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CATHOLIC CHURCH STATISTICS
31 December 2007
WORLD POPULATION – CATHOLICS
PERSONS /CATHOLICS PER PRIEST
ECCLESIASTICAL CIRCUMSCRIPTIONS – MISSION STATIONS
BISHOPS
PRIESTS
PERMANENT DEACONS
RELIGIOUS MEN AND WOMEN, MEMBERS OF SECULAR INSTITUTES
LAY MISSIONARIES, CATECHISTS
MAJOR SEMINARIANS – DIOCESAN AND RELIGIOUS
MINOR SEMINARIANS – DIOCESAN AND RELIGIOUS
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS AND PUPILS
CATHOLIC INSTITUTES FOR HEALTHCARE, SOCIAL ASSISTANCE, CHARITY WORK
CIRCUMSCRIPTIONS DEPENDENT ON THE CONGREGATION FOR THE EVANGELISATION OF PEOPLES
OVERALL WORLD PICTURE
CATHOLIC CHURCH STATISTICS
Vatican City (Fides Service) – As every year in the month of October, in view of World Mission Sunday, Fides News Service offers, with the help of a few statistics, a panorama of Catholic missionary activity all over the world. Tables regarding members of the Church, church structures in the fields of pastoral care, healthcare, education and assistance are taken from the latest edition of the Church’s Book of Statistics (31 December 2007). Please note that variations, increase or decrease, emerging from our own comparison with last year's figures, are marked increase + or decrease –. in brackets
World population
On 31 December 2007 the world population was 6,617,097,000 with an increase of 74,273,000 units compared with the previous year. Population growth was registered on every continent including Europe, as it was noted in the previous year: Africa +16,865,000; America +11,327,000; Asia + 43,304,000; Oceania +531,000; Europe +2,246,000.
Catholics
On the same date Catholics in the world numbered 1.146.656.000 with an overall increase of 15.906.000 more than the previous year, in every continent as follows: Africa +6.612.000; America +5.535.000; Asia +2.428.000; Europe + 1,132,000 Oceania +199.000.
The world percentage of Catholics increased by 0.05 %, settling at 17.33%; by continent: increases were registered in Africa + 0,40; Asia + 0,02; in Europe + 0,03 and in Oceania - 0,17 . a slight drop in numbers was registered in America - 0,17.
Persons and Catholics per priest
This year again the number of persons per priest in the world increased by 140 units, (average 12,879). The distribution by continent resembles previous years: increase in America, Europe and Oceania, decrease in Africa and Asia : Africa - 456; America +71; Asia - 794; Europe +53; Oceania +207;
The number of Catholics per priest in the world increased by 34 units (average 2,810). Here too we have increases on every continent except Asia: Africa + 30; America + 31; Asia -20; Europe +22; Oceania +65.
Ecclesiastical circumscriptions and mission stations
The number of ecclesiastical circumscriptions increased by 13 to 2,936 with new circumscriptions created in: Africa +2; America +6; and Europe +5. Mission stations with a resident priest 1,016 (1,531 less than in the previous year) are decreasing on every continent.
Mission Stations without a resident priest increased in number by 5,159 units, to 124,642. Increases registered on every continent were greater in America (+ 3,764), and Africa (+ 1,310); followed by Asia (+ 75); Europe (+6); Oceania (+ 4).
Bishops
The number of bishops in the world increased by 48 units, to 4,946. Every continent, except America -2, registered an increase: Africa (+ 19); Asia, (+12) and Europe (+13) Oceania (+6). The increase in numbers regard both diocesan and religious Bishops: Diocesan bishops number 3,729 (40 more than in the previous year); Religious Bishops number 1,217 (increase of 8 units). The increase in diocesan bishops is registered on every continent: Africa (+12); Asia (+10), Europe (+15); Oceania (+3); whereas in America the situation remains unchanged. The number of religious Bishops increased slightly in Africa (+ 7); Asia (+2) and Oceania (+ 3), whereas the number dropped in Europe (-2) and America (-2).
priests
The total number of priests in the world increased by 762 units, to 408,024. The only continents which registered a decrease were again Europe (-2,260) and Oceania (- 55 ), whereas figures grew in Africa (+1,180); America (+ 376) and Asia (+1.521). Diocesan priests increased by 1,340 units, reaching a total of 272,431 with increases in Africa (+1,024), America (+853), Asia (+864) but showed a slight drop in Oceania (- 9), and again a decrease in Europe (- 1,392). The number of Religious priests decreased by 578 units to a total 135,593. Increases were registered as in recent years in Asia (+657) and Africa (+156), whereas numbers dropped in America (- 447), Europe (- 868) and Oceania (- 46).
permanent deacons
Permanent deacons increased by 1,422 units to 35,942. The highest increase was registered again in America (+898) and in Europe (+472), followed by Africa (+24), Asia (+ 20) and Oceania (+8). Diocesan Permanent deacons number 35,297, with increases on all continents (total increase 1,309 units): Africa (+ 28), America (+829); Asia (+ 23); Europe (+419) and Oceania (+ 10).
Religious permanent deacons number 645, with an increase of 133 units more than in the previous year with increases in America (+69); and Europe (+ 53); but a decrease in Africa (- 4) and Asia ( - 3); Oceania (-2).
men and women religious
The number of Brothers dropped by 151 units to 54,956. Situation: increase in Africa (+ 75); America (+ 111), Asia (+ 36); and Oceania (+ 19). The only decrease was registered in Europe (- 392). An overall decrease in the number of women religious (– 6,586), today 746,841, was registered by continent as follows: increase in Africa (+ 1,178 ) and Asia (+ 2,838) and decrease in Europe (- 5,843), America (– 4,650) and Oceania (– 109).
members of secular institutes, male and female
Members of male secular institutes number 665 with an overall decrease of 26 units. Numbers increased only in Europe (+ 15), the situation in Oceania remained the same with only one member of a secular institute. Numbers decreased in Africa (- 17), America (- 6), Asia (- 18).
Members of Female secular institutes decreased again this year, by 572 units to a total of 26,778 members. Decreases were registered in America (- 238), in Europe (- 415) and Oceania (-2) while numbers increased in Africa (+18), Asia (+ 65).
lay missionaries and catechists
The number of lay missionaries in the world is 250,464 units, with an overall increase of 33,696 units, distributed as follows: America (+31,417), Asia (+ 2,552) and Europe (+ 493). Whereas numbers dropped in Africa ( - 711) and Oceania (- 55).
Catechists in the world increased by 6,665 units to a total of 2,993,354. Numbers grew in Africa (+ 5,896), Asia (+ 14, 383), and Europe (+ 7,403), but dropped in America (- 20,071) and Oceania (- 946).
major seminarians
The overall number of major seminarians, diocesan and religious, rose again, although less than the previous year, increasing by 439 units to 115,919. Numbers grew in Africa (+ 695), Asia (+ 595), and Oceania (+ 5) but dropped in America (- 381) and Europe (- 475).
Diocesan major seminarians number 71,225 (653 less than the previous year) but Religious major seminarians increased to 44,602 (+1.092). Diocesan seminarians increased in Africa (+136) and Oceania (+ 5), but decreased in America (- 239), Asia (- 74) and Europe (- 481).
Religious Seminarians increased in Africa (+ 559), Asia ( + 669) and Europe (+ 6). Numbers remained the same in Oceania (=) and dropped in America ( - 142).
minor seminarians
The number of minor seminarians, diocesan and religious, decreased by 671 units, to 101,978. Numbers grew in Africa (+782), Europe (+ 13) and Oceania (+ 49), but dropped in America (- 684) and Asia (- 831). Diocesan minor seminarians number 77,145 (- 1, 158), whereas religious seminarians number 24,833 (+ 487). The number of diocesan minor seminarians has decreased on every continent except Oceania ( + 63). Religious minor seminarians decreased in number in America ( - 136), Asia ( - 241) and Oceania ( - 14), but increased in Africa (+ 815) and Europe ( + 63).
Catholic schools
In the field of education the Catholic Church runs 67,264 kindergartens with 6,386,497 pupils; 91,694 primary schools with 29,800,338 pupils; 41,210 secondary schools (+274) with 16,778,633 pupils. The Church also cares for 1,894,148 high school pupils and 2,837,370 university students.
Catholic charity and healthcare centres
The Church runs 5,378 hospitals most of them in America (1,669) and Europe (1,363); 18,088 dispensaries mainly in America (5,663), Africa (5,373) and Asia (3,532); 521 Care Homes for people with Leprosy mainly in Asia (293) and Africa (186); 15,448 Homes for the elderly, or the chronically ill or people with a disability mainly in Europe (8,271) and America (3,839); 9,376 orphanages, about one third in Asia (3,376); 11,555 creches ; 13,599 marriage counselling centres mainly in Europe (5,919) and America (4,827); 33.146 social rehabilitation centres and 10,356 other kinds of institutions.
STATISTICS
Source: Church’s Yearly Book of Statistics latest edition elaborated by Fides in brackets variations compared with previous year: increase (+) decrease (-)
WORLD POPULATION – CATHOLICS
|
Continent |
Population |
Catholics |
Percentage |
|
Africa |
943,743,000 (+ 16,865,000) |
164,925,000 (+ 6,612,000) |
17.48 % (+ 0.40) |
|
America |
907,393,000 (+ 11,327,000) |
568,570,000 (+ 5,535,000) |
62.66 % (- 0.17) |
|
Asia |
4,024,970,000 (+ 43,304,000) |
120,894,000 (+ 2,428,000) |
3.00 % (+ 0.02) |
|
Europe |
706,798,000 (+ 2,246,000) |
283,240,000 (+ 1,132,000) |
40.07 % (+ 0.03) |
|
Oceania |
34,193,000 (+ 531,000) |
9,027,000 (+ 199,000) |
26.43 % (+ 0.17) |
|
Total |
6,617,097,000 (+ 74,273,000) |
1,146,656,000 (+ 15,906,000) |
17.33% (+ 0.05) |
PERSONS /CATHOLICS PER PRIEST
|
Continent |
persons per priest |
Catholics per priest |
|
Africa |
27,230 (- 456) |
4,759 (+ 30) |
|
America |
7,469 (+ 71) |
4,680 (+ 31) |
|
Asia |
50,432 (- 794) |
2,290 (- 20) |
|
Europe |
3,636 (+ 53) |
1,457 (+ 22) |
|
Oceania |
7,312 (+ 207) |
1,931 (+ 65) |
|
Total |
12,879 (+ 140) |
2,810 (+ 34) |
ECCLESIASTICAL CIRCUMSCRIPTIONS– MISSION STATIONS
|
Continent |
Ecclesiastical Circumscriptions
|
Mission Stations with resident priest |
Mission Stations without resident priest |
|
Africa |
516 (+ 2) |
248 (- 1,329) |
70,805 (+ 3,764) |
|
America |
1,072 (+ 6) |
105 (- 79 ) |
12,668 (+ 1,310) |
|
Asia |
523 (=) |
578 (- 114) |
40,566 (+ 75) |
|
Europe |
746 (+ 5) |
35 (- 8) |
64 (+ 6) |
|
Oceania |
79 (=) |
50 (- 1) |
539 (+ 4) |
|
total |
2,936 (+ 13) |
1,016 (- 1,531) |
124,642 (+ 5,159) |
BISHOPS
|
Continent |
Total bishops |
diocesan bishops |
Religious bishops |
|
Africa |
657 (+ 19) |
474 (+ 12) |
183 (+ 7) |
|
America |
1,847 (- 2) |
1,278 (=) |
569 (- 2) |
|
Asia |
732 (+ 12) |
539 (+ 10) |
193 (+ 2) |
|
Europe |
1,576 (+ 13) |
1,349 (+ 15) |
227 (- 2) |
|
Oceania |
134 (+ 6) |
89 (+ 3) |
45 (+ 3) |
|
total |
4,946 (+ 48) |
3,729 (+ 40) |
1,217 (+ 8) |
PRIESTS
|
Continent |
Total priests |
Diocesan priests |
Religious priests |
|
Africa |
34,658 (+ 1,180) |
23,154 (+ 1,024) |
11,504 (+ 156) |
|
America |
121,495 (+ 376) |
79,654 (+ 853) |
41,841 (- 477) |
|
Asia |
52,802 (+ 1,521) |
30,991 (+ 864) |
21,811 (+ 657) |
|
Europe |
194,393 (- 2,260) |
135,971 (- 1,392) |
58,422 (- 868) |
|
Oceania |
4,676 (- 55) |
2,661 (- 9) |
2,015 (- 46) |
|
total |
408,024 (+ 762) |
272,431 (+ 1,340) |
135,593 (- 578) |
PERMANENT DEACONS
|
Continent |
Total permanent deacons |
Diocesan Permanent deacons |
Religious Permanent deacons |
|
Africa |
403 (+ 24) |
381 (+ 28) |
22 (- 4) |
|
America |
23,256 (+ 898) |
23,000 (+ 829) |
256 (+ 69) |
|
Asia |
163 (+ 20) |
118 (+ 23) |
45 (- 3) |
|
Europe |
11,848 (+ 472) |
11,529 (+ 419) |
319 (+ 53) |
|
Oceania |
272 (+ 8) |
269 (+ 10) |
3 (- 2) |
|
total |
35,942 (+ 1,422) |
35,297 (+ 1,309) |
645 (+ 113) |
BROTHERS AND WOMEN RELIGIOUS
|
Continent |
Brothers |
Women Religious |
|
|
Africa |
7,921 (+ 75) |
61,886 (+ 1,178) |
|
|
America |
16,755 (+ 111) |
206,509 (- 4,650) |
|
|
Asia |
10,041 (+ 36) |
158,692 (+ 2,838) |
|
|
Europe |
18,693 (- 392) |
310,138 (- 5,843) |
|
|
Oceania |
1,546 (+ 19) |
9,589 (- 109) |
|
|
total |
54,956 (- 151) |
746,814 (- 6,586) |
MEMBERS OF SECULAR INSTITUTES
|
Continent |
Members of secular institutes Male |
Members of secular institutes Female |
|
Africa |
41 (- 17) |
537 (+ 18) |
|
America |
193 (- 6) |
5,738 (- 238) |
|
Asia |
24 (- 18) |
1,726 (+ 65) |
|
Europe |
406 (+ 15) |
18,734 (- 415) |
|
Oceania |
1 (=) |
43 (- 2) |
|
total |
665 (- 26) |
26,778 (- 572) |
LAY MISSIONARIES AND CATECHISTS
|
Continent |
Lay missionaries |
Catechists |
|
Africa |
3,590 (- 711) |
399,932 (+ 5,896) |
|
America |
229,639 (+ 31,417) |
1,723,284 (- 20,071) |
|
Asia |
12,456 (+ 2,552) |
312,553 (+ 14,383) |
|
Europe |
4,422 (+ 493) |
541,828 (+ 7,403) |
|
Oceania |
357 (- 55) |
15,757 (- 946) |
|
total |
250,464 (+ 33,696) |
2,993,354 (+ 6,665) |
MAJOR SEMINARIANS – DIOCESAN AND RELIGIOUS
|
Continent |
Total Major seminarians
|
Diocesan Major seminarians |
Religious Major seminarians |
|
Africa |
24,729 (+ 695) |
16,654 (+ 136) |
8,075 (+ 559) |
|
America |
36,769 (- 381) |
24,845 (- 239) |
11,924 (- 142) |
|
Asia |
31,297 (+ 595) |
14,966 (- 74) |
16,331 (+ 669) |
|
Europe |
22,143 (- 475) |
14,127 (- 481) |
8,016 (+ 6) |
|
Oceania |
981 (+ 5) |
633 (+ 5) |
348 (=) |
|
total |
115,919 (+ 439) |
71,225 (- 653) |
44,694 (+ 1,092) |
MINOR SEMINARIANS – DIOCESAN AND RELIGIOUS
|
Continent |
total minor seminarians
|
diocesan minor seminarians
|
religious minor seminarians
|
|
Africa |
48,812 (+ 782) |
43,053 (- 33) |
5,759 (+ 815) |
|
America |
15,982 (- 684) |
10,973 (- 548) |
5,009 (- 136) |
|
Asia |
24,038 (- 831) |
15,117 (- 590) |
8,921 (- 241) |
|
Europe |
12,813 (+ 13) |
7,698 (- 50) |
5,115 (+ 63) |
|
Oceania |
333 (+ 49) |
304 (+ 63) |
29 (- 14) |
|
Total |
101,978 (- 671) |
77,145 (- 1,158) |
24,833 (+ 487) |
SCHOOLS AND PUPILS
|
|
INFANT schools |
children |
PRIMARY schools |
pupils |
SECONDARY schools |
PUPILS |
High school pupils |
UNIVERSITY Pupils |
|
Africa |
12,496 |
1,266,444 |
33,263 |
14,061,806 |
9,838 |
3,738,238 |
54,362 |
76,432 |
|
America |
15,788 |
1,636,893 |
22,562 |
7,085,289 |
11,053 |
3,727,151 |
566,257 |
1,926,978 |
|
Asia |
13,683 |
1,642,586 |
15,698 |
4,959,065 |
9,298 |
5,061,593 |
1,021,516 |
525,794 |
|
Europe |
23,602 |
1,738,825 |
17,222 |
3,045,764 |
10,338 |
3,859,905 |
243,180 |
297,647 |
|
Oceania |
1,695 |
101,749 |
2,949 |
648,414 |
683 |
391,746 |
8,833 |
10,519 |
|
total |
67,264 |
6,386,497 |
91,694 |
29,800,338 |
41,210 |
16,778,633 |
1,894,148 |
2,837,370 |
HOSPITALS/CLINICS, CHARITY WORK, WELFARE
|
Continent |
hospitals |
Dispensaries |
Leprosy centres |
Homes for the elderly, chronically ill, disabled |
orphanages |
Nursery schools |
Marriage Counselling centres, |
other institutes |
total |
|
Africa |
1,074 |
5,373 |
186 |
753 |
979 |
1,997 |
1,590 |
2,947 |
1,279 |
|
America |
1,669 |
5,663 |
38 |
3,839 |
2,463 |
3,715 |
4,827 |
13,652 |
4,239 |
|
Asia |
1,102 |
3,532 |
293 |
2,095 |
3,367 |
3,211 |
969 |
5,379 |
1,870 |
|
Europe |
1,363 |
2,947 |
3 |
8,271 |
2,480 |
2,524 |
5,919 |
10,576 |
2,761 |
|
Oceania |
170 |
573 |
1 |
490 |
87 |
108 |
294 |
592 |
207 |
|
total |
5,378 |
18,088 |
521 |
15,448 |
9,376 |
11,555 |
13,599 |
33,146 |
10,356 |
ECCLESIASTICAL CIRCUMSCRIPTIONS DEPENDENT ON THE CONGREGATION FOR THE EVANGELISATION OF PEOPLES
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – The Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples is at the service of the Holy Father the Pope as the “central body for promoting, directing and co-ordinating” the activity of evangelisation of peoples and missionary cooperation throughout the world (cfr, Ad gentes, 29; Pastor bonus, 85),
The Church down through the centuries, in obedience to the command received from Christ, has always proclaimed the Gospel to all peoples. In order to fulfil her missionary duty, in the face of growing demand for evangelisation in the 16th century, the Church set up special structures. In 1622 Pope Gregory XV instituted the “Sacred Congregation de Propaganda Fide”, with the task of “preaching and proclaiming the Gospel and Catholic doctrine in all missions”, giving the Congregation decision making powers to guarantee rapidity and effectiveness. In 1627 Pope Urban VIII founded the Urban College of Propaganda Fide for the formation of secular clergy for the mission and the Tipografia Poliglotta (Printing Press) to print documents and books in many different languages.
With the apostolic constitution Pastor bonus Pope John Paul II confirmed the general principle of jurisdiction laid down by the Second Vatican Council (cfr. Ad gentes, 29), which states: “The Congregation has the task of directing and co-ordinating activity for the evangelisation of peoples and for missionary cooperation” (85),
The main duties of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples include: ensure fair distribution of missionaries; formation for local secular clergy and catechists; involve Religious Institutes, Mission Societies, and local Churches in the task of evangelising mission territories.
Latest details (10 October 2009) of Ecclesiastical Circumscriptions under the care of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples (CEP) :
The CEP is responsible for a total number of 1,094
Ecclesiastical Circumscriptions
|
Continent |
AD |
D |
AT |
VA |
PA |
M |
AA |
OM |
TOTAL |
|
Africa |
87 |
378 |
- |
14 |
9 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
493 |
|
America |
7 |
31 |
- |
45 |
- |
2 |
- |
- |
85 |
|
Asia |
76 |
333 |
1 |
15 |
36 |
3 |
4 |
2 |
470 |
|
Oceania |
11 |
31 |
- |
- |
1 |
2 |
- |
1 |
46 |
|
TOTAL |
181 |
773 |
1 |
74 |
46 |
8 |
5 |
6 |
1094 |
KEY: archdiocese (AD), diocese (D), territorial abbacy (AT), apostolic vicariate (VA), apostolic prefecture (PA), apostolic administration (AA), Mission sui juris (M), military Ordinariate (OM) (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 15 October2009)
___________________________________________________________
Special Feature prepared by S.L. - Fides News Service 15 October 2009