More men preparing for ordination

Glenmary Cris Odongo is ordained by Bishop William Medley of the Diocese of Owensboro, Ky.

A new study of U.S. men being ordained to the priesthood in 2015 identified more men eligible for priestly ordination this year than in the recent past.

The total number of men identified by seminary rectors, vicars for clergy, and major superiors as prospective ordinands for the class of 2015 is 595. This number is up from 477 potential ordinands identified by the same study in 2014 and 497 in 2013.

Men ordained to the priesthood in the U.S. in 2015 reported that they were, on average, about 17 years old when they first considered a vocation to the priesthood and were encouraged to consider a vocation by an average of four people. Of those preparing to be ordained, 37 percent have a relative who is a priest or member of a religious order. Seven in 10 of the new ordinands (71 percent) say they were encouraged by a parish priest, as well as friends (46 percent), parishioners (45 percent), and mothers (40 percent).

On average, they lived in the diocese or eparchy for which they will be ordained for 15 years before entering seminary. Religious community ordinands knew the members of their religious institute an average of six years before entering. A full report of the study—conducted by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate—is at usccb.org.