the Holy Father Leo XIV presided over the Mass, in Saint Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, for the ordination of eleven new priests Photo: Vatican Media

Australian seminary reverses vocational winter: opens with highest number of students since 2017

While 14 may not seem like a transformative number, in the context of Australia’s dwindling priesthood, it represents a glimmer of hope. The country, where Catholics make up roughly 23 percent of the population, has experienced a steady decline in clergy numbers over the past few decades. In 1991, Australia had approximately 4,500 Catholic priests. By 2021, that number had fallen to 2,900, according to Catholic Australia.