One reason prompting this is the growing shortage of clergy. Our diocese in fact has not suffered so much as many others, partly because we have seen an influx of overseas priests, together with convert priests from the Church of England. Southwark has also promoted the vocation of the permanent deacon, with fruitful results.
Nevertheless shortages are making an impact. Of the 290 diocesan priests, 86 are over 70, with only 37 under the age of 40, as men start seminary training later in life. The 212 priests under 75 will reduce to 152 in the next decade.
Annually there are about two ordinations. But two priests die before 75, two retire after that age, and one leaves the ministry. Assistant priests are serving only five or six years before appointment as parish priests, with a consequent shortage of curates, only partly compensated for by priests from abroad. At present 24 overseas secular and 12 religious order priests work here.
Overseas priests witness to the universal nature of the Church. But a healthy diocese ought to be able to supply a sufficiency of its own. I hope this overview gives an idea of the scale of the problem, while showing that every cloud has a silver lining, and alerting us to the need to encourage local vocations
Father Barry