# Catholic misions mirror Protestant mission trends



## Pergamum (Jan 2, 2009)

Jesuits acknowledge drop in vocations


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## Semper Fidelis (Jan 2, 2009)

As far as I'm concerned the dropoff is a good thing.



> The current number of Jesuit priests is 13,735 (231 less than in 2005), the number of brothers is 1,865 (56 less than in 2005), and the number of novices is 897 (down from 909 in 2005). Only the number of scholastics has seen an increase of 13 since last year, totaling 3,067.
> 
> The *median age of 57* is another important factor for the Jesuits. The average age of priests is 63, scholastics, 29, and brothers, 66. Geographically, in Latin America there are 2,957 Jesuits, 60 less than in 2005. In North America there are 3,034, 183 less than in 2005. In Europe there are 6,447, 192 less than in 2005.



An order that gained infamy by the counter-Reformation can't come to an end soon enough.


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## Pergamum (Jan 2, 2009)

AMEN TO THAT! But sadly, the same trend is happening in the "Protestant" world as well.


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