Significant increase in vocations and ordinations in England and Wales

As we prepare to celebrate Vocations Sunday and the 50th annual day of prayer for vocations tomorrow (April 21st, 2013), figures released in the past few days record a significant increase in entrants to religious life in England and Wales. The statistics also note that ordinations to the priesthood are at a ten year high.

The analysis of these welcome and surprising data demonstrates that the number of men and women entering religious life in our neighbouring countries show an increase for the third year running. Ordinations to diocesan priesthood projected for 2013 will be almost double that of 2011 (20 ordained in 2011 and 41 expected ordinations in 2013).

If these numbers of new entrants to religious life and the ordinations are a barometer of the health of the Catholic church in England and Wales, then it would appear to be in a very good state indeed.

You might ask about statistics for entrants and ordinations in Ireland. The sad fact is that there are no numbers available. For the numbers of entrants to the national seminary in Maynooth, we have to rely on unreliable figures from the seminary itself. If we need any data regarding the numbers entering religious life over the past few year, there are no statistics that can be published because religious orders tend not to furnish the most basic information to Vocations Ireland - the organisation responsible for promoting vocations to religious life in Ireland. We clearly need to creep out of the dark ages and become professional in our approach to this.

Statistics for entrants to religious orders in England and Wales:  http://ukvocation.org/files/PDFs/religiousstats.pdf

Data for entrances to seminaries in England and Wales: http://ukvocation.org/files/PDFs/seminaryentrants.pdf.pdf

Numbers of ordinations in England and Wales: http://ukvocation.org/files/PDFs/diocesan_ordinations.pdf.pdf

Vocations in England and Wales are on the increase....

Some good news emerged last week from the annual conference of diocesan vocations directors of England and Wales with the news that September 2010 saw the numbers entering English seminaries to become Catholic priests at their highest level in a decade.
 
56 men began the journey towards priesthood this year.  “The number of people responding to the call of Christ to be priests and religious has been rising slowly but surely,” said Fr Stephen Lanrgidge, Chairman of the Vocations Directors of England and Wales, “and may rise further as people respond to the visit of Pope Benedict.”

At their annual conference held last week at Oscott seminary in Birmingham, the Vocations Directors discussed the approaches to vocations work that have contributed to this increase.  Many dioceses and religious orders now run discernment groups for young men and women where all vocations are discussed.  Such groups encourage lay, religious and priestly vocations.


Fr Christopher Jamison OSB, Director of the National Office of Vocation, commented, “When everybody in the Church takes seriously Newman’s insight that ‘God has created me to do him some definite service,’ then a greater number discover their call to the priesthood and religious life.”

Vocations directors also discussed new ways to promote this culture of vocation.  Invocation was a festival held in Birmingham in July 2010 for Catholics aged 16-35 who are discerning their vocation and some 300 young people attended.  This was so popular that it is being held again next year from June 17 to 19.
Schools are now being provided with high quality on-line materials and youth ministers are developing new approaches to bringing the gospel to life for the young. 

Attending events such as World Youth Day is an important experience that opens the eyes of many people to the richness of life in the Church and plans for English and Welsh participation are well developed.