Changing Priesthood

Far-reaching changes continue to take place in the American priesthood. Building on insights gained from four previous surveys, Same Call, Different Men uses fresh data from a 2009 survey-jointly implemented by the National Federation of Priest's Councils and the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate-in which 900 priests shared attitudes and stories about their lives and ministry. Among topics covered are the challenges of ministry with fewer ordinations and larger parishes, ministering to an increasingly multicultural laity, collaboration with lay leaders, and personal reflections on the sexual abuse issue. It also relates the many satisfactions of being a priest, one who brings Christ to others and who is invited into many profound moments of individual lives. Mary L. Gautier is a senior research associate at CARA, the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University, Washington, DC, where she specializes in Catholic demographic trends in the United States, and edits The CARA Report, a quarterly research publication. She taught sociology a Louisiana State University and Texas Christian University and has served as a lay pastoral associate. She holds a doctorate in sociology and has co-authored several books. Pal M. Perl is a research associate at CARA, focusing on attitudinal surveys of lay Catholics and surveys of priests for dioceses. His research interests include the effects of Catholic schooling, public opinion in reaction to the sex abuse scandal, and Spanish speaking Catholics. He has a PhD in sociology from the University of Notre Dame and lives in Pittsburgh with his wife and son. Stephen J. Fichter is a research associate and former interim executive director at CARA, and the pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Haworth, NJ. He specializes in clergy research and leads the collaboration between CARA and the National Organization for Continuing Education for Roman Catholic Clergy. He has a PhD in sociology from Rutgers University. "