Ordinations in Germany have dropped by 50 per cent in the last decade. The decrease reflects a continuous downward trend, with only 122 diocesan priests ordained in 2005 (Germany has an estimated Catholic population of 28 million); five decades ago, in 1965, the number of priestly ordinations was 500. While there were almost 20,000 Catholic priests in Germany in 1990, today their number has already dropped to 14,000. The drastic decline is set to continue, judging by the figures: last year also marked the first time in history that the number of new seminarians dropped to double digits.

I’ve been a parish priest for 25 years, and over the last quarter century I have experienced some sobering numbers firsthand: weekly Mass attendance has dropped; K-8 Catholic school enrollment has fallen; children and teens participating in faith formation programs is dismal; participation in the sacraments is nothing what it used to be. I often think who will be left in our parishes once Catholics raised prior to the Vatican Council II have left this earth?

I was reading Kevin Cotter’s review of  Forming Intentional Disciples by Sherry Weddell. He lists some alarming statistics. Here are four notable stats: Only 30 percent of Americans who were raised Catholic are still practicing; 10 percent of all adults in America are ex-Catholics; nearly 80 percent of cradle Catholics are no longer Catholic by the age of 23; in the early 21st century, among Americans raised Catholic, becoming Protestant is the best guarantee of stable church attendance as an adult.

Your personal thoughts and comments are welcome, as I continue to shape this series of reflections.