How Severe Is the Priest Shortage in French Dioceses?
French dioceses face a worsening vocation crisis, despite claims of improvement in seminary recruitment, Laurent Dastros writes on July 9 on Substack.com.
Dastros notes that, as of 2026, three French dioceses - Aire-et-Dax, Le Puy-en-Velay, and Le Havre - have gone between 12 and 14 years without a diocesan priestly ordination.
Carcassonne et Narbonne ended a 19-year gap in 2025 with the ordination of a 51-year-old candidate.
Annecy and Rodez could join this list next year if they continue without new ordinations.
Longer-Term Picture
Dastros calculates that between 2011 and 2026, only three dioceses recorded a single diocesan priestly ordination: Carcassonne et Narbonne, Rodez et Vabres, and Pamiers, Couserans et Mirepoix.
Based on the assumption that priests remain in active ministry for approximately 50 years, he estimates that, if current trends continue, each of these dioceses could eventually have only about three native diocesan priests.
He further identifies seven dioceses that …More
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In France, three dioceses have seen only a single priestly ordination in 16 years: • Rodez • Pamiers • Carcassonne.
Three others have recorded no ordinations for 12 to 14 years: • Aire-et-Dax • Le Puy-en-Velay • Le Havre.
Between 2023 and 2025, 56 priests have left the priesthood, while 105 diocesan priests have been ordained.
The Vatican tried to excommunicate 700. It failed to follow Canon law.
In addition, the SSPX has challenged the excommunication of six bishops. That puts the excommunication on hold while it is sorted out. The ball is back in the Modernists' court. The Modernists have not yet succeeded in their schism.
Meanwhile, Catholics still practice the faith.