Typical new priest: 31-year-old who prays Rosary, takes part in adoration

April 26, 2011

The typical member of the ordination class of 2011 is a 31-year cradle Catholic who prayed the Rosary and took part in Eucharistic adoration before entering seminary, according to a survey of 329 of the 480 men slated to be ordained to the priesthood in the United States this year. The survey was conducted by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate.

Among the survey’s findings:

the median age of ordinands is 31; the mean age, 34

for diocesan ordinands, the mean age is 30; for religious ordinands, it is 36

the typical diocesan ordinand has lived in his diocese for 15 years

69% are white, 15% are Latino, 10% are Asian, and 5% are African-American

33% were foreign born, with the typical foreign-born ordinand entering the US in 1998 at age 25; the most typical countries of origin were Colombia, Mexico, the Philippines, Poland, and Vietnam

52% of religious ordinands are foreign-born

8% are converts, with the typical convert entering the Church at age 25

60% had completed college before entering the seminary

47% attended a Catholic elementary school, 39% attended a Catholic high school, and 39% attended a Catholic college; 4% were homeschooled

34% have a relative who was a priest or religious



in 82% of cases, both parents were Catholic

37% have four or more siblings; 16% have three siblings

94% had a full-time job before entering the seminary

8% served in the military, and 19% had a parent with a career in the military

66% were encouraged by a parish priest to consider a vocation; 42% were encouraged by their mother, and 27% by their father

52% were discouraged by a parent from considering a vocation; 20% were discouraged by a priest, and 8% were discouraged by a religious

ordinands typically first began to consider the priesthood at 16

48% took part in a parish youth group, 30% participated in Boy Scouts, and 23% participated in the Knights of Columbus before entering the seminary

21% attended World Youth Day, and 8% attended a Franciscan University of Steubenville high school youth conference

71% served as altar servers, and 55% served as readers at Mass

70% prayed the Rosary and 65% took part in Eucharistic adoration before entering the seminary

 

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Further information:

• New Priests Younger, Influenced by Parish Priests, Catholic Education, Service as Altar Boys, Social, Church Environment (USCCB)
• New Priest Class Boasts Variety of Religious, Ethnic Backgrounds (USCCB)
• The Class of 2011: Survey of Ordinands to the Priesthood (USCCB)