The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has released the Ordination Class of 2023 Study ahead of this weekend’s celebration of the World Day of Prayer for Vocations.

“Surveys of recently professed men and women religious and men ordained to the priesthood show that families and encouragement from the parish priests alongside Catholic schools provide optimal environments for a vocational call to grow,” Bishop Earl Boyea, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations (CCLV), said in a release. “On this day, let us thank God for continuing to call men and women to serve him and his Church as priests, religious, and consecrated persons. We pray that all families, teachers and priests will continue their essential work of instilling the faith and love of Jesus in our children.”

The Catholic Church will celebrate the 60th annual World Day of Prayer for Vocations on Sunday. The day, also known as "Good Shepherd Sunday,” falls on the Fourth Sunday of Easter this year and is a time to reflect on the Gospel teaching that highlights Jesus as the Good Shepherd who sacrifices himself for his flock. The occasion aims to encourage prayer and reflection on the importance of religious vocations in the Church, the bishops group said its release.

The National Religious Vocation Conference said numerous religious organizations conduct events aimed at promoting and praying for vocations. Participation in parish activities often precedes the final vows of a significant number of individuals, emphasizing the value of involvement in such events. Those interested in pursuing vocations can request opportunities to speak, distribute materials, and engage in discussions about them by approaching their respective parishes.

The CCLV committee released a study conducted by CARA at Georgetown University in conjunction with the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. The Ordination Class of 2023 Study shows that out of 458 men to be ordained this year, 334 responded to the survey, representing 116 U.S. dioceses and eparchies and 24 religious institutes, the USCCB said. That represented a response rate of 73%.

The Ordination Class of 2023 Study reveals that most of the responding ordinands received formation at seminaries in the South and Midwest. Many of them first considered priesthood during elementary or high school, and 34% graduated from a Catholic high school. The majority were baptized Catholic as infants and raised primarily by their biological parents and a married couple living together. More than 50% of the respondents stated that their parish priest played a significant role in their decision to pursue a vocation, the USCCB said.