Newsroom (07/29/2025 09:28, Gaudium Press) InfoCatólica reports on the crucial role of devotion to Our Lady in vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life in the United States, as reported by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University.
A study by Georgetown University has revealed some interesting aspects about American seminarians and their piety. In particular, about their Marian piety.
The study, published last June 2025, is entitled “Impact of Mary, Mother of the Church, on Ecclesial Vocations”. It includes the results of six surveys with 1,091 participants, belonging to the diocesan clergy (including bishops and deacons) and various religious congregations.
59% of respondents spoke of the impact of devotion to Mary on their original vocation.
The study revealed that 59% of respondents stated that their devotion to Mary had a significant or profound impact on their original vocation to serve Christ and the Church. This figure was even higher among religious priests (71%).
It was also found that the most popular Marian devotion in discerning a vocation was praying the rosary in private. Seven out of ten respondents indicated that praying the rosary had a positive influence on them during their period of discernment (among bishops, the percentage was slightly higher, at 80%).
The majority of respondents (72%) prayed the rosary alone on a weekly or daily basis. Other popular Marian devotions were meditative or contemplative prayer with Our Lady (46%), praying the rosary in company (37%), and reading spiritual writings about Mary (28%).
Forty-four percent of those surveyed said they had visited at least one place of apparitions before deciding on their ecclesial vocation. Nearly three out of ten had made pilgrimages to Guadalupe (29%) and Lourdes (28%), the two most frequently mentioned places. Marian devotions related to Fatima, Lourdes, and Guadalupe were the most influential in the respondents’ vocation. Forty-four percent, 43%, and 31% stated that Marian devotions related to Fatima, Lourdes, and Guadalupe, respectively, had had a significant impact on their vocation.
Seventy-five percent of the respondents indicated that their devotion to Mary had strengthened or greatly strengthened them in their vocation. Eighty percent stated they frequently turned to Mary for spiritual help.
The data confirmed something that the Church has always known: a closeness to Mary leads to a closeness to Christ. Indeed, the study revealed that 80% of the respondents indicated that their devotion to Mary had had a significant impact on their dedication to the Eucharist.
A large number of respondents experienced the presence of St. Mary in their lives as a companion, friend, guide, and consoler. One respondent said, “Mary accompanies me every day as I celebrate Holy Mass, just as she was with Christ at the foot of the Cross.” Many highlighted the role of our Lady as intercessor or Mother. The majority of respondents (74%) affirmed that the Catholic Church placed proper emphasis on devotion to Mary. Among the rest, 21% said that not enough attention was placed, and 5% indicated that too much emphasis was placed.
This is certainly good news, a clear improvement over previous decades. However, it would also be worth asking why some of these percentages are not 100% and whether a vocation to the priesthood or religious life without devotion to Our Lady makes sense.
With information from NCR / InfoCatólica
Compiled by Dominic Joseph
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