Immemorial Mass of All Ages
Vocations Crisis
The Traditional Mass is Changing the Face of the French Clergy
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| Old Mass a Breeding Ground for Vocations |
Decline in Diocesan Priestly Vocations by 84 Percent
In 1966, the year after the end of the Second Vatican Council, there were 4,536 diocesan seminarians in France. Within ten years the number fell, under the influence of Pope Paul VI.and in the Post-Conciliar period to 1297 in 1975. A decline of almost three-quarters could be described as a fast collapse. Under Pope John Paul II, the slump was halted 20 years later, in 1996, the number was still 1,103 seminarians at approximately the same level.
The last part of his pontificate was followed by a new nosedive: In 2005, the number of seminarians was 784. That was only 17 percent when compared to 1966, or in other words, a decrease of 83 percent.
2011 has reached the lowest point since the French Revolution. Only 710 seminarians were preparing for the secular priesthood. Parallel to this decline, the proportion of seminarians of the tradition is growing.
Proportion of Priests of Tradition Climbs
An assessment of the priestly ordinations in the last five years illustrates this development. It consists of the numbers of those ordained in the Ordinary form compared to those consecrated in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. The list refers only to secular priests. Keeping in mind the priests of the Ecclesia Dei communities and the Society of St. Pius X.
2010: 86 percent of the ordinations in the Ordinary, 14 percent in the Extraordinary
Form, 2011: 86 percent of the ordinations in the Ordinary, 14 percent in the Extraordinary Form
2012: 83 percent of the ordinations in the Ordinary, 17 percent in the Extraordinary Form
2013: 88 percent of ordinations in the Ordinary, 12 percent in the Extraordinary Form
2014: 82 percent of the ordinations in the Ordinary, 18 percent in the Extraordinary Form
2015: 77 percent of the ordinations in the Ordinary, 23 percent in the extraordinary form
Form, 2011: 86 percent of the ordinations in the Ordinary, 14 percent in the Extraordinary Form
2012: 83 percent of the ordinations in the Ordinary, 17 percent in the Extraordinary Form
2013: 88 percent of ordinations in the Ordinary, 12 percent in the Extraordinary Form
2014: 82 percent of the ordinations in the Ordinary, 18 percent in the Extraordinary Form
2015: 77 percent of the ordinations in the Ordinary, 23 percent in the extraordinary form
The Drama of the Decline and the Hope for a New future
The juxtaposition of consecration years in absolute terms shows the development and the drama:
2010: 96 ordinations in the Ordinary form, 16 in the Extraordinary
Form, 2011: 109 ordinations in the ordinary form, 18 in the Extraordinary Form
2012: 97 ordinations in the ordinary form, 20 in the Extraordinary Form
2013: 92 ordinations in the ordinary form , 12 in the Extraordinary Form
2014: 88 ordinations in the ordinary form, 18 in the Extraordinary Form
2015: 68 ordinations in the ordinary form, 20 in the extraordinary form
Form, 2011: 109 ordinations in the ordinary form, 18 in the Extraordinary Form
2012: 97 ordinations in the ordinary form, 20 in the Extraordinary Form
2013: 92 ordinations in the ordinary form , 12 in the Extraordinary Form
2014: 88 ordinations in the ordinary form, 18 in the Extraordinary Form
2015: 68 ordinations in the ordinary form, 20 in the extraordinary form
Over the past six years, 545 diocesan priests were ordained for the new rite in France and 107 for the Traditional Rite. Not included in the list are religious priests. It also doesn't include those ordained in the traditional rite, like the Benedictines of Le Barroux or the Frenchmen who were ordained for the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest. Also not considered is the phenomenon spreading in France of biritually trained priests, or the phenomenon of young diocesan priests of the new rite, who are also interested in the traditional rite and tradition.
Communities and Parishes of the Traditional Rite are a Breeding Ground for Vocations
The personal parishes and communities of tradition have proven to be the most fertile ground for priestly vocations.Compared to their small number and size, their share of vocations is enormous. The traditional blogger Cordialiter published a conversation with a young Italian who encountered the traditional form of the Roman Rite in Austria and now lives with his family in France. The traditional community to which he belongs in France is 25 years old. During this time 17 priestly vocations have emerged from it. "The majority have joined French orders of the tradition, the Benedictines of Le Barroux, Fontgombault, the Canons Regular of Lagrasse, the Servi Jesu et Mariae etc."
Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: Mil
Image: Mil
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
AMDG