Lack of priest in Bavaria: Only six consecrations - what does that mean for the church?

Lack of priest in Bavaria: Only six consecrations - what does that mean for the church?

Eichstätt, Deutschland - The Catholic Church in Bavaria is facing increasing challenges. This year only six priests are consecrated, which represents a striking decline compared to previous years. According to the PNP this is particularly noteworthy, since none in the dioceses Eichstätt and Passau Priest consecrations take place. Two new priests are only to be expected in Regensburg, while the Augsburg diocese also comes up with two newly consecrated ones.

These developments reflect a comprehensive shortage of skilled workers in the Catholic Church in Germany. In the previous year, ten diocesan priests were consecrated, and now there is a worrying tendency. In a recent survey by the German Press Agency, it was found that the decline in priesthood consecration has been in effect for years. 557 priests were consecrated in 1962, but in 2024 this number fell on only 29.

reasons for the lack of priests

Several factors contribute to this decline. The number of members of the Catholic Church shrinks continuously. In addition, traditional Catholic milieus disappear, and the obligation to couple is an obstacle for many young men. This is also shown by a leading survey that was carried out throughout the Federal Republic. This shows that 73 percent of the respondents perceive the marriage as an obstacle to entry into the priesthood, while 72.4 percent perceive the social acceptance of the celibacy as difficult, as Tagesschau

In order to counteract the lack of priests, the general assembly of the Central Committee of German Catholics (ZDK) in Erfurt discusses various solutions. A reformatory discourse on the opening of the priesthood for women and the possibilities for the abolition of celibacy are initiated. Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich warns for patience in the reforms and demands a careful handling of the changes.

reorganization and effects

The Catholic Church in Germany is increasingly reorganizing itself at the parish level. According to the website fowid , the number of parishes is reduced by about 20 percent, which is primarily due to the lack of personnel from consecrated priests. The number of priests in Germany has been continuously falling since 1998, from 17,773 to only 12,280 in 2021, which corresponds to a decrease of 30 percent. The decline also has an impact on the childcare relation: in 2010 there were still 2,023 church members per world priest, while this number was already increasing to 2,282 in 2021.

The Situation is not only limited to Bavaria: In the five Catholic dioceses of North Rhine-Westphalia, there were only seven orders in 2024, and only two priests were consecrated in East Germany, which has been the lowest number so far. While the Catholics in Germany are confronted with a crisis in the lack of priests, the number of priests worldwide remains relatively stable, with slight changes in the USA and other countries.

The current development shows that the lack of priests in Germany is not only a temporary problem, but is a long -term challenge that could significantly change the structure and influence of the Catholic Church.