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Priests

Study: Liberal US priests facing ‘progressive’ extinction

Theologically ‘progressive’ and ‘very progressive’ priests once made up 68% of new ordinands. Today, that number has dwindled almost to zero.

Luke Coppen
Nov 07, 2023
∙ Paid

The share of new U.S. Catholic priests identifying as theologically “progressive” has fallen so low that the phenomenon has “all but vanished,” according to a report published Tuesday.

A candidate’s hands are anointed with the oil of chrism during a priestly ordination. © Mazur/cbcew.org.uk.

The 18-page report, issued Nov. 7 by The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., said that when priests were asked to describe their theological outlook on a s…

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