Typical new US priest: 33-year-old cradle Catholic devoted to Rosary, Eucharistic adoration

April 20, 2026

The typical member of the priestly ordination class of 2026 is a 33-year-old cradle Catholic, according to a newly released survey of 334 of the 428 men slated to be ordained to the priesthood in the United States this year. The survey was conducted for the Secretariat of Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate and posted on the USCCB’s website.

The typical ordinand regularly took part in Eucharistic adoration and prayed the Rosary before entering seminary, according to the survey.

81% of the men were preparing for the diocesan priesthood. 35% of the men attended seminaries in the Midwest, 28% in the Northeast, 19% in the South, 14% in the West, and 5% abroad.

26% of the ordinands are foreign born, with the most typical foreign countries of birth being Vietnam (5%), Mexico (3%), and Colombia (2%). On average, these foreign-born seminarians have lived in the United States for 14 years and arrived in the US at the age of 22.

A disproportionately high percentage of ordinands attended a Catholic elementary school (45%), Catholic high school (38%), or Catholic college (34%). In addition, a disproportionately high percentage were home schooled: 11% were home schooled, typically for nine years, at a time when 3% of children in the United States were educated at home.

Among the survey’s findings:

• the typical diocesan ordinand lived in his diocese for 16 years before entering seminary
• the typical religious ordinand knew members of his religious institute for five years before entering seminary
• 62% of ordinands are white, 17% are Hispanic, 11% are Asian-American, and 5% are black
• 7% are converts, with the average age of reception into the Church being 20
• 28% have a relative who was a priest or religious
• 86% of the time, both parents were Catholic when the ordinand was a child
• 88% of the time, the ordinand, during the most formative childhood years, were raised by a married couple living together; 97% were raised by both biological parents, 11% say they were also raised by grandparents
• 4% have served in the US Armed Forces; 12% had a parent with a military career
• 79% regularly prayed the Rosary, and 81% regularly participated in Eucharistic adoration, before entering the seminary
• ordinands typically first began to consider the priesthood at 16
• 92% were encouraged by a parish priest to consider a vocation; 49% were encouraged by a friend, 46% by their mother, and 44% by a parishioner
• 41% were discouraged by someone from considering a priestly vocation. 3% were discouraged by a priest or other clergy; 12% were discouraged by their fathers, 12% by their mothers, 22% by other family members, and 17% by a friend
• ordinands, on average, have three siblings; 10% have five or more siblings, and 4% have no siblings
• 29% are the oldest children in their families; 29% are the youngest
• 61% had earned at least an undergraduate degree before entering seminary
• 21% had educational debt when entering seminary; the average amount was $33,206
• 64% took part in a parish youth group, 31% in Catholic campus ministry, 29% in the Knights of Columbus or Knights of St. Peter Claver, 27% in a parish young adult group, 31% in Boy Scouts, and 15% in a pro-life group
• 9% took part in the charismatic renewal, 8% in the St. Vincent de Paul Society, and 5% in Cursillo
• 18% took part in a Franciscan University of Steubenville high school youth conference, 15% in a FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) SEEK conference,11% in a World Youth Day, and 9% in a National Catholic Youth Conference
• 79% had served as altar servers, 49% as readers, 35% as extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, and 32% as catechists before entering seminary
• 53% participated in a “Come and See” weekend before entering seminary

At least 36% of dioceses will not have a newly ordained priest this year.

 

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Further information:

• The Class of 2026: Survey of Ordinands to the Priesthood (Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate, April 2026)