Pope Francis worried over ‘hemorrhage’ of priests, nuns from Catholic church

VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis says he is concerned about what he calls a “hemorrhage” of priests and nuns from the Catholic church.

The pope on Saturday told participants at a Vatican gathering on religious life that the loss of clergy is weakening the church.

First among the factors he cited as causing nuns and priests to quit their vocations is a society that discourages lifelong commitments. Francis lamented that many conduct their lives based on “a la carte” choices.

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For decades, the Catholic church in many developed countries has seen the number of priests and nuns on the decline.