Catholic seminaries worldwide see 14,000 fewer students
Seminarian in a Catholic educational institution in Europe. Photo: Christopher Furlong / Getty Images
On September 23, 2025, Meduza reported, citing The Wall Street Journal, that the number of students in Catholic seminaries worldwide has dropped sharply. Since 2011, the number of seminarians has decreased by about 14,000 – down to 106,500 in 2023.
At the same time, the number of Catholics worldwide has doubled over the past half century, while the number of priests has declined. The situation is most difficult in Europe: in Ireland, St. Patrick’s Seminary, which once had up to 500 students, now admits on average only 15 a year. In Italy, Venegono Seminary has just 54 students left, whereas ten years ago there were three times as many.
Other institutions have also closed: St. John’s Seminary in southern England, built for 100 students, shut down in 2021. In Asia, the number of seminarians fell by 4.2% in 2023; Latin America is also experiencing decline. Growth is registered only in Africa, and it is minimal – around 1.1%.
Pope Leo XIV acknowledged the crisis and appealed to young people not to fear becoming priests. “Despite the difficulties, God continues to call and remains faithful to His promises,” the pontiff told seminarians in Rome.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that Islamists in Nigeria shot dead a Catholic priest.
Read also
In Netherlands, transgender schoolgirl arrested for double murder
In the Netherlands, a transgender teenager has been arrested for the brutal murder of her own parents.
In Pavlohrad, UOC priest's house destroyed by shelling
Fr. Oleksandr's family miraculously survived after an attack in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
Pat. Bartholomew blesses establishment of Greek Institute for Ethics and AI
The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople approved the opening of a research center for the dialogue of theology and technology.
Court suspends proceedings in Lower Lavra case
The Northern Appellate Commercial Court granted the monastery’s motion and suspended the proceedings in the case until a related case is considered by the court of first instance.
Reserve calls for increased donations to restore Dormition Cathedral
After the strike on the main cathedral of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, the Reserve administration reported a shortage of funds and the continuation of the official donation collection.
His Beatitude speaks about spiritual desert accessible to modern man
After the Liturgy on the feast day of his heavenly patron, the Primate of the UOC called on the faithful to seek the inner desert – within their own hearts.