces. We will simply get priests from somewhere else. That used to be the case anyway. Some diocese have more vocations than they know what to do with. Lincoln comes to mind immediately.
Bad bishops are being replaced - finally! Most of the new priests are orthodox and excellent. Catholic publishing is rebounding after three decades of inertia. Catholic media - especially radio and online - is taking off. Catholic TV is doing well and growing.
I know many anti-Catholics like to feel vindicated when they read about dying religious orders, or the shuttering of parishes, but the Church is NOT shrinking or dying. What is clear is that we are at the beginning of a new wave of conversions, ordinations and expansions. The problem is that new wave will only be accomplished after much pain and re-adjustment.
“Bad bishops are being replaced - finally!”
This is the root of the problem and my biggest concern. We can count the number of good bishops in the USA on about one hand, so I’m curious how you see the situation improving? Do you mean that Pope Benedict is appointing orthodox bishops to replace the liberal and homosexual ones who are gradually reaching retirement age?
And how can we recover from disasters like Mahony, Brown, Skylstad, etc, who have possibly sent millions of people on the path of ignorance or heresy, who will now be rearing their children with these same errors?