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One of the greatest challenges facing the Church in the Bronx, indeed across the archdiocese and beyond, is the shortage of priests. It is a crisis Bishop Jenik sees as only deepening in the future. He says greater cooperation between and among parishes is the only option and he will make that a priority as an auxiliary bishop.
“Get the guys to come together and collaborate,” he said. “People really have to think in terms of the future when there are fewer priests and the effect on their lives. I was looking at the statistics and projecting them forward. With everybody who is in place now, and making believe they’ll all be alive in 2040, that’s maybe 150 priests left for the whole archdiocese. That’s unless we have a huge influx of vocations.
“What impact is that going to have?”
Bishop Jenik doesn’t project himself far into that future.
“I have limited shelf life,” he said with a laugh. “I’m 70 years old and all bishops have to hand in their resignations by 75.”
Of course, it’s up to the Holy Father when he accepts them, and Bishop Jenik is a very young 70. He looks at least 20 years younger and still pedals around the Bronx on his bicycle.
