Priests are men, not machines, and need our help

Declining numbers of experienced priests, a shortage of new vocations to replace them as they retire, the forced consolidation of parishes in many dioceses due to diminished church attendance, heavy administrative responsibilities, and isolating living conditions are among the serious hardships our priests continually experience. These issues are compounded by the diminished public esteem for the priestly vocation that is an inescapable consequence of the sexual-abuse scandals of recent decades. But this situation shouldn’t be regarded by Catholics as a cause for alarm or despair. Instead, it’s a call to action.