European Churches" "
There were 327 young men enrolled in Spanish seminaries (62 major and 41 minor seminaries out of a total of 67 dioceses) in 2002, and 195 new priests were ordained. The overall number of major seminarians (1699) shows a steady decline over the last ten years (there were 1947 in 1992, so there has been a drop of 7.8%), but if the figures are adjusted against the decline in the youth population in Spain we obtain a relative increase of 6.5%. These data “permit us to hope in the future”, says the Spanish Episcopal Conference, which is promoting, as each year, a national Seminary Day (from 16 to 19 March). “During this last year, the number of young men who have entered seminary with their universities studies already begun or completed has increased. Meetings with the Pope, the experiences of prayer, service to the poor, are good breeding grounds for vocations”. Spain, along with Poland, Croatia, Italy, Hungary and Ireland, is one of the European countries with the highest number of vocations to the priesthood.
