This small diocese is leading the country in vocations to the priesthood

CNA Staff, Feb 12, 2025 / 15:00 pm (CNA).

The small Midwestern diocese of Wichita, Kansas, continues to lead the nation in many metrics related to priestly vocations, according to a new report from Vocation Ministry, a Texas nonprofit that supports vocations programs in parishes and schools. 

The report, which serves as an update to a major 2023 study conducted by the same ministry, concludes that smaller, more connected dioceses seem to have an edge when it comes to fostering local vocations. 

“The challenges of priestly ministry — whether serving small, tight-knit communities or large, diverse parishes — highlight the importance of intentional engagement, pastoral adaptability, and resource allocation,” the report reads.  

“The richness of immigrant communities, the dedication of religious and extern priests, and the creative energy of priests committed to youth ministry all serve as reminders that the Church possesses the tools to meet these challenges,” it says.

“However, addressing the realities of declining vocations and overburdened clergy will require innovative approaches and a renewed commitment to building environments where all vocations can flourish.”

The report classifies dioceses by population into four tiers. Tier 1 dioceses have more than 750,000 Catholics; Tier 2 dioceses have 350,000 to 750,000 Catholics; Tier 3 dioceses have 100,000 to 350,000 Catholics; and Tier 4 dioceses have fewer than 100,000 Catholics.

The Tier 4 dioceses with a small Catholic population had the largest ratio of priests to parishioners — and also the highest rate of men entering the priesthood. In contrast, the dioceses with the largest Catholic populations fared the worst, with the lowest ratio of priests to parishioners, and also the lowest vocation rate. 

Not a single Tier 1 diocese has enough seminarians to maintain current priest levels, the 2025 report says. 

Vocation Ministry listed the “top four” dioceses in each tier for the number of men entering seminary between 2014-2023, as well as the number of ordinations each year, ranking the dioceses by the percentage of priests it ordains in a typical year compared with the number needed to maintain its priestly ranks.

In the biggest category, Tier 1, the top dioceses for seminarians were Dallas, which reached 69% of the rate needed to maintain current priestly numbers, followed by Philadelphia, Newark, and Atlanta — though the latter three had percentages only in the 50s. 

In Tier 2, two Ohio dioceses — Cincinnati and Columbus — took the top spots, while Denver and Washington D.C. were not far behind. All were over 85%.

In Tier 3, Wichita greatly exceeded every other diocese with a rate of 195%, but all of the top four dioceses in this section showed stellar figures: Nashville, Kansas City-St. Joseph, and Grand Rapids had 111%, 106%, and 104% respectively. 

In the smallest tier of dioceses, all the top dioceses for seminarians were located in the Great Plains: Bismarck and Fargo in North Dakota, along with Lincoln and Tulsa. 

Vocation Ministry also laid out the 16 dioceses that ordain priests at the highest rates, relative to the number of priests needed in the diocese — since not all men who enter the seminary are ordained priests. 

Wichita again took the top spot overall, ordaining to the priesthood on average 255% of the necessary number of men to maintain its own ranks. 

Joining Wichita among the ranks of dioceses that ordain more men than they need were Paterson, New Jersey and Arlington, Virginia, along with Nashville, Springfield in Illinois, and Grand Rapids, among several others. 

Using a metric called the Priestly Availability Index (PAI), which measures how accessible priests are to potential seminary candidates, the report notes that priests who are spread thin, as many are in larger dioceses, are less likely to be able to take the time to make themselves available to invest in young men who may be interested in the priesthood. 

“Priests serving smaller communities often have the unique opportunity to build close, personal relationships with parishioners, fostering a deeper sense of trust and connection. However, the challenges of such ministry can be significant,” the report says. 

“With limited or no staff support for administrative or liturgical tasks, these priests must rely heavily on volunteers, adding to their responsibilities. Additionally, many Tier 4 priests travel long distances to administer sacraments across multiple parishes, which can strain their time and energy, making it difficult to sustain those vital personal connections that are so integral to effective pastoral care.”

Discussing the characteristics of dioceses seeing growth in vocations, the report highlights a strong emphasis on parish-level promotion of vocations among dioceses seeing growth.

Parishes find success in inviting seminarians to share their stories, organizing “Come and See” weekends to encourage men to visit the seminary, targeted youth and young adult programs aimed at demystifying vocations, and service opportunities for youth. 

The report also says recognizing the family as the “seedbed of vocations” (quoting Pope St. John Paul II) and promoting Catholic marriages and education are key, as strengthening one kind of Catholic vocation tends to help all the others too. 

“Priests play a pivotal role in nurturing vocations within their parishes, but this effort requires the collaboration of families, educators, and the broader Catholic community,” it says.

‘This is the greatest factor’

In a Feb. 6 column, Wichita Bishop Carl Kemme highlighted the diocese’s prominent place in Vocation Ministry’s study and said he thinks the diocese can attribute some of its vocations success to “a closeness of the priests to our people. Our people, by and large, appreciate their priests and express their love and support of them.”

The diocese holds an annual retreat for prospective seminarians, and has a “multifaceted vocation promotion program” that includes outreach on university campuses throughout the state, Kemme noted. 

Kemme also highlighted the diocese’s active and dedicated Serra Clubs, which help support priestly vocations through scholarships and prayer, strong Catholic schools and homeschools that emphasize Catholic identity, an “unusually high” Sunday Mass attendance in the diocese; and the example of many young priests.

Above all, Kemme said the vocation boom can be attributed to Christ in the Eucharist, devotion to whom has been promoted within the diocese for decades. 

“Adoration chapels abound in our diocese, with many of them offering perpetual adoration, inviting everyone — regardless of age — to consider adoration as a time to encounter the Risen Christ in the Eucharist,” the bishop said. 

“This has been in place now for more than 40 years. I sincerely believe this is the greatest factor in our recruiting efforts. Many young men have told me that they heard the Lord speak to them about a vocation to the priesthood in adoration.” 

Source: https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/262183/this-small-diocese-is-leading-the-country-in-vocations-to-the-priesthood