Catholic Church statistics 2015

View from St Peter's

The latest edition of the 'Church's Book of Statistics' was released to coincide with World Mission Sunday yesterday. The book details members of the Church, church structures, healthcare, welfare and education. Increases or decreases, emerging from comparison with last year's figures, are marked increase + or decrease - in brackets.

World population

To 31 December 2013 the world population was 7.093.798.000 with an increase of 70.421.000 compared with the previous year. Population growth was registered on every continent above all in Asia and Africa followed by America ; Europe and Oceania.

Catholics

On the same date Catholics in the world numbered 1.253.926,000 with an overall increase of 25,305,000 more than the previous year. The increase affects all continents especially America and Africa followed by Asia ; Europe and Oceania.

The world percentage of Catholics increased by 0.09 %, settling at 17.68%. By continent: increases were registered in Africa, America, Asia, Europe. A slight decrease was shown in Oceania.

Persons and Catholics per priest

This year the number of persons per priest in the world increased by 180 units, average 13.752. The distribution by continent: increase in America; Europe and Oceania; decrease in Africa; Asia.

The number of Catholics per priest in the world increased by 54 units, average 3.019. There are increases in America; Europe and Oceania; decrease in Asia and Africa.

Ecclesiastical circumscriptions and mission stationsThe number of ecclesiastical circumscriptions are 8 more than the previous year to 2.989 with new circumscriptions created in: Africa , America , Asia , Europe and Oceania . Mission stations with a resident priest number 1.871 and increases registered in Africa , Asia and Oceania . Decreases in America and Europe . Mission Stations without a resident priest increased in number by 3.074 units, to 133.869. Compared to the previous year, increase is registered in Africa , America , Asia and Oceania . The number dropped only in Europe .

Bishops

The total number of Bishops in the world increased by 40, to 5.173. Contrary to previous years where Diocesan Bishops increased in numbers, while Religious Bishops decreased, this year they both increased. Diocesan Bishops number 3.945 , whilw Religious Bishops number 1.228 . The increase in diocesan Bishops is registered in all continents except Oceania : in America ; Asia , Africa and Europe . The number of religious Bishops increased on every continent: Africa , America , Asia , Europe , while Oceania unvaried.

Priests

The total number of priests in the world increased by 1.035, to 415.348. The only continents which registered a decrease was again Europe and a slight decrease in Oceania , whereas figures grew in Africa , America and Asia. Diocesan priests increased by 917 units, reaching a total of 280.532 with increases in Africa; America and Asia and Oceania. A drop in Europe The number of Religious priests increased by 64 units to a total 134,816. Increases were registered as in recent years in Africa and Asia, whereas numbers dropped in America, Europe and Oceania.

Permanent Deacons

Permanent deacons in the world increased by 1,091 to 43.195. The highest increase was registered again in America and in Europe and an increase in Africa , Asia and Oceania .Permanent Diocesan deacons in the world are 42.650, with an overall increase of 1.084 units. They increased on every continent: Africa , America , Asia , Europe and Oceania.

Religious permanent deacons number 545, increased by 7 compared to the previous year, with increases on every continent: Africa , America and Oceania and a decrease in Asia and Europe.

Men and women religious

The number of non-religious priests decreased by 61 to 55.253. Situation: increase in America, Asia and Oceania , decrease was registered in Africa and Europe. Even this year there is an overall decrease in the number of women religious by 8.954 units to 693.575. An increase was registered in Africa and Asia , decrease in America , Europe and Oceania.

Members of secular institutes, male and female

Members of male secular institutes number 712 with an overall decrease of 59. At a continental level there is an increase only in Africa while a decrease was registered in America, Asia, Europe, Oceania unvaried.The members of female secular institutes decreased this year, by 747 units to a total of 23.955 members. Increase in Africa and Asia while a decrease was registered in America, Europe and Oceania.

Lay missionaries and catechists

The number of lay missionaries in the world is 367.679, with an overall increase of 5.191 units. Numbers increase on every continent: Africa, America, Asia and Europe. A slight decrease was registered in Oceania.

Catechists in the world decreased by 13.075 units to a total of 3.157.568. A significant increase was registered in Africa and Asia, but numbers dropped in: America, Europe and Oceania.


Major seminarians
The number of major seminarians, diocesan and religious decreased this year, they are globally 1.800 units, reaching a total of 118.251. Increases occured only in Africa , while even this year a decrease in America , Asia , Europe and Oceania . Major diocesan seminarians number 71.537 and Religious major seminarians 46.714. Diocesan seminarians increased in Africa and Asia, while decreases are in America, Europe and Oceania.

Religious Seminarians decreased on every continent: in Africa , America , Asia , Europe and Oceania.

Minor seminarians

The number of minor seminarians, diocesan and religious decreased by 775 units to 101.928. Overall increase in America, Asia and Oceania, decreased in Africa and Europe.

Minor diocesan seminarians number 78.556, whereas religious seminarians number 23.372. The number of diocesan minor seminarians has decreased on every continent except Asia: Africa , America , Europe , Oceania . Religious minor seminarians increased in number in Africa , America and Oceania and decreased in Asia and Europe .

Catholic schools and Education

In the field of education, the Catholic Church runs 73.263 kindergartens with 6.963.669 pupils; 96.822 primary schools with 32.254.204 pupils; 45.699 secondary schools with 19.407.417 pupils. The Church also cares for 2.309.797 high school pupils, and 2.727.940 university students.

Catholic charity and healthcare centres

Charity and healthcare centres run in the world by the Church include: 5.034 hospitals, most of them in America and Africa ; 16.627 dispensaries, mainly in Africa ; America and Asia; 611 Care Homes for people with Leprosy, mainly in Asia and Africa; 15.518 Homes for the elderly, or the chronically ill or people with a disability, mainly in Europe and America; 9.770 orphanages, mainly in Asia; 12.082 creches, mainly in Asia and America; 14.391 marriage counselling centres, mainly in America and Europe; 3.896 social rehabilitation centres and 38.256 other kinds of institutions.

Ecclesiastical Circumscriptions dependent on the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples

The ecclesiastical Circumscriptions dependent on the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples to 13 October 2015 are 1.111 with an increase of 2 circumscription compared to the previous year. Most of the ecclesiastical circumscriptions are mainly in Africa and in Asia . Followed by America and Oceania.

Source: Fides/Catholic Church Statistics 2015