The Challenges of Growth: Catechesis, Parish Capacity and Pastoral Care

With the surge of converts in America over the last 7-8 years, parishes receiving catechumens and newly baptized have experienced similar problems. Fortunately, these problems have perennial, ancient solutions. By consulting the saints and bearing witness to the fruits of their endeavors, we find the path toward function and efficiency within the walls of our own churches even today.

The most well-known problem is easily the clergy shortage. One important detail, often overlooked, is that we’ve had a shortage of clergy in the Orthodox Church for at least 20 years in the US. Some have already noticed a trend of mission parishes starting and quickly closing due to an inability to fill the priestly vacancy. God has given us the Orthodox Studies Institute, which has shed much light on the future state of the Church in America according to current vocational and baptismal projections.