A summary of an article by The Pillar
A recent study on priestly vocations in the United States reveals that smaller dioceses consistently outperform larger ones in sustaining clergy numbers. Published in 2025 by Vocation Ministry, the study analyzed a decade of ordinations and seminarian numbers across U.S. Latin Catholic dioceses. The findings indicate that dioceses with fewer Catholics per priest foster more vocations, while larger dioceses struggle to maintain clergy levels.
Challenges in Maintaining Clergy Levels
The study examined nearly 150 dioceses and found that only 16 ordained enough priests over the past decade to sustain or grow their numbers. Notably, no diocese serving over 750,000 Catholics met this threshold. This raises concerns that merging smaller dioceses to streamline resources could inadvertently hinder vocations by creating larger dioceses where priests serve even greater congregations, exacerbating the shortage.
Dioceses with Strong Vocations
The study ranked dioceses based on the percentage of ordinations needed to replace retiring or departing priests. A score of 100% indicated sustainability. The top-performing dioceses exceeded this rate:
• Wichita, Kansas: 255%
• Nashville, Tennessee: 170%
• Springfield, Illinois: 160%
• Kansas City-St. Joseph, Missouri: 150%
• Little Rock, Arkansas: 143%
• Lincoln, Nebraska: 140%
These mid-sized and smaller dioceses are successfully attracting and ordaining new priests at a rate that surpasses attrition.
Struggling Dioceses: The Impact of Large Congregations
Conversely, the study identified several large dioceses where ordinations have not kept pace with the replacement rate. Many serve over 750,000 Catholics and have significantly lower ordination percentages:
• New York, New York: 23%
• Phoenix, Arizona: 23%
• San Diego, California: 24%
• Brownsville, Texas: 24%
• Sacramento, California: 24%
Smaller dioceses like Beaumont, Texas (15%), and Amarillo, Texas (20%), also struggled. Mid-sized dioceses such as Lubbock, Texas (25%), and Portland, Maine (27%), faced similar challenges.
Seminarian Numbers and Future Trends
The study also measured the number of seminarians each diocese had over the past decade. Wichita again led with 195% of the seminarians needed to maintain its priestly population. Other strong seminarian numbers were recorded in:
• Nashville, Tennessee: 111%
• Lincoln, Nebraska: 107%
• Kansas City-St. Joseph, Missouri: 106%
• Grand Rapids, Michigan: 104%
Among dioceses serving over 750,000 Catholics, Dallas led with 69%, followed by Philadelphia (57%), Newark (55%), and Atlanta (52%).
Factors Influencing Vocations
The study highlighted key factors affecting vocations:
• Priest-to-Catholic Ratio: Ordination rates decline when a diocesan priest serves more than 1,800 Catholics. Smaller, community-focused dioceses foster more vocations due to stronger priest-parishioner relationships.
• Priestly Accessibility: In larger dioceses, priests often serve multiple parishes, reducing personal outreach and spiritual mentorship crucial for fostering vocations.
• Decline in Catholic Marriages: Catholic marriages in U.S. dioceses have declined by about 25% over the past decade, which could negatively impact future vocations.
Addressing the Vocation Crisis
The study found that 40% of seminarians leave before completing their formation, making retention crucial even for dioceses with strong seminarian numbers. The report recommended:
• Emphasizing personal mentorship and youth programs.
• Reducing administrative burdens on priests to allow for better connections with potential candidates.
• Strengthening vocational support to ensure all religious callings—priesthood, religious life, and marriage—flourish.
The findings suggest that simply merging smaller dioceses is not the best solution. Instead, fostering close-knit communities and ensuring priests have the time and resources to mentor young men could help reverse the downward trend in vocations across the U.S. Catholic Church.
Father Jarrod Lies, Pastor
To read the full original article: www.pillarcatholic.com/small-is-beautiful-suggests-diocesan