What steps could the church take to alleviate the shortage of priests?

We must remember that the Church is not a multi-national company with targets to meet and strategies to implement! The shortage of priests is an invitation to prayer for more vocations. The Holy Spirit is looking after the Church, even in the West! As well as prayer, seminaries should be real “seed beds” of formation (the term “seminary” means “seed bed”). A sound formation that involves a solid growth in the life of prayer, some extensive intellectual study in philosophy and theology, the opportunity to have practical experience and varied input to help with the demands of the priestly life, should be incorporated into all seminary programmes. Young people today want challenges. A degree of joyful austerity in the life of priests that they meet provides young men with good role models and perhaps the inspiration to pursue a possible priestly vocation.