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Vocation-rich diocese shutters 5 churches
October 12, 2009
Citing a priest shortage, one of the most vocation-rich dioceses in the nation has suspended Masses at four parishes and a mission. Under the leadership of Bishop John Myers-- now Archbishop of Newark-- and Bishop Daniel Jenky, CSC, the number of diocesan priests in the Diocese of Peoria grew from 210 in 1990 to 229 in 2007, even as the number of religious-order priests serving in the diocese declined.
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Further information:
- Parish suspensions hit hard in LaSalle area (Peoria Journal-Star)
- Priestly Vocations in America: A Look At the Numbers (Catholic World Report)
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Posted by: FredC -
Oct. 13, 2009 5:43 PM ET USA
Responding to Antonius86, I probably would have left the Church if I had not had high-school and college courses in apologetics. I need reasons to believe. For many years, in the parishes to which I belonged, apologetics was not taught. In addition, Catholic youth are not taught enough philosophy to combat the relativism taught in college.
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Posted by: Antonius86 -
Oct. 12, 2009 9:33 PM ET USA
In the end, churches close because there are too few parishioners, not so much because of the priests. We blame a vocational crisis when really we should be asking, "Why have all these people left the Church? Why don't my kids stay?" We could answer these questions if we also asked ourselves "Why do I bother staying?" If I go to Mass, say the Rosary, and pray the Hours every day, but I can't communicate the existential need for my friends and family to do the same, something is wrong.
