Catholic University of America launches study on priests leaving ministry

The Catholic University of America has launched a study to investigate why some priests leave public ministry within a few years of ordination. University official Sara Perla stated that the research addresses a perception among some bishops and Catholic leaders that more men are leaving the priesthood in their early years. The study seeks to determine if this perception is supported by data and what factors contribute to these departures.

The research initiative is funded by the Knights of Columbus. Lead researcher Brandon Vaidyanathan, a sociology professor and director of the university's Institutional Flourishing Lab, said the project will deepen understanding of the reasons behind these decisions. He is collaborating with Stephen Cranney, a data scientist and lecturer in the university's global studies department, as well as sociologists Maureen Day from Villanova University, Joseph Davis from the University of Virginia, and Caitlin Fitzgerald from the University of Notre Dame.

The study will use quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze anonymized data from priests ordained for United States dioceses between 2006 and 2025. The Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University will compile the data set. The university expects to release the results in the fall of 2027.