While a recent study by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) revealed nationwide the largest ordination class this year since 2015, another study by Vocation Ministry showed a nationwide 24 percent decline in priestly ordinations, a 9 percent decline in active diocesan priests and a 14 percent decline in religious priests (priests belonging to a religious order, such as the Capuchins) nationwide between 2014 and 2021. A trend such as this isn’t the most positive news for the Church today.

While we enjoy the blessings of this new priest, the Diocese of Saginaw faces some serious challenges in looking ahead. Allow me to share some statistics that will reveal the challenges we face and that should encourage us to be praying for vocations to the priesthood in an intentional way.

The diocese’s previous priestly ordination was two years ago. The next one will potentially be two years from now. We have five priests retiring this year from full-time active ministry, four of them pastors. Three priests retired last year.

We have only 14 priests under the age of 50. More than half of our priests are of retirement age and older; 75 percent of those are still involved in priestly ministry on a regular basis in order to meet the sacramental needs of our parishes in the diocese. While I am deeply grateful for the efforts and sacrifices my brother priests are willing to make, this type of ministry is simply unsustainable long-term. Imagine if some of these priests went into a more permanent retirement for any reason.

We recently welcomed two priests from the Archdiocese of Hyderabad, India, with the possibility of two or three additional priests from the same diocese. However, it takes some time before these priests are enculturated into the Diocese and are ready to assume pastoral ministry in a parish by themselves. We currently have two seminarians with the potential of two additional men entering the seminary in August.

This provides a snapshot of the vocation crisis in the Diocese of Saginaw today. While this looks a bit dismal, if all of us play our part in the ministry of vocations, our current situation can be turned around. But we also must realize that the road a man takes to be ordained a priest takes time.

We have critical work to do. “The harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest” (Matt 9:37-38). The priesthood is essential for the sacramental life of the Church. Without the priesthood, there would be no Eucharist, no Mass and no one to hear our confessions, reconciling us sinners with our Father.

We live in a radically secularized society where things of God and the practice of faith continue to diminish year after year. Religion today is held in little esteem and becoming less relevant. Yet, just as God is calling couples to the vocation of marriage, the Lord is still calling men to the priesthood and men and women to consecrated life.

Vocation work is the ministry of all the baptized. I am asking that you take your role in the work of vocations seriously. Families and local parish communities are the seedbeds for priestly and religious vocations. They are in your families and parish communities. The Lord has created each of us for some definite purpose. God has not abandoned his Church and will certainly not leave us in this time of need. But we must all play our role in this work of the Church.

There are no shortages of vocations to the priesthood. The only shortage is that of vocational discernment. Many young men are struggling to discern and respond to this call. All of us must help them to do so by our encouragement and prayer. This is precisely why families and parish communities must be engaged in the work of vocations. We must all be “vocation recruiters.” Priestly vocations must be called forth from and supported in your parish communities.

What can you do? I encourage you to make praying for vocations a priority in your life, personally and communally. Join me for the Holy Hours for Vocations in a parish near you. Have a regular Holy Hour for Vocations in your own parish. Include prayers for vocations in your weekly liturgies. Create a Vocation Committee in your parish whose work is to encourage and raise vocation awareness. Plant the vocational seeds in their mind and heart by personally inviting young men whom you believe have the qualities to be a good priest to consider and pray about the priesthood.

There is much at stake! Yes, it is a big ship to turn around. But we live in hopeful expectation that what we ask for in faith, the Lord will provide in love. Together, may all of us in the Diocese of Saginaw, joyfully accept the grace and responsibility of playing our part in this important vocation ministry.