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For Many Council Fathers
Availability Of Clergy
Is A Crucial Question
The following article ana
lyzes some aspects of the vital
problem of the acute shortage
of priests in many parts of the
world, which is expected to
come up for discussion some
time at the Second Vatican
Council after it reconvenes
this September 29. The writer,
one of the Church’s foremost
experts in the field of popula
tion studies, is a native of
Ardmore, Pa., and a former
faculty member of Loyola Col
lege in Baltimore who is now
a lecturer in demography at
Fordham University, New York.
A member of the select Inter
national Union for the Scienti
fic Study of Population, he has
been a participant in the major
international demographic con
gresses of the past decade. He
has written extensively on the
problems of economic develop
ment and pioneered in the as
sembling of ecclesiastical sta
tistics concerning Latin Ameri
ca.
By Father William J.
Gibbons, S. J.
(N.C.W.C. NEWS SERVICE)
Availibility of clergy, to meet
the Church’s pressing needs
throughout the world, is a cru
cial question in the minds of
^many bishops preparing for the
second session of Vatican Coun
cil II. For a shortage of priests,
/
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though not universal, is common
enough to occasion concern.
As successors to the Apos
tles, the bishops are specially
conscious of Christ’s depart
ing mandate: “Go, make dis
ciples of all peoples.’’ (Matt.
28, 19). This presupposes both
a spreading of the Christian
message and a deepening of the
lives of the faithful everywhere,
as the Church grows intensively
and extensively.
In the growth process, the
priesthood, by divine ordi
nance plays a vital role. Where
worthy priests are lacking, or
in short supply, growth slows
down or comes to a halt.
With the number of Catho
lics on the increase, and with
mission opportunities great as
they are, the demands on
bishops and major religious su
periors for priestly manpower
are incessant. Parishes must
be staffed, administrative
posts filled, missions and re
treats conducted, teaching and
writing accomplished, and so
forth. The diocese or region
well supplied with trained
priests counts itself fortunate.
The need for priests varies
with the region. But need in
itself ensures neither local
supply nor availability from
elsewhere. Hence, there arises
a question of appropriate dis
tribution, so that good use is
made of the priests on hand,
both secular and Religious.
What follows attempts to
point out more obvious pro
blems and to review solu
tions offered. But first let us
look at certain facts.
Looking at the world in en
tirety, several things about re
ligious commitment quickly be
come evident. First is that
Catholicism, and Christianity
generally, accounts for appre
ciably less than onehalf man
kind’s numbers. In a world
population of 3.2 billions
(1963), approximately 570
millions are baptized Catholics.
This is not quite one-fifth of
the total.
Adherents of Eastern Ortho
doxy number perhaps 150
millions, although this figure
may be low, since religious sta
tistics in Iron Curtain coun
tries are hard to check. The
same can be said of statistics
for other faiths. Protestant
Christians number approxi
mately 225 millions. However,
the reported data often is re
garded as incomplete.
Thus, about 33 per cent, or
one out of three persons, is
Christian. That some baptized
persons are backsliders, per
haps even apostates, is well
known.
In Latin America, including
the Caribbean and Mexico, bap
tized Catholics number ap
proximately 190 millions, out
of a 210-million population. For
every baptized Catholic in the
United States and Canada, there
are three in Latin America.
Oceania, including Australia,
New Zealand and lesser islands,
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has 3.2 million Catholics, out of
a 16-million total. In Asia and
Africa, however, where ap
proximately one - half the
world’s peoples reside, Catho
lics numner 39 million and 27
million, respectively. Other
Christians are not numerous
either, although new churches
are constantly built.
This past winter, as the coun
cil recessed, Catholic priests
in the world totaled approxi
mately 422,000, one for every
1,400 Catholics. These priests
were scattered over five con
tinents, not evenly in terms of
numbers, and not in the same
proportion to Catholics in each
region.
Throughout Europe the ap
proximate number of baptized
Catholics per priest is 900.
In Ireland and Belgium, it is
550; in France and Italy, 800;
in Spain, 900; in Austria, 960.
Variations relate to cultural
factors, educational oppor
tunity, loss of male youths in
war, and so forth. But in gen
eral, Europe is well supplied
with priests, compared with
other continents.
Thus, in Latin America, it
is a fortunate diocese with only
1,500 Catholics per priest.
Three thousand or more is com
mon. And in Brazil the average
is over 6,000, with only 11,600
priests serving a population of
74 millions, of whom 92 per
cent are said to be Catholics.
Chile is better off religiously,
with an average of 2,900Catho
lics per priest. Ecuador has
3,200, Argentina and Colom
bia, 3,400 on the average. The
islands of the Caribbean,
however, have few priests and
vocations, in relation to popu
lation. They must lean heavily
on outside help from Europe and
North America.
In the United States there
now are approximately 57,000
priests and a Catholic popula
tion of perhaps 48 millions
( annually reported figures can
be regarded as incomplete).
This means one priest per 850
Catholics, a situation com
parable to France, Italy, Sapin.
Even when non-Catholic popula
tion is counted in, there are
but 3,200 U. S. residents per
priest. Canada is better off,
with ont priest for each 600
Catholics and for 1,300 of total
population.
Not all dioceses in the United
States are equally well served
by resident priests. Thus, on the
East Coast, where generally
there are 800 or fewer Catho
lics per priest, two large and
rapidly growing dioceses are
quite shorthanded. One has
1,200 Catholics per priest, the
other 1,650. And several exten
sive dioceses of the West and
South have for years experien
ced shortages to critical
degree.
Within the largely non-
Christian regions of Africa and
Asia, the ratio of Catholics to
priests varies widely. Some ac
tive areas may have 800 to
1,000 baptized persons per
priest. But this low ratio should
be weighed against extra bur
dens imposed by convert-
instruction and distances tra
veled. The over-all average of
reported Catholics per priest in
Asia is 1,500, in Africa, 1,700.
This compares unfavorable with
the European and North Ameri
can situation.
Estimating availability of
priestly manpower in terms of
ratios admittedly is a tricky
business. It does not take into
account such relevant factors as
population density, distances
and terrain, living conditions,
education and other needs.
To level off all clergy, say
at a world average of one priest
per thousand Catholics, could be
“robbing Peter to pay Paul.”
In any case, there are not that
many priests to start with. A
favorable over-all ratio of 500
Catholics per priest would re
quire a tripling of the present
number of priests in the world.
Like distributionist theories
in economics, when not tem
pered with realism about capi
tal formation and local enter
prise, a redistribution of clergy
merely on a ratio basis could
mean “spreading the poverty.”
As regards availability of
priests, “capital” and “local
enterprise” imply native or lo
cal vocations, plus their suit
able training. Unless these
eventuate, bringing in priests
from outside on a continuing
basis becomes an endless task,
especially if population grows
rapidly in the receiving area.
ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY, Michael Ramsey and
James Cardinal McGuigan, Archbishop of Toronto, met
informally for ten minutes at the end of the World Anglican
Congress held in Toronto, Canada.—(NC Photos)
Anglicans Welcomed
At Lourdes
LOURDES, France, (NC)—
“An historic occasion” bothfor
the shrine of Lourdes and the
Church of England was the des
cription of Bishop Pierre Theas
of Lourdes as he greeted An
glican Bishop Wilfrid A. E.
Westall, leading the first offi
cial Anglican pilgrimage to the
shrine.
Dr. Westall, Suffragan Bishop
of Crediton, Devonshire, led
57 persons on the plane trip
from London. They heard Bi
shop Theas speak of the desire
of all Christians now for unity,
and listened to him describe
Laity Role—
(Continued from Page 1)
consists of doing what the laity
are supposed to do in the world,
as distinguished from what the
clergy and Religious are sup
posed to do.”
“The profession of the cler
gy,” Mis Hugenberg said, "in
cludes the public worship of
the Church, the administration
of the sacraments, and the in
struction of the faithful in gen
eral matters of faith and mor
als.
"The profession of the laity,
as far as the Church is con
cerned, includes every other
aspect of life through which the
influence of the Church can
make itself felt on society,”
she said. And in the exercise
of this role of professional lay
people, she added, "the laity
are independent of the clergy.”
The professional lay person,
according to Miss Hugenberg,
can be trusted to fulfill his role
properly "only if he has a pro
per understanding of the
Church’s place and mission in
the world at large.”
“And if the Church fails to
be properly influential in any
period of time or in any geo
graphic area, in affairs out
side the scope of religion, the
failure is on the part of its lay
membership,” she said.
Where such failure is a pro
duct of disinterest on the part
of the laity, she commented, it
may be traced to lack of pre
paration in school.
"If students during their edu
cational experience are not giv
en a realization of the roles
they are expected to play as
educated Catholics, or if they
all ill-prepared to assume and
execute these roles, there will
be a natural carry over of their
disinterest in the lay apostolate
as adult Catholics,” Miss Hu
genberg said.
She emphasized the need for
students to "give special study
to the life and work of the
Church” in addition to their
preparation for the secular pro
fessions.
"College students have a spe
cial obligation,” Miss Hugen
berg declared, "to give them
selves a preparation for the
coming encounter, since it is
expected that they will assume
leadership in one way or
another, either by helping to
form public opinion or by rising
to positions in which their de
cisions will affect the policies,
security and future of the na
tion.”
the shrine as dedicated to Mary,
whom St. Augustine had called
the Mother of Unity.
A hall just outside the
Lourdes sanctuaries was re
served for the Anglican pilgri
ms. They held their services
there eacy day. Bishop Theas
personally took the visitors on a
tour of the grotto and baths. At
the grotto the Anglican pilgrims
knelt and joined in the Litany
of Our Lady.
Bishop Westall’s sister had
visited Lourdes in 1930 and had
been received into the Catholic
Church there. She died at Abbe
ville, France, on her return
journey, accompanied by author
Maisie Ward. Another personal
connection with Lourdes for the
Anglican prelate is a Lourdes
rosary given to his mother by
writer Maurice Baring.
QUESTION
BOX
(Continued from Page 2)
from his boyhood. Pius XII, who
canonized Louis de Montfort in
1947, once stated that the force
of the words in the handbook
"have not only touched, but have
captivated and converted many
souls.”
TRUE DEVOTION is not for
everyone, as many commen
tators have observed—at least
it is not for everyone right
away, before considerable self-
crutiny and preparation of soul.
BUT IT CAN be practiced in
varying degrees and measures.
For example, one theologian
has suggested that it be tried by
"truly pious and fervent souls,
at first for a time, for one
feast of the Blessed Mother to
another, then for a year,” and
eventually, if all goes well, for
one’s entire life.
ONE QUESTION often raised
with respect to True Devotion
is whether or not those who
commit themselves to it remain
free to formulate their own
prayer intentions.
■ >-A SUCCINCT ANSWER was
given by Father Joseph F. Beck
man in the August, 1962 The
Homiletic and Pastoral Re
view: "We are not only free to
do so; it is good and occasion
ally necessary to pray for our
own intentions, with a proper
understanding of our depen
dence upon Mary.”
OR, AS St. Louis de Montfort
put it: ‘‘This practice does not
hinder us from praying for
others whether dead or living,
although the application of our
good works depends on the will
of our Blessed Lady. On the con
trary, it is this very thing which
will lead us to pray with more
confidence. . .”
ANYONE INTERESTED in St.
Louis de Montfort’s way of life
should read his True Devotion
to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The work is readily available
at Catholic book and supply
stores. Before implementing
its proposals, one would do well
to consult with a priest.
The Southern Cross, September 5, 1963—PAGE 7
Anglican Congress Cites
Importance Of Trained Laity
TORONTO, (NC)—The im
portance of a highly trained
laity in the church was cited at
the World Anglican Congress
here.
Canon F. C. Synge of Christ
church College, Christchurch
New Zealand, urged that lay
men be permitted to perform
the services of communion,
baptism, marriage and burial.
He said the shortage of An
glican priests, especially in
remote areas, means that many
Anglicans must miss the eu-
charist.
Bishop A. M. Stockwood of
Southwark, England, stressed
the need for more active lay
action.
"My contention is” he said,
"that if the Church is to influ
ence society, our parishes must
be honeycombed with groups of
trained laity applying their Bib
lical insights to contemporary
happenings and creating an in
formed Christian opinion which
leads to action.
"It is essential that from
these groups should come men
and women who will be pre
pared, when trained, to play an
active part in public life—in
legislative assemblies, local
councils or voluntary commit
tees, trade unions, tenants’ as
sociations and employers’ fed
erations.”
Rt. Rev. W. G. H. Simon of
Llandaff, Wales, told the con
gress that if Anglicanism is to
take a lead in church unity it
must first seek unity within it
self and resolve its own pro
blems.
Bishop Simon asked the dele
gates: ‘‘What are Christians
outside the Anglican Com
munion to make of a church
whose members flatly contra
dict one another in discussions
on such questions as the nature
of the Church, the ministry and
the sacraments?”
F or three hundred years the
Church has held people of wide
ly differing views, the Bishop
said. Is this possible or tolera
ble when the ecumenical move
ment becomes more vigorous
each day, he asked.
The Welsh Bishop feared that
Anglicanism in too many parts
of the world tended to be iden
tified with the "Establish
ment.” This might arise from
the official establishment of
the Church of England in Eng
land, he said.
"In any consideration of the
strategy of the Anglican Com
munion,” Bishop Simon said, "it
seems to me that the fact that,
as things are at present, the
appointment of bishops, the
ways of worship, and even the
moral discipline of Canterbury
and York depend in the last re
sort on a House of Commons
which need not even be Chris
tian, is one of primary impor
tance.” It cannot be ignored, he
said.
"Were I the Anglican com
mander-in-chief I should feel
that until I had settled this
problem any larger operation
must have but a poor chance of
succeeding,” Bishop Simon
said.
A statement entitled “Mutual
Responsibility and Interdepen
dence in the Body of Christ”
was read to some 1,000 dele
gates, bishops, clergy and lay
men who are attending the con
gress. The statement was pre
pared by 18 primates, headed
by the Archbishop of Canter
bury, who met in London, Ont.,
just prior to the opening of the
congress.
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Bishop Stephen Bayne, exe
cutive liaison officer of the
world’s Anglican churches, said
that while the statement dealt
with reform within the Anglican
Church itself, it could also be
regarded as a further step in
the ecumenical movement.
The statement set aside the
old concept of missionary
churches. All churches now are
equal. All should share equally
in the Church's resources.
The program outlined in the
statement includes:
—A comprehensive census of
needs and resources and their
distribution.
"An increase of $15,000,000
in the next five years, in addi
tion to the $50,000,000 budgeted
for overseas work during that
same period—to meet existing
needs and commitments, parti
cularly in Asia, Africa and La
tin America.
—Coordination and alloca
tion of manpower on a world
scale, which would help to re
lieve the critical shortage of
Anglican priests. Bishop Bayne
said that this could mean that
newly ordained Anglican priests
would go to other countries for
three years or so. Clergy from
other continents would come to
North America.
—Extension of the executive
officer system to all regional
levels. The system is typified
by Bishop Bayne, an American
formerly of Seattle, Wash., who
now works under the Archbishop
of Canterbury in London, Eng
land.
Archbishop Michael Ramsey
of Canterbury said the program
could mean "the death of much
that is familiar about our
churches now. . .(and) the birth
of entirely new relationships.”
Bishop Bayne said that the
chance of Protestant-Roman
Catholic Church union "is mov
ing ahead faster than most of us
would have thought possible a
short while ago.”
First moves towards union
between Anglican and other
Protestant churches have al
ready begun in various parts
of the world and Bishop Bayne
gave the following tentative un
ion timetable:
North America—"possible”
within 10 years.
West Pakistan—Union within
Protestant churches next year.
East Africa—Union "in not
more than five years.”
North India—Five years or
more.
Father Gregory Baum,
O. S. A., a Catholic observer
at the World Anglican Congress,
told reporters that he was much
impressed "by the openness
and courage with which the pro
blems of the Church are being
discussed here.” The main con
cern of the congress seemed
to be the impact of the Church
upon the world, he said.
Father Baum, who is a mem
ber of the Vatican Secretariat
for Church Unity, commended
the campaign to bring the Scrip
tures to all people in their own
languages.
He said that in the different
languages there are many
translations "and it is my wish
that soon a translation ac
ceptable to both Catholics and
Protestants will be commonly
used.”
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SAVANNAH. GEORGIA
EGYPT: WHERE MAN PROPOSES AND GOD DISPOSES
THROUGHOUT HER HISTORY, EGYPT has inspired dreams
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