Priest Shortage is a Myth

I can see your hair catching fire.
Some of you are probably outraged that I would say that the priest shortage is a myth. Scandalized. Marshalling your arguments and statistics that show fewer priests since the fifties, that rattle the cages of the all the parents out there who are somehow, mysteriously, squishing the call of God right out of the thousands of boys who would otherwise be clamouring to Enlist with good 'ole Uncle ____ (hmm, Uncle Sam is taken, and rather Jewish [God Bless the Jews and Samuel the Prophet!] - So Uncle What? Uncle "Yes, Father"?).
Never mind the whole story of Jonah which illustrates that you cannot hinder the call of God once given. Never mind that it is GOD who does the CALLING. Never mind that the Many priests in one parish is actually the anomaly, if hundreds upon hundreds of years mean anything, and that the current decline in numbers is more accurately described by the concept of "market correction."
But actually I do not really mean it is a myth. After all a myth is a story told to explain the inexplicable that, while fictional in content, demonstrates the shared wisdom, truth, and values of the community to which the myth belongs. In other words, myths have a positive purpose directed toward knowledge and community cohesivenss. In Catholic theology, using these terms, the story of Jonah is a myth. It does not mean it is not real, and does prevent it from having happened, but it does assert that whether or not it happened is in some ways irrelevent, for the truth contained, the lessons for the community, are true either way.
The implications of focusing on the current situation of the church as "priest shortage", however, is not a myth. It demonstrates neither wisdom, truth, or shared values.

How do I know?

Because I have been an associate with the Racine Dominicans for several years. Their numbers are also declining. It is difficult to understand why. Some sisters at times feel discouraged. The need for a change in focus of long-term planning and community goals must shift to match the changing demographics.

BUT not one complaint of there being a sister shortage. Not one single mention of the lack of responsibility of parents and families and communities. Not one solitary insisting that a church or a family "cough up" the girls that are their due. Instead, RD's and other women's communities, too, are approaching things from two fronts. They are looking WITHIN, cleaning house, and constantly verifying [constant vigilance!] that their lives, individually and communally, are promoting their chosen community mission. Secondly, they are going on with the business of being Servants of Christ. In short, they are having faith, they are lifting their eyes up to the hills, whilst keeping their feet busy on the ground, instead of pointing their fingers at others.

This Year of the Priesthood (which actually begins with Advent, right?) is the perfect opportunity to honor the blessings for all of us that our priests embody and also to honor the rights and responsibilies of our own priesthood which we are called to through Baptism. Let us spend less time berating God and one another for not giving us what we think we need and more time being thankful for what we have and doing some "house cleaning" of our own so that we may be prepared to accept the people that GOD calls.

The Lord is kind and merciful, y'all!