A recent study conducted by The Catholic University of America's "The Catholic Project" has revealed a significant shift in the political and theological leanings of newly ordained Catholic priests in the United States.
The study, which drew on responses from 131 bishops, 3,516 priests, and over 100 in-depth interviews, found that the number of new priests identifying as politically "liberal" or theologically "progressive" has dwindled to near non-existence.
The study reported, "The portion of new priests who see themselves as politically 'liberal' or theologically 'progressive' has been steadily declining since the Second Vatican Council and has now all but vanished." It further noted that more than half of the priests ordained since 2010 identify as conservative.
The trend is particularly stark among priests ordained since 2020, with over 80% identifying as "conservative/orthodox" in their theological views. This contrasts sharply with priests ordained before 1960, over 60% of whom identified as "progressive" or "very progressive."
Political self-identification among recently ordained priests also leans heavily conservative, with approximately 52% identifying as "conservative" or "very conservative," and 44% describing themselves as "moderate."
The National Study of Catholic Priests, which released the first part of its findings in October 2022, followed up with additional data on Tuesday. The study did not seek to determine the cause of these ideological shifts but suggested that the Second Vatican Council and the clergy sexual abuse crisis of 2002 were significant factors.
The report states, "The causes and consequences of these shifts in the American presbyterate are no doubt complex. How these dynamics play out in interactions among priests in a given diocese or religious order is beyond the scope of this study." It added, "Our qualitative interviews suggested that priests themselves view these shifts through the lens of two watershed moments: the Second Vatican Council and the clergy sexual abuse crisis of 2002."
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