5. SFO: What we can do for Franciscan Vocations By Fred Schaeffer, SFO¹
Vocations to the priesthood and to religious life have been dwindling in the last thirty years. Various crises in, and outside of, our Church helped erode more vocations. The great problem in society with the gradually falling apart of the family unit has also diminished vocations. I recall the years of the late 1950’s until about 1970, vocations were plentiful. I spent some time with the Capuchins from 1958-1960, and I recall being in a giant class of Novices. I left for reasons having to do with illness in the family but probably also because I was, at that point, too young and inexperienced. So what has happened? Why are vocations so scarce today? I live in a country where there are still people, particularly young people who have never heard of the Catholic Church. In my experiences in ministry to those in jails and prisons, I meet with people who have never dealt with the Church as an institution. And, in society, so many say they believe in God, but they really do not know what God does for them. Interest in God diminishes, and thought of a vocation is simply non-existent. According to the Diocese of Phoenix, Arizona, the U.S. Catholic population in 2004 was 67,259,768 -- an increase of some 850,000 over the 66,407,702 reported in 2003. Catholics continue to make up 23 percent of the total U.S. population. Included in these national figures are data from Puerto Rico, a U.S. commonwealth, and U.S. territories overseas such as the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa and Guam. The number of priests declined from 44,487 last year to 44,212 this year. Of these, 14,729 were members of religious orders and 29,483 were diocesan.
Permanent deacons have increased from 14,106 last year to 14,693 this year. Part of the reason for this decline, I believe, is aging. The priests/religious of the 1950’s and 1960’s are now aging and are close to retirement, if this is an option for them. Fewer and fewer vocations since the 70’s leave this aging population without replacements. The Franciscan Order is not exempt when it comes to dwindling vocations. As a religious Order, they’ve experienced similar declines in vocations as the Church in general, over the same number of years. One no longer hears of classes of 10-15 applicants, but of one or two. The Secular Franciscan Order is a group that shows remarkable unity of purpose, world-wide, and in July of 1996, the SFO had about 435,000 professed members. At the end of 2002, there were 400,000 professed members. So we’ve also seen a decline. Still, if we, as a worldwide group of prayerful penitents, begin working to increase vocations to the SFO and to the rest of the Franciscan family, in the Name of Jesus and with the assistance of Our Lady, Queen of the Franciscan Order, and the help of our Seraphic father, St. Francis of Assisi, there’s no telling what we can accomplish! There is, in my opinion, only one way to increase vocations, through prayer! Constant, loving prayer! When I spent some time in the OFM from 1996 to 1998, we were given a list of prayers that could be and was added to the Intercession of the Liturgy of the Hours. They are found on another page. If all Secular Franciscans would add these petitions to their daily prayers, or make them Rosary intentions, for vocations to the Franciscan family, then there will be new vocations. Let’s light that flame, bring the Holy Spirit into your life, and pray for our family, for our Franciscan family. Let us encourage those Secular Franciscans or other members of the laity, who display an interest in religious life. Make them your prayer project. Keep in close contact with them. Do not worry about Secular Franciscans wanting to join any of the Orders of the Franciscan First Order. They will remain a part of our Franciscan family. They are a gift from God! I hope the friars of St. John the Baptist province won’t mind us using their vocation petitions. These were used by them in 1996-7. We don’t know if they are still in use. _____________________________________________ 1. Fred Schaeffer serves as webmaster for various SFO websites, including www.ciofs.org, the Website of the International Council of the Secular Franciscan Order. He was professed on October 4, 1994, and serves as Vice-Minister to Divine Mercy SFO Fraternity, in Vero Beach, Florida (USA), and is Regional Webmaster of Five Franciscan Martyrs Region. Fred spent a number of years as a monk in a contemplative order, but left largely for health reasons. He has done a lot of writing on his own website www.fredsfo.org and the Regional website, www.franciscan-sfo.org.
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