Parish priests declining by approx 448 per year

There were reportedly about 60,000 priests in the U.S. at the high point of 1967. Since then, the American church has experienced a net loss of approx. 448 priests per year. This figure includes both the approx. 450 new ordinations each year and the larger number of priests who die each year. There are now more priests between the age of 80 and 84 than between the ages of 30 and 34. If we project the trajectory from 1967 to the present and another forty-five years into the future at the same rate, the number of American priests in 2057 would be approx. 19,000. Will the last priest in America please remember to turn out the lights?


Quick, someone tell Pope Francis to allow priests to marry, to start ordaining women, and to open the priesthood to committed gay partnerships! That should take care of the problem! That should bring renewal!! (Disclaimer: for those who may be handicapped by Demideckia, I'm being sarcastic here, alright?)