Jesuits
the grim statistics of decline
World-wide before Vatican II 36,200 Today: 18,711.
Brothers: Before Vatican II- 5,204 Today: 1,306.
Seminarians (USA only): Before Vatican II- 5,500. Today, 140.
USA Jesuit priests: before Vatican II, 8,000. Today, 2,640.
Jesuits(Italy): Before Vatican II: 4,000+. Today : 640.
Jesuits(France): Before Vatican II: 3,500+ Today: less than 500.
Jesuits: Canada -Before Vatican II ( 1,500+). Today: less than 250.
Jesuits: Ireland and the United Kingdom: Before Vatican II: 1,740+. Today: less than 300."
Thank You Gillibrand!
Woah...I've gotta flag those numbers ... 140 U.S. seminarians doesn't sound right. With a range of 30-50 U.S. novices annually in recent years and a 10+ year formation period before ordination, even assuming a high rate of defections, 140 seems like an extreme lowball. Mark Mossa's blog shows nearly 60 men in formation (albeit some already ordained and in tertianship) for his province alone, and there are TEN provinces. To paraphrase Mossa, the Society ain't dead. (Ain't what it used to be, I'll add, hopefully without drawing accusations of waxing nostalgic)
ReplyDelete140 Novices sounds about right.
ReplyDeleteThere are more than 140 seminarians in 3 provinces of the United States alone. The actual number stands at about 250 total.
ReplyDelete