thanks for reminding us of 'Charisms', Mark

Appreciating and acknowledging those might be the direction we need to go to solve our current problem of a 'priest shortage'

'Laity' can have charisma. At least they did in Paul's first Christin communities – and had enough so that the members could us their charisms so that each community had all it needed to 'build up the body of Christ'.

There weren't any 'professional Clerics' invented yet. 'Lay' people did the jobs needed : maybe temporarily, for as long as they had 'the gift' and were willing and able and capable. They did not need to be 'professional', full-time, and life-time 'clerics'.

The 'shortage' is of our own making.