A snapshot of this year’s class of newly ordained priests:

(This is from the USCCB, but the numbers seem to be the result of two self-selected research surveys, one from seminarians and one from diocesan and religious order vocation directors. That is, it’s not the result of every single diocese submitting their numbers and data)

The largest archdiocesan/diocesan class was in the Archdiocese of Newark, the ninth largest archdiocese/diocese with 18 men slated for ordination. The next largest was the Archdiocese of Washington, 12 ordinands; Archdiocese of Denver, 11 ordinands; and the Diocese of Rockford, Illinois, 10 ordinands. In Salt Lake City, Utah, where Catholics make up eight percent of the population, there are four ordinands.

Findings from the survey also indicated

– The percentage of ordinands who are Asian (13) is higher than the U.S. Catholic Asian population overall (2). The percentage of Hispanics (12) is lower than U.S. Catholic Hispanic population (28). The percentage of African Americans (one) is lower than the U.S. Catholic African American population (4).

– Of ordinands born outside the United States, the largest percentages came from Vietnam (5), Mexico (5) and the Philippines (3). Seventy percent of all the ordinands were born in the United States.

– The percentage of foreign-born ordinands increased from 24 percent in 1998, to 30 percent in 2006.

– More than half the ordinands attended a Catholic elementary school.

– About 75 percent of the ordinands reported having full-time work experience before entering the seminary, most often in education.

– Almost ten percent had served in the U.S. Armed Forces, more than a third of them in the Navy.

– Six percent of the ordinands are converts to Catholicism.

– More than one-third of the ordinands attended a World Youth Day.