| BishopAccountability.org | ||
| Peter Borre', Co-Chair, Council of Parishes By Peter Borre April 16, 2008 http://news.google.com/news?btcid=df11e2caa362ace8 The New York Times ran an article last Sunday, April 13, quoting me on the issue of the shortage of clergy in Catholic America; TIME magazine picked this up yesterday and has posted it on its webpage in the "Quotes of the Day" section. To deal concisely with a very difficult topic, Catholic America is in the initial phases of a "tipping point" crisis: - One-third of adult Catholics have left the faith in which they were raised (The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, March report); these 23 million Americans would constitute the second largest religious denomination in the U.S. today (behind practicing Catholics); - The Catholic seminaries are emptying out; this fall in the seminary of the Archdiocese of New York, there is not a single entering seminarian, for the first time in its 108 year history; - The American bishops are well into a massive parish closing program nationwide, with downsizing underway in at least 40 dioceses across 14 states, involving over 800 parishes; many more will come on to the closing lists over the next few years |
||
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution. | ||