A University of Notre Dame researcher spoke to more than 25 U.S. bishops about the state of Catholic life in America and found that Pope Francis is not inspiring men to consider the priesthood and join seminary.
“When pressed, none of the bishops I queried could report a single diocesan seminarian inspired to pursue priestly life by the current pope,” Francis Maier wrote in an article for First Things that described his initial findings. Maier is a “senior research associate” at the Catholic university and conducted the research as part of the Constitutional Studies program.
Though “[m]any praised [Pope Francis’] efforts” to reform the Vatican to better support the work of bishops, none of the bishops could point to a young man who had been inspired to consider the priesthood by Pope Francis. There are about 200 U.S. bishops so Maier’s research includes about 12 percent of all U.S. bishops.
Since Pope Francis’ election in 2014, numerous commentators have raised the idea of a “Francis Effect” — the idea that the new pope would inspire people to return to the Catholic Church and renew the Catholic community.
Full story at The College Fix.
Shouldn’t the opposite question be asked? How many men have been discouraged to pursue priestly life by the current pope?
That’s the true Francis effect.
I’m not surprised. It’s hard enough to remain a hopeful Catholic with Francis as pope, much less wanting to make the sacrifices to be a priest while he’s the pope.
I am a traditional Catholic and I have no problem remaining hopeful with Pope Francis. If you pray over it, you will see how he is the perfect follower to Pope St. John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI.
No one ever used to decide to be a priest because of who is Pope. St. John Paul II was inspirational but the priesthood is a calling.
Masculine men are badly needed in the Catholic clergy. Effeminate men are drawn to the brotherhood of today. (All good priests excepted!) You don’t believe me? Well, this old adage stands true: “Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. Weak men create hard times”.
Some expected a “Francis effect” would increase Mass attendance. But, that did not materialize.
(Mass attendance among Catholics has been in decline since 1955. There was a slight percentage increase near the end of JPII’s time and the beginning of Benedict XVI’s papacy.)
And, SO is right that the Church needs men, who understand their manhood and fatherhood, to respond to the call to the priesthood, diaconate and brotherhood (as well as, of course, marriage). Masculinity is not toxic anymore than femininity is.
I know priests who describe themselves as “JPII priests.” I’ve never met a priest or seminarian who credited his vocation to our current Pope, though, with eight years of papacy, you’d think they’d be at least a few and some in seminary (if such priests are coming).
Just more evidence that liberalism won’t attract people to the church.
Throughout the centuries, people have always flocked by the millions, to those rare and gifted holy men and women who were Saints, embodying all that Christ taught. Conversions and vocations boomed, new churches and schools were built, you couldn’t keep people away from the church doors. Christ’s true teachings are beautiful, but hard– yet, to see them embodied in a Saint, is totally irresistible. Millions will follow, and lay down their lives for Him! Our Church leaders of today, many of whom are not very holy, fail to understand this.
so what do we do about it?
Be a saint.
Seems like this”researcher” would have asked seminarians instead of the bishop they have very little contact with.
Seems like bishops should know their seminarians
It’s not just Francis. Look at the pathetic statement issued today by San Jose Bishop Cantu. “Statement in Support of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.” So that’s Cantu’s priority? Issuing woke statements to virtue signal?
Anonymous, it is a Christian duty of clerics to always publicly support the disadvantaged, marginalized, and persecuted. All Christians everywhere must stand firmly for brotherly love for all peoples, and firmly denounce racism. This hS nothing to do with the secular world and its fads and trends. Since COVID-19 began, there has been a wave of ignorant Asian racist violence, all across our Nation. Especially, poor, helpless, elderly Asians have been targeted by Satanic criminals. This must end ASAP!! And Christian leaders and laymen of all denominations must lead the way!