Resources and information

• Future of Priestly Ministry main page
• Optional Celibacy Survey Results
• Priest Shortage USA: 1976-2006
• Bishops' conference discusses priest shortage
• A Brief History of Celibacy in the Catholic Church
• Questions and Answers About Women's Ordination
• "Infallibility" and equality in Catholicism
• How to start a dialogue
• Women Deacons: Why Now?
• Priest shortage statistics
• Dutch Dominicans Say Choose Eucharist Presiders from Parish
• Massive 53 Diocese Study Reveals Most Priests Want Optional Celibacy Discussed
• Fact Sheet about the priest shortage
• Optional Celibacy FAQs
• Download Prayer in a Time of Fewer Priests
• Corpus Christi Prayer Service
  2002/2003 - 2005

Priest Shortage Statistics

If your diocese is not listed, e-mail us and we will give you the most recent statistics from the Official Catholic Directory.

Jump to a region
(US dioceses):
Northeast
Northcentral
West
South

Sources: census counts for 1966 and 1985, and moderate projection series for 2005.

Download a PDF version of this brochure.