At 56, U.S. naval academy graduate and retiree James Cardosi became the Rev. James Cardosi in a 2015 Roman Catholic ordination performed by Philadelphia Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap.

Father Cardosi, a widower, was assigned to a parochial vicarship as a priest assisting a parish pastor. While unusual, his journey is far from unique: data from the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) shows that the presence – and interest – of retirees and mature adults in ministerial roles as a second career is increasingly common, and growing.

Motivated by spiritual, practical, and personal reasons, overall enrollment of students aged 50+ has grown from 11 to 25 percent over the past decade, according to Christopher Thé, Ph.D., director of Student Research and Initiative Management for ATS.

At 30 percent, Baptists lead the denominations with the greatest share of second-career pastors, followed by Inter/Multidenominational (24 percent), and Catholic (8 percent). The Master of Divinity remains the most popular degree, followed by the Doctor of Ministry and the Master of Arts.

William J. Cahoy, Ph.D., dean emeritus at Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary, calls this a “cultural shift,” a form of diversity that schools need to consider for classroom dynamics, marketing, and educational delivery.

“These students bring wisdom to the classroom, an achievement different from knowledge,” Cahoy said. Despite the challenges of adapting to academic rigor and technology, older students tend to stay focused on serving God and their communities, according to Cahoy.

“Their resilience and dedication highlight the substantial impact they are poised to make.”

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