Tracking the shift

By Tony Staley
Compass Editor

Catholics often comment that there's a difference between priests ordained in the last decade and those ordained 20-25 years ago. That observation has been borne out in a new study by Dean Hoge, a sociologist with The Catholic University of America's Life Cycle Institute.

The study, "Experiences of Priests Ordained Five to Nine Years," is based on a survey taken in 2005 to which 1,000 priests ordained from 1996 to 2000 responded. Hoge conducted a similar study in 1990 of 1,500 priests ordained from 1981 to 1985.

Hoge's new study was published in September by the seminary department of the National Catholic Educational Association. Jerry Filteau of Catholic News Service reported the results. The most interesting difference between the two groups is a shift in their priesthood model from "servant-leader" in 1990 to a "cultic model" in 2005. "Servant-leader" stresses collaboration with the community, serving the members and eliciting their gifts. The "cultic model" sees priesthood as a man set apart whose job is to provide the sacraments, teach church doctrine and be a model of faith and devotion.

In 1990, 63% of diocesan priests agreed somewhat or strongly that ordination gives a priest a "new status ... essentially different from the laity." In 2005, 89% of diocesan priests agreed with that. Higher numbers of religious order priests in both surveys preferred the servant-leader model.

Here are some of the other findings:

• The current generation of recently ordained priests is seven years older than the 1990 study group.

• More in the 2005 study were born in a foreign country - especially Vietnam, Mexico or the Philippines - and speak a foreign language - Spanish for 40% of diocesan priests and 55% of religious priests - than in 1990.

• Favorite ministry websites in 2005 (a question not asked 15 years ago) were the Vatican (www.vatican.va), the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (www.usccb.org) and Eternal Word Television Network (www.ewtn.com).

• Favorite theological writer in 1990 was German Jesuit Fr. Karl Rahner (18%); Pope John Paul II was seventh at 3%. By 2005, Pope John Paul was first at 21% and Fr. Rahner was at 4%.

• Morale was high in 2005 - 90% said if they had to make the choice again, they would be priests. Morale was highest among those who prefer the cultic model.

Ideas about priesthood are indeed changing and they will affect us all as church.