Fewer men are entering seminaries and fewer women are joining religious orders in Poland, according to data released for World Day of Prayer for Vocations.
Falling Numbers of Vocations
The number of vocations to the priesthood and religious life in Poland is decreasing. In 2025, 289 men entered seminaries, 12 fewer than in 2024. 63 women began their novitiate, a decrease of 19 from the previous year. A similar number of candidates entered cloistered monasteries.
The National Council for Vocations Pastoral Care reported that 64 nuns left their orders.
Seminary Enrollment Statistics
A total of 1453 men are currently studying in theological seminaries in the academic year 2025/2026, compared to 1594 in 2024/2025.
Major Formation Centers
The archdiocesan seminary of Poznań has the largest number of seminarians, with 78 young men (an inter-diocesan center). Other significant centers were not specified.
Redemptoris Mater seminaries collectively have 65 seminarians, while the Seminary for Older Candidates (35+) in Łódź trains 12 students.
Statistics for Female Religious Congregations
As of the end of 2025, there are 112 active female religious congregations in Poland, with a total of 15,004 sisters. This represents a clear downward trend; in 2021, there were over 16,300 nuns.
Contemplative Life and Cloistered Nuns
There are currently 1130 nuns living in cloistered monasteries in Poland. The average age in this group is high, at 58.6 years in 2025.
Individual Forms of Consecrated Life
Individual forms of consecration are gaining popularity. Currently, 454 women are consecrated virgins (the largest number being in the Archdiocese of Kraków – 60). There are 463 blessed widows and widowers in Poland, with the largest group in the Archdiocese of Łódź (69 people).
World Day of Prayer for Vocations
World Day of Prayer for Vocations, observed on April 26th this year, is an initiative started by Pope Paul VI in 1964, and serves as an occasion to analyze vocation data.
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