audio, stills, text and or video: Go to zReportage.com to see more - The Catholic Church in many parts of the world is experiencing what is being called a 'priest crisis.' In 1970, there was one priest for every 800 Catholics in the United States. Today, that number has more than doubled, with one priest for every 1,800 Catholics. Globally, the situation is worse. The number of Catholics per priest increased from 1,895 in 1980 to 3,126 in 2012, according to a report from CARA at Georgetown University. An inadequate supply of priests already has forced hundreds of parishes to close or consolidate. Priests aren't getting any younger, either. Their average age is 63. In 2016 there were only 37,192 priests, comparing to 67.7 million parish-connected Catholics. Recent statistics might be holding some signs of renewal of trends as millennials answer the calling, despite unpopularity of the priestly profession. During the last 10 years priestly ordinations began to slowly grow. Pope Francis recently answered a question about the priest shortage by stating he would be 'open to married Catholic men becoming priests.' Many Church officials believe the requirement of celibacy is the main reason fewer men are joining the priesthood. Millennial priest Reverend Sinisa Ubiparipovic is a Parochial Vicar at St. Paul Parish in Hingham, MA. Parishioners call him Father Sinisa. He was ordained in 2015 at the age of 28, he works with the local community, regularly broadcasts mass on CatholicTV, and faces the challenges of this calling.
© Alena Kuzub/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
Mar 22, 2016 - Hingham, Massachusetts, U.S. - A CatholicTV employee puts a microphone on FATHER SINISA before broadcasting of Mass from the CatholicTV Chapel. 29-year-old REVEREND SINISA UBIPARIPOVIC is a Parochial Vicar at St. Paul Parish in Hingham, Massachusetts. While studying at the Bentley University, he went to see Pope Benedict in New York and at a rally experienced ''a sudden overwhelming sense of desire to serve God in a more total way''. That was the beginning of his desire to become a priest.
© Alena Kuzub/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
May 29, 2016 - Hingham, Massachusetts, U.S. - FATHER SINISA takes a moment to pray after the Mass and the Eucharistic Procession on the Feast of Corpus Cristi. 29-year-old REVEREND SINISA UBIPARIPOVIC is a Parochial Vicar at St. Paul Parish.
© Alena Kuzub/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
Mar 19, 2016 - Hingham, Massachusetts, U.S. - Teenagers pray during 2016 Confirmation Retreat at St. Paul Church.
© Alena Kuzub/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
Jun 5, 2016 - Hingham, Massachusetts, U.S. - FATHER SINISA, left, baptizes a baby at the St. Paul Church. 29-year-old REVEREND SINISA UBIPARIPOVIC is a Parochial Vicar at St. Paul Parish.
© Alena Kuzub/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
May 29, 2016 - Hingham, Massachusetts, U.S. - Parishioners of St. Paul Parish participate in the Eucharistic Procession on the Feast of Corpus Cristi. 29-year-old REVEREND SINISA UBIPARIPOVIC, center, is a Parochial Vicar at St. Paul Parish in Hingham, Massachusetts.
© Alena Kuzub/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
Mar 19, 2016 - Hingham, Massachusetts, U.S. - BISHOP JOHN DOOHER (center left) and REVEREND RICHARD GRIBBLE (center right) greet each other while FATHER SINISA (right) speaks to participating teens during 2016 Confirmation Retreat at St. Paul Church. 29-year-old REVEREND SINISA UBIPARIPOVIC is a Parochial Vicar at St. Paul Parish.
© Alena Kuzub/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
Mar 20, 2016 - Hingham, Massachusetts, U.S. - Palm Sunday Mass at St. Paul Church. 29-year-old REVEREND SINISA UBIPARIPOVIC is a Parochial Vicar at St. Paul Parish in Hingham, Massachusetts.
© Alena Kuzub/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
Jun 24, 2016 - New Hampshire, U.S. - FATHER ERIC CADIN, left, and FATHER SINISA UBIPARIPOVIC say Mass atop Mt. Monadnock during a hiking trip with Hingham teens from St. Paul's youth program.
© Alena Kuzub/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
Mar 12, 2016 - Hingham, Massachusetts, U.S. - Teenagers from the St. Paul's youth program play table tennis against their supervisor FATHER SINISA (left) before a movie night at a parishioner's house. 29-year-old REVEREND SINISA UBIPARIPOVIC is a Parochial Vicar at St. Paul Parish.
© Alena Kuzub/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
Apr 14, 2016 - Hingham, Massachusetts, U.S. - FATHER SINISA plays with pupils of the St. Paul Catholic School during their lunch break. 29-year-old REVEREND SINISA UBIPARIPOVIC is a Parochial Vicar at St. Paul Parish.
© Alena Kuzub/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
Mar 19, 2016 - Hingham, Massachusetts, U.S. - FATHER SINISA left, hears a teenager's confession at the St. Paul Church. 29-year-old REVEREND SINISA UBIPARIPOVIC is a Parochial Vicar at St. Paul Parish.
© Alena Kuzub/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
Dec 20, 2016 - Lynn, Massachusetts, U.S. - FATHER SINISA administers communion to his mother MIRJANA UBIPARIPOVIC during Mass at St. Mary's Chapel. 29-year-old REVEREND SINISA UBIPARIPOVIC is a Parochial Vicar at St. Paul Parish.
© Alena Kuzub/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
