Ep. 4.40: A Crisis and a Crossroads: Archbishop May Confronts the Vocation Decline

Archbishop John L. May faces one of the most sobering challenges of his tenure as he confronts the steep decline in priestly vocations that has been unfolding since the late 1960s. In this episode, he speaks candidly to his priests about the cultural forces eroding sacrificial commitment, the shrinking and often hesitant Catholic family, and the fading practice of regular confession that once nurtured interior spiritual life. He also highlights what thriving dioceses are doing differently—joyful priestly witness, direct engagement with youth, and intense prayer for vocations—while wrestling with the financial strain of maintaining four massive seminary buildings that are now half-empty. As he lays out the hard numbers and the looming depletion of endowment funds, Archbishop May pushes the Archdiocese toward a bold restructuring: merging seminaries, relocating offices, and reimagining formation so that St. Louis can continue preparing priests for the future.