4. Ordained Priesthood Shortage

During the past several decades, the Catholic Church has been grappling with decreasing numbers of ordained priests who are available to serve the local church. The Archdiocese of Louisville has been experiencing a decline in the number of ordained priests and seminarians since the mid-1970s. The total number of diocesan priests, active and retired, decreased from a high of 278 in 1970 to 255 in 1980, 218 in 1990, 180 in 2000, and 161 in 2006. Our clergy, following national trends, has aged during the past twenty-five years, and if current trends and attitudes continue, the movement toward a smaller number of clergy and a higher average age will continue. In addition, the post-Vatican II parish is complex in structure and more is expected of priests than in the past. The proliferation of parish programs and services and the growth of parish staff call for a new (and more demanding) style of leadership.

The questions that need to be addressed are: How can we best use the gifts and abilities of ordained priests in their service to the local church? What are the best practices for attracting men to the priesthood, and what new approaches should be utilized to encourage vocations? Though this fourth factor—declining numbers of ordained priests—captures our attention urgently at this time in history, all of these factors have and will continue to be essential components of planning.