What will it take to recognize all priestly vocations?

[hedgehog]

I just came back from a pastoral council meeting last night. The bishop sent out a letter which essentially requires all parishes to come up with three alternate plans for closing down about half the parishes in the diocese. It specifically stated that we would be going to one building per parish so priests wouldn't have to commute. It struck me that the parishes are vital and alive; it's the clergy which is failing. Opening the priesthood to all will not solve all problems and it will bring along some new ones but at least we will be able to keep our parishes open. We can't even talk about evangelizing in a town with a large number of unchurched people because we're too busy making plans to shut down!