Bishop Conley was one of 10 bishops from Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico and Wyoming who had an audience with Pope Benedict as part of their five-day ad limina pilgrimage to Rome, which concludes today.
He explained to the Pope that there is now a year-on-year increase in the numbers of young men opting for the priesthood across many U.S. dioceses.
“I told him that in the Archdiocese of Denver both of our seminaries, St. John Vianney Theological Seminary and Redeptoris Mater Neocatechumenal Seminary, are full,” the bishop added.
“In fact, we have more applicants than we have space, so, for the first time in many years, we have to create a waiting list, which is a good problem to have.”
The most recent statistics show a similar story across the United States. Last year the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University estimated that the 2011 seminary intake was up 4% on the previous year and had reached its highest figure in 20 years. Meanwhile, Rome’s North American College is full to its 250 capacity for the first time in decades.
Just a little something to remember the next time you hear about the "shortage of priests." Read the full story here.
He explained to the Pope that there is now a year-on-year increase in the numbers of young men opting for the priesthood across many U.S. dioceses.
“I told him that in the Archdiocese of Denver both of our seminaries, St. John Vianney Theological Seminary and Redeptoris Mater Neocatechumenal Seminary, are full,” the bishop added.
“In fact, we have more applicants than we have space, so, for the first time in many years, we have to create a waiting list, which is a good problem to have.”
The most recent statistics show a similar story across the United States. Last year the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University estimated that the 2011 seminary intake was up 4% on the previous year and had reached its highest figure in 20 years. Meanwhile, Rome’s North American College is full to its 250 capacity for the first time in decades.
Just a little something to remember the next time you hear about the "shortage of priests." Read the full story here.
:-) Nice point!
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