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PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — In a story May 23 about applicants to a Roman Catholic seminary in Rhode Island, The Associated Press reported erroneously on the number of applicants that the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence had received. Carolyn Cronin, a spokeswoman for the diocese, says four men are going through the application process. She says none of the applicants are from the Diocese of Providence.
A corrected version of the story is below:
Rhode Island seminary has no local applicants for fall program
Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence says they have received no local applicants for its seminary program, but men have applied from elsewhere
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — The Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence says no men from within the diocese have applied for its seminary program in the fall, although men from elsewhere have.
The Rev. Chris Murphy tells WPRI-TV that between two and six men from the Providence Diocese have entered Our Lady of Providence Seminary each fall over the past five years.
Diocese spokeswoman Carolyn Cronin says four men are currently going through the application process, but all of them are from other dioceses.
Murphy said Tuesday the church is not in crisis mode. He says they are looking at new ways to reach men who may be thinking about priesthood.
Pope Francis previously said there is a global shortage of priests, and he blames the issue on scandals within the church and changing cultural trends.
Four priests in the Providence Diocese are scheduled to retire this year. One man will be ordained into the priesthood in June.
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