Posted on 05/21/2003 5:56:50 AM PDT by NYer
Only one new priest is joining the Archdiocese of Boston for every two who reach retirement age - even during the busiest ordination years, a Herald computer analysis of public church personnel records found. The data sheds new light on the severity of a trend that threatens to force the closing of some parishes and leave others without full-time pastors. The figures also may help to explain why some bishops tolerated abusive priests despite what should have been career-ending evidence of misconduct. ``It's very clear the church can't continue to maintain the kind of priestly staffing we've had,'' said the Rev. Christopher Coyne, an archdiocesan spokesman. ``We just don't have the numbers.'' The severity of the situation is underscored by comparing the class of men scheduled to be ordained Saturday at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross with the class of potential retirees the new priests should be replacing. Some 11 men - a large number by recent standards and cause of great celebration within church ranks - are set to join the priesthood. But as those new priests tackle their first assignments this year, 27 priests who remain from the ordination class of 1959 will hit the typical retirement age of 70. The bottom line: a net loss of 16 priests of traditional working ages. More than 100 diocesan priests listed as active will turn 70 over the next four years, the Herald found. Over the same time period, only 33 men are likely to be ordained for the archdiocese, Coyne said. Net loss over the next four years: at least 67 priests in the traditional working ages. ``The priesthood is absolutely graying,'' said David Yamane, an assistant professor of sociology at Notre Dame University. ``Even if the number of seminarians increases in the short run, it's not enough to make up for the vast number of priests who are aged.'' The median age for a priest in the archdiocese is 59 years old, according to church officials. The status of the priests who comprised the ordination class of 1953 provides a window into the grim realities diocesan planners face. Members of that class are at least 75 years old. Yet according to the Herald's analysis, 20 still serve actively. Moreover, another two dozen priests still in service were ordained even earlier and therefore are probably older. Although he delights in his work, the Rev. Peter T. Martocchio is feeling the pinch. If he's not saying Mass at St. Jerome's in North Weymouth, the 73-year-old might be at the altar at St. Ann's in Wollaston. On another day, perhaps St. Mary's in Milton. ``I'm like a circuit-rider,'' he said. ``Thank God I have my health.'' Working into his 70s was hardly what Martocchio says he expected upon entering seminary a half-century ago. But on the positive side, he now only does the kind of work he enjoys most - face-to-face contact with parishioners. The decline in the number of priests also means inevitable changes for the faithful. Responding to the shrinking supply of clergy, the Archdiocese of Boston's leaders may be forced to close some of its 362 parishes, said Coyne, the church spokesman. ``It's a matter of trying to put people where the need is,'' he said. In parts of the country, the shrinking ranks of priests are affecting the very nature of Catholic worship. In those areas, bishops have instituted what are called ``Word and Communion'' services in which lay people distribute previously consecrated bread. There's no consecration rite, which troubles some Catholics. Coyne, who in ad
A good sign in an especially troubled diocese like Boston.
A recent thread posted information from the Cincinnati diocese. Having featured prominently in "Goodbye Good Men," and having successfully engineered a complete collapse in the priesthood, the diocese finally stops sending out "happy talk" press releases and admits that the priesthood in the diocese is in a terminal state.
The reason for the change of policy? It is too late to reverse the trend. They have accomplished their purpose. Now they are moving on to stage 2: a program for "a new model of Church." This means clustering parishes and having lots of "lay pastoral administrators" with just a handful of priests to administer sacraments.
The first part of this program has already been launched in the rural area of the diocese. Nine priests have been assigned to 27 parishes, 1 priest for every 3 parishes. The rest of the diocese will soon be following suit. A Saul Alinsky-style program is underway to "gather views from the laity." This is code-speak for pretending to get consensus for a program that has already been decided upon.
Yes, this began a while back, here in Albany. For one year, we had a newly ordained priest to assist our new pastor. They were like Frick & Frack (actually more like Adam and Steve). After a year and half of on the job training, he was shipped up north to a cluster parish. He now serves 3 parishes.
Someone on another thread noted that in the not too distant past, it was not uncommon for catholics to have large families. This produced a steady stream of candidates to the priesthood. Thanks to planned parenthood, the women's liberation movement and similar "consciousness raising" groups, families have shriveled up in size. This has also contributed to the slump in vocations.
Personally, I trust that God is in control here and not the bishops or the VOTF. We will survive this storm. In the meantime, we need to pray for the Holy Father who is at the helm.
This is a very good point. Pope Pius XII in his "Address to Large Families" pointed out that large families are the cradles of vocations.
Seriously, the interim Bishop, Bishop Lennon was the head of the St. John's Seminary before stepping up to head the archdiocese between Cardinal Law and future Cardinal Bruskewiczlike. Anyhow, Bishop Lennon is a good and holy man and has cleaned up the seminary from what I have heard.
Priest shortage in Boston.... just like everywhere else. But, Boston it dotted with Catholic parishes everywhere you go. And, sad and tragic as it is, and as much as it kills me to say this, what, maybe 30% of Catholics attend Mass each week? So IMO, we don't need all those parishes. The saddest part of it is, the old parishes (which are most of what is here) are the most beautiful and it is a great loss to close them. But, I have to keep in mind that they are only empty buildings without the Blessed Sacrament in them. And it is wonderful to be able to walk around the city proper and environs and hit a Catholic Church every few blocks. I love that. But I am kidding myself when I think that Boston is still a "Catholic" city.
Too bad they can't move the beautiful old parishes out on a flatbed and replace the suburban parishes built in the late 50s/early 60s with the older ones. The word on the street is that up to 1/3 of our almost 400 Arch of Boston parishes will be closed soon. Lack of attendance as well as the priest shortage.
As an aside, I would NOT, in no uncertain terms, attend a parish manned by a pastoral overseer -- like the trend seems to be.
Absolutely. I was just saying this the other day to a room full of CATHOLICS who then looked at me like I had two heads (or at least looked at me in an odder way than they usually do).
HOWEVER.... I can only go by my own experience, so I will ;-) ... I wonder sometimes, just taking Boston as an example, if a lot of those priests were encouraged to be a priest by their moms, regardless of what the kid really wanted. Back then, they had a lot of those early seminaries for boys in HS - the entering freshman seminary class was sooo painfully young! I mean, look at the (large) list of names of abusing priests out of Boston. Mostly Irish names. Most from big families. Most had very devout mothers (I remember those days!) who were thrilled and honored and the envy of the neighborhood if Seamus went into the priesthood. Being of Irish descent, it was a HUGE thing if your son became a priest. Probably with the Italians, too. Remember that scene in "Saturday Night Fever" when the brother of John Travolta, who was a priest, told his mom he was leaving? She was devistated and wondered what she would tell her friends and the rest of the family. Something about that rings true.
A real weeding out.
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