Priests bow during the consecration at the opening Mass at SEEK25 in Salt Lake City on Jan. 1, 2025. / Credit: Kate Quiñones/CNA
CNA Staff, Feb 12, 2025 / 15:00 pm (CNA).
ThesmallMidwesterndioceseofWichita,Kansas,continuestoleadthenationinmanymetricsrelatedtopriestlyvocations,accordingtoanewreportfromVocationMinistry,aTexasnonprofitthatsupportsvocationsprogramsinparishesandschools.
Thereport,whichservesasanupdatetoamajor2023studyconductedbythesameministry,concludesthatsmaller,moreconnecteddiocesesseemtohaveanedgewhenitcomestofosteringlocalvocations.
“Thechallengesofpriestlyministry—whetherservingsmall,tight-knitcommunitiesorlarge,diverseparishes—highlighttheimportanceofintentionalengagement,pastoraladaptability,andresourceallocation,”thereportreads.
“Therichnessofimmigrantcommunities,thededicationofreligiousandexternpriests,andthecreativeenergyofpriestscommittedtoyouthministryallserveasremindersthattheChurchpossessesthetoolstomeetthesechallenges,”itsays.
“However,addressingtherealitiesofdeclini
