Sir, - In the Rite and Reason column (July 30th), it was stated by Stephen Douds that there had been "a steep decline in ordinations" since the present Pope took office. This information will come as no surprise to readers of this newspaper, who are consistently led to believe that the present pontificate has been a disaster for the Church.
I have news for them. Far from a "steep decline" in the number of ordinations, there has been a significant increase worldwide, from 3,824 in 1978 to 6,313 in 1993. Since the low point of 1976, when only 3,786 ordinations took place, the turnaround has been particularly dramatic under the present Pope. Figures now are higher than they were at the end of the 1960s.
While there has been a ten per cent decrease in the ordinations of diocesan clergy, and an even larger decrease in the number of Order priests ordained in the Western world, there has been a dramatic increase in Africa and Asia, with the upward trend accelerating since 1988. Is it too much to expect a little more accuracy - let along balance - from the columns of The Irish Times, whenever the affairs of the Catholic Church are discussed? - Yours, etc.,
Loughlinstown,
Co. Dublin.