The Daisy Movement (Adopt A Priest Program)

U.S. Ordinands Show a Seasoned Profile

30% Had Graduate Degrees Before Entering Seminary

WASHINGTON, D.C., MAY 2, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Almost 80% of the men
scheduled for priestly ordination this year in the United States
completed a college degree before entering the seminary and 30% had
attained a graduate degree.

The average age of the Class of 2006 is 37, with 22% under age 30, and
4% over 60. Almost a third of the men were born outside the country.

The data were gathered by the U.S. bishops' Secretariat for Vocations
and analyzed by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate, the
Church research group based at Georgetown University.

Responses to the survey were submitted by 233 seminarians from 98 of the
195 dioceses and 24 of the more than 200 religious orders of men in the
United States. The data on this year's ordination class was released by
the vocations secretariat as part of an annual report.

A separate survey response was submitted by 144 diocesan vocations
directors and heads of 44 religious orders who estimated 359 potential
ordinands. Given that about 25% of the dioceses and 90% of the religious
orders did not respond to the survey it appears that the number of
ordinands remains steady.

According to the Official Catholic Directory, the number ordained last
year was 438. In 2004, it was 454; in 2003, 472. Numbers for 2006 will
not be available until next year.

Newark No. 1

The largest diocesan class was in Newark, where 18 men are scheduled for
ordination.

The next largest was the Archdiocese of Washington, with 12 ordinands;
Archdiocese of Denver, 11 ordinands; and the Diocese of Rockford,
Illinois, 10 ordinands. In Salt Lake City, Utah, where Catholics make up
8% of the population, there are four ordinands.

Findings from the survey also indicated:

-- The percentage of ordinands who are Asian (13%) is higher than the
U.S. Catholic Asian population overall (2%). The percentage of Hispanics
(12%) is lower than U.S. Catholic Hispanic population (28%).

-- Of ordinands born outside the United States, the largest percentages
came from Vietnam (5%), Mexico (5%) and the Philippines (3%). Fully 70%
of all the ordinands were born in the United States.

-- The percentage of foreign-born ordinands increased from 24% in 1998,
to 30% in 2006.

-- About 75% of the ordinands reported having full-time work experience
before entering the seminary, most often in education.

-- Almost 10% had served in the U.S. Armed Forces, more than a third of
them in the Navy.

-- Six percent of the ordinands are converts to Catholicism.

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Permission by Zenit to distribute to Assisi-L

Dan Frezza (dan@frezza.org), list owner of ASSISI-L@listserv.nd.edu, 2 May 2006.