A total of 24 of the 193 diocesan vocations offices and 65 religious orders reported that they post a Web site. And 26 of them reported that they have candidates for priesthood and religious life whose initial contact with them was through the Web.
Web pages vary in style and scope.
Some sites, particularly those of diocesan vocation offices, are a small part of a larger site. Others, chiefly those of religious orders, provide extensive information and are interactive, enabling a person to reach a contact who can respond to them through the Web or mail. Among dioceses, the Diocese of Joliet, Illinois, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and the Archdiocese of Newark showed sophisticated efforts. The Joliet site is the most elaborate and offers a Church vocation survey and prizes. It averages 350 hits a month and has been the initial point of contact by some men currently studying for the priesthood for the Joliet Diocese.