Interesting results from a survey of the 2010 US Ordination Class:

• the average (mean) age of ordinands is 37; the median age of diocesan ordinands is 33
• 10% are converts
• 37% have a relative who is a priest or religious
• 55% have more than two siblings
• 49% attended a Catholic elementary school, and 39% attended a Catholic college
• 60% completed college before entering the seminary; 92% held full-time jobs
• 16% had a parent with career military service
• 78% were encouraged by a priest to enter the seminary; few were influenced by vocational advertising
• 50% were discouraged by parents or other family members from considering the seminary; 15% were discouraged by priests, while 4% were discouraged by religious
• 19% attended a World Youth Day, and 8% attended a Franciscan University of Steubenville High School Youth Conference
• 67% regularly prayed the Rosary before entering seminary; 65% regularly took part in Eucharistic adoration
• the seminarians typically began to consider a priestly vocation when they were 18

I found it especially interesting that so many (50%) were discouraged by parents or family members from considering seminary—not necessarily surprising, but interesting. Like the Church Herself, the priesthood is counter-cultural. The World cannot comprehend celibacy, or male-only priesthood. Many parents have a difficult time sacrificing the possibility of having grandchildren.

Makes you wonder:  how many vocations to the priesthood never came to be because young men received little or no support from their friends or family?