From the semi-official daily of Church in France, La Croix, the long-lasting effects of the Council that keeps on giving:
With half of its priests aged 75 or older, the Church of France is confronted with a financial as well as human problem....One half of French priests are more than 75 years old. It is a harsh realization and, still, "the apex of priestly aging is ahead of us," emphasizes Jean-Michel Coulot, assistant Secretary-General of the Conference of French Bishops, who deals in particular with the matter of elderly priests.
P.S. More encouraging news from another aging nation:
Putin vows Russia will defend persecuted Christians abroad
Moscow, February 8, Interfax - Prime Minister Vladimir Putin promised on Wednesday it would be one of the tasks of Russia's foreign policy to defend Christians in other countries who are persecuted for their faith.
"You needn't have any doubt that that's the way it will be," Putin said at a meeting with Russian religious leaders when Metropolitan Hilarion, foreign relations chief of the Russian Orthodox Church, expressed hope that Russia's government would stand up for persecuted Christian communities abroad.
