Poland’s Seminaries Are Emptying

The number of seminarians in Poland has fallen from 6,789 in 2000, to 5,583 in 2010, to 2,556 in 2020, to 1,690 today. The figures were released on Monday. 280 men entered seminaries in the new academic year (diocesan priesthood: 195; religious orders: 85). Father Jan Frąckowiak, the chairman of the Conference of Seminary Rectors, told KAI that the new figures for seminary entry “clearly show that there is a steady downward trend.”

Picture: © Mazur/cbcew.org.uk, CC BY-NC-ND, #newsRhhlkzinri

LikeShare

Kenjiro M. Yoshimori

Oct 25, 2023

The massive decline began with Francis. What a suprise.

Clement Jaeho Chung

Oct 25, 2023

@Kenjiro M. Yoshimori you are 100% right!! Kenjiro....I say it's Bergoglio's effect....going to much orrible way.....yes..this time so hard...so we lost many things...but even though going to small...but protect to Orthodox Teachings....many effort spread to truth....real Lord's way...it's live possible...now...Beroglio lost both things...decrease to all Church's things...and destroying to our Orthodox teachings....make me so angry....Bergoglio dose not saying about this situation...he dose not saying about spread to truth, protect to our Orthodox teachings...saving All People's Souls....ah....I think now, now many area of Africa, some area of Asia, some Latin America increasing to Holy Catholic Church...but I think really fast time...we will lost to this area too....be cause Bergoglio want destroying to our Orthodox teachings...and I saw....this area's situation..these days...going to decrease too...ah....I can't explain to my heart....so horrible.....just really hope we will get Orthodox Pope..fast time...and really hope much, much many Cardinals, Bishops are saying about protect to our Orthodox teachings....but sadly this time...we are going to much horrible way....most are silence....many talking sorry....Our Lord Sacred Heart of Jesus blessed always you and all your family, lovely people....Holy Mary, All Angels and Saints..pray for us..Amen...take care.....have a great day...always really happy..hear about your great opinion!!

Orthocat

Oct 25, 2023

It's all over. In our region of the U.S. vocations were rising - good solid young men. That's all gone now. No wonder the USCCB wants to consolidate seminaries, just like dioceses are doing with parishes.

Kenjiro M. Yoshimori

Oct 25, 2023

@Orthocat-And I live in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, which had (now to be sold to Main Line Health, Inc.) the largest Archdiosecean seminary in our tri-State area. At one time, before the disaster of Vatican II (1950's-1963), it had 585 seminarians, all dressed in cassocks (no clergy shirts or lay clothes), and a strong traditional disipline and of course the Tridentine Latin Mass.
Last year, it had 98 seminarians. THey are moving to much smaller site in June 2024. Francis just came out today, and said there will be NO women priests. But if he says Yes to blessings for homos, I think the new seminary they are moving to (capacity 200) will be 3x too big for what's left.
If they have 20 after that decision, they'll be lucky.
(There's about 112 today)