By: Brett Rauzi, Seminarian St. Pius X

You may well have heard it in the last several years: there is a priest shortage, and the number of men stepping forward to become priests in the Catholic Church is low. I must admit that before I came to the Seminary here at Loras last year, I also thought that seminaries across the country were experiencing depleted numbers, and that vocations were experiencing a “slump.” Actually, nothing could be further from the truth. 

 It is happening globally; more and more men are entering seminaries, or joining religious orders. According to CARA (Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate), the number of graduate level seminarians in 1995 was 54,145. Contrary to the thought that there is a nationwide slump, CARA states that the number of graduate level seminarians nationwide as of last year was 58,960 – meaning that the number has increased by over 4,000 in the last 15 years. So what do these statistics show us? 

On their own, they simply show us that numerically, the nation is actually experiencing an increase in the number of seminarians. But there is so much beyond pure statistics that is contributing to the vocations increase that we are currently experiencing. 

It has a lot to do with the type of young men that are coming forward today, to answer Christ’s call to follow them. 

My brother seminarians here at Loras are some of the finest men I have ever associated with, and I am always humbled to be counted among their number. This is happening all over the country; seminaries are being filled with quality young men who will serve their Church in extraordinary ways in the future. Over the summer, I spent some time with seminarians from the Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska. 

It was then that I realized that the positive energy of the group here at Loras, and the passion for actively seeking God’s will in our lives, in not isolated to Loras. There is so much to be excited about as far as vocations are concerned in the Church. 

 Now is a great time to be a seminarian. The men who are filling the seminaries across the country are your future priests, and I can personally say that they are going to provide great service to our Church. 

Men are continuing to step forward, answering God’s call to follow him. Fr. David Schatz, Director of Vocations Awareness for the Archdiocese of Dubuque, states, “Interest in the priesthood is increasing each day. At vocations events, we have had the largest number of participants in years.” So you may hear people talking about a “vocation slump”, or saying that “it seems like no one wants to be a priest anymore.” Take heart, for this could not be further from the truth. 

Many young men are stepping forward each day, answering God’s call to follow Him and become fishers of men, and they are coming to a parish near you.