Poland's reputation as a bastion of the Catholic Church is under threat after new figures showed a dramatic fall in the number of men signing up for the priesthood. In 2009 only 687 men enrolled in seminaries, a 30 per cent drop on the figure from 10 years ago, according to report published by the Conference of the Polish Episcopate.
The number of women joining religious orders has also declined, with only 354 joining last year, a drop of 50 per cent since 2002.
Poland's Catholic Information Agency, which covers church affairs, also reported that the number of Polish seminary students had fallen below 4,000 for the first time ever.
Along with linking the decline in numbers to a Polish demographic slump, the church has blamed the spread of western liberalism and its corrosive effect on society, and those considering the priesthood.
"We are getting more and more immature candidates who have good intentions, but they are the children of a toxic media; children of a liberal civilisation in which freedom is more important than man," said Father Marek Dzwiewiecki, the priest in charge of national vocations.
"These are the children of our times, for whom responsibility, loyalty and discipline are alien worlds."
Any fall in the number of Polish priests could have unwanted repercussions for the Catholic Church across Europe.
Up to one in five of all priests on the continent are from Poland, and many dioceses across Europe depend on Polish priests to make up for local shortfalls.
SIC: TCUK