Have you seen the report?!?! The latest CARA study of the Priestly Ordination Class of 2017 is out! Read it all HERE.

Here are some highlights:

Largest Diocesan Ordination Classes: Paterson, NJ (13 men), St. Paul and Minneapolis (11), and Wichita (10).

Religious Ordinations: the Jesuits (27 men), Dominicans (12), and Capuchin Franciscans (8)

• 70% of ordinands are white, 14% are Latino, 10% are Asian, and 4% are black
• 7% are converts, with the average age of reception into the Church being 21
• 35% have a relative who was a priest or religious
• in 80% of cases, both parents were Catholic
• 69% prayed the Rosary, and 77% regularly participated in Eucharistic adoration, before entering the seminary
• Ordinands typically first began to consider the priesthood at 16
• 70% were encouraged by a parish priest to consider a vocation; 45% were encouraged by a friend, 44% by a parishioner, 40% by their mother, and 32% by their father. The average ordinand received encouragement from four people.
• 7% were discouraged by a priest from considering a vocation; 11% were discouraged by their fathers, 13% by their mothers, and 23% by other family members
• Ordinands, on average, have three siblings, with only 4% being only children
• 42% are the oldest children in their families; 23% are the youngest
• 43% had earned their undergraduate degree before entering seminary, and 16% had earned a graduate degree
• 57% worked full time before entering seminary
• 48% took part in a parish youth group, 31% took part in Boy Scouts, and 23% took part in the Knights of Columbus or Knights of St. Peter Claver
• 15% took part in a World Youth Day, and 13% took part in a Franciscan University of Steubenville summer conference
• 75% had served as altar servers, 52% as readers, and 43% as extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion before entering seminary

Let us pray for the newly ordained that they may have fervor and zeal for Jesus Christ! St. Junípero Serra, pray for these men!

Remember that envelope of pamphlets and prayer cards you received at the workshop? Have you ordered any yet? Here is a perfect opportunity to have your church book rack full of vocation resources.

Vianney Vocations’ new Vocation Starter Pack takes the stress out of deciding which materials to pick.

You have four options, depending on your parish size, budget, and if you need Spanish resources. It includes my favorite prayer materials, too! Check them out and spread the word!