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Facts and
figures about the ordination class of 2005
PRAISED BE JESUS
CHRIST!
(Now and Forever)
Every year about this time, the Secretariat for Vocations and Priestly
Formation of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops publishes
information about those who will be ordained to the priesthood in the
United States. It’s always an interesting read. This year, for example,
27 percent of those who are to be ordained were born outside the United
States. That is an increase from 2004, when 24 percent of those ordained
priests were born in a country other than our own. The four principal
countries of birth are Vietnam, Mexico, the Philippines and Poland.
Since 1985, I have ordained 31 men priests. Three belong to religious
communities. The rest were ordained for this Local Church. On June 4,
God willing, it will be my privilege to ordain Christopher J. Weldon and
Jeffrey D. Martin to the priesthood. On that occasion, Josh M. Janko and
Eric C. Underwood will be ordained transitory deacons. It will be a
great moment.
We presently have 14 men preparing for the priesthood in five different
seminaries: Mt. St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md.; The Pontifical
College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio; Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St.
Louis; Blessed John XXIII National Seminary in Boston; and the
Pontifical North American College in Rome. Both Jeff Martin and Jack
Weldon are featured among the 286 men who participated in the ordination
class of 2005 survey. I’ve noted that the average age of the men being
ordained this year is 37 years. Six percent of the ordinands of 2005 are
converts. On average, these ordinands converted to Catholicism at 22.2
years of age.
The Archdiocese of Chicago will have the largest ordination class with
16. The Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis comes in second with 15 to
be ordained priests.
A total of 53 percent of the ordinands attended Catholic elementary
school; 40 percent attended Catholic high school. Involvement in parish
ministries seems to lead to awareness of a call to the priesthood: 59
percent were Eucharistic ministers, 76 percent were altar servers, 60
percent were Mass readers, 53 percent attended retreats. Twenty-seven
percent of this year’s ordination class participated in a World Youth
Day.
To be ordained a priest, a man must engage in a challenging program of
priestly formation whose length and years depends upon his background
and the seminary he attends. Six years is normative for college
graduates. There are two levels: college or pre-theology and theology.
In addition to the academic course work, seminarians participate in a
full schedule of spiritual activities such as daily Mass, Liturgy of the
Hours, spiritual direction and retreats. At each level of seminary
training, the seminarian prepares for future pastoral ministry in
various settings, such as schools, religious education programs,
hospitals and parishes.
Under the title: “People would be surprised to know that I …,”
the ordinands shared these snippets:
• attended the United States Naval Academy;
• did not really think about priesthood until college;
• had my pilot’s license;
• was asked by my parish priest if I had ever thought about being a
priest. I remember laughing at the thought and said that will never
happen. I forgot about the whole incident and it wasn’t until three
years later that I remembered what I had said;
• left a financially rewarding career to become a Catholic priest;
• never thought of becoming a priest until I was 25;
• played blue grass guitar, banjo and fiddle;
• practiced law for eight years before entering the seminary to follow
God’s call to become a priest;
• received the confirmation of my vocation during the World Youth Day in
Paris. I had been working actively in the parish and yet I was afraid of
making the decision to enter the seminary. But, through prayer and
meditation, I asked God to let me know what I should do, whether to go
for medicine, which was my major as a pre-med student, or to go for his
priesthood. Thanks to his kind and merciful love, he gave me that sign;
• owned and ran a business. In many people’s eyes I was materially very
successful. I could take weeks or a month off at a time to recreate by
taking fishing, hunting and ski trips to exotic places. I had a home on
the beach in California, as well as one by the city lakes in
Minneapolis. I had a good portfolio of investments in the stock and real
estate market. However, my life was very empty because the focus of my
happiness and success was on myself. I have given this up to follow
Christ and have never been happier or more peace-filled.
• sold vacuum cleaners;
• used to work for the National Hockey League;
• was a promoter for Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus;
• was a truck driver;
• was a university professor before I entered the seminary;
• was in charge of the government’s counter terrorism training program
for analysts;
• worked for nine years in a federal prison;
• was on track to have a career in classical music.
These snippets reinforce for me that God calls whom he wishes regardless
of their background or business experience. Some who respond to God’s
call have been skilled laborers and others unskilled. Others have been
in sales. Still others in the field of education. The ordination class
of 2005 includes former managers, banking executives, engineers, bank
tellers and attorneys. Others had no full-time work experience, having
decided to enter the seminary during their college years.
During the ceremony of ordination, each candidate will prostrate himself
on the floor of a cathedral as the Litany of the Saints is prayed over
him. The prostration symbolizes the man’s unworthiness for the office to
be assumed and his dependence upon God and the prayers of the Christian
community.
Pray that those whom God is calling to the priesthood of our Local
Church will hear the call and say “yes.” |
