Letters

Numbers of priests (letter)

Frank Mobbs

Contents - Feb 2005 - Buy a copy now Editorial: Year of the Eucharist: a time to get serious - Michael Gilchrist Appeal: Missionaries' vital role in helping tsunami victims - Peter Westmore News: The Church Around the World The Church in Australia 2005: can the tide be turned? - Michael Gilchrist Timor Leste: Australia and East Timor: a Timorese Salesian Brother's impressions - Br Marcal Lopes Education: State Aid: answering the critics' arguments - Fr Matthew Kirby Religious Life: Faith and Reason: for a true renewal in religious life and the Church - Sr Mary Augustine OP Events: Thomas More Centre to host US publisher dedicated to Catholic social teachings - Anthony Cappello Marriage: Why gay marriage is a self-contradiction - Peter Reynolds Letters: Religion inquiry (letter) - Jeff Tan Letters: Missal translation (letter) - Norman Wilkinson Letters: Revival of faith (letter) - Errol P. Duke Letters: Fiji example (letter) - Tom King Letters: Catholic youth (letter) - Jim Brown Letters: Society of St Pius X (letter) - Anthony Bono Letters: Eternal destiny (letter) - G. Mahoney Letters: School leavers (letter) - Mrs M.A. Ross Letters: Numbers of priests (letter) - Frank Mobbs Letters: Abortion (letter) - Frank Bellet Letters: Changes in Liturgy (letter) - Valentine Gallagher Letters: The New Mass (letter) - Fr G.H. Duggan SM Letters: Ten Commandments (letter) - Arthur Negus Letters: Message from India (letter) - Fr S. John Joseph Letters: Books wanted (letter) - Edwin McGrath Letters: Inspiration (letter) - Brian Harris Books: Rise, Let Us Be On Our Way, by John Paul II - Richard Egan (reviewer) Books: Turning Towards the Lord: Orientation in Liturgical Prayer - Michael Gilchrist (reviewer) Books: A Christian Apocalypse:The Sexual Abuse crisis in the Catholic Church, 1884-2004 - David Williams (reviewer) Books: Books to read in 2005 Reflection: Archbishop Hart: Pope John Paul II and the Year of the Eucharist - Archbishop Denis Hart

The drought of priests in the Church has been dramatically exhibited in the statistics published by the Holy See for the year 2003.

During 2003 the number of Catholics throughout the world increased by 9.4 million. If one assumes that an adequate ratio of priests to Catholics is one priest for every thousand Catholics (1:1000), then an additional 9,400 priests was required in 2003. In fact there were no additional priests. That means that 9.4 million new Catholics have no one to provide pastoral care for them.

FRANK MOBBS
Gosford, NSW

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 18 No 1 (February 2005), p. 15