A ZENIT SPECIAL REPORT

CHURCH STATISTICS AND CHURCH MISSION

Rome (Fides) - On the threshold of the third Christian millennium, Church statistics help us to draw some conclusions about two thousand years of evangelization among peoples.

At the end of 1997 the world population was 5,820,767,000 that is 80,677,000 than the previous year and what is more this increase was 27,961,000 more than the increase in the previous year. The population growth of 80,677,000 was by continent as follows: 59,241,000 in Asia, 14,978,000 in Africa, 7,006,000 in America and 326,000 in Oceania; but a decrease in Europe of 874,000. (Cf. Church’s Book of Statistics 1997).

At the same date Catholics were 1,005,254,000, with an increase of 10,126,000 compared to the previous year, distributed by continent as follows: increase of 4,591,000 in America,3,600,000 in Africa, 2,064,000 in Asia and 287,000, but a decrease of 27,000 in Oceania and 102,000 in Europe.

The percentage of Catholics in the world has decreased on the whole by 0.07%, although it has increased by 0.18% in Africa, 0.03% in Europe, 0.02% in America and 0.01% in Asia; and decreased only in Oceania of 0.40%.

The ratio of inhabitants and Catholics per priest has risen generally by 48 units. But while it increased in Oceania by 240, in America by 62 and in Europe by 21, it dropped by 1,591 in Asia and by 121 in Africa. In these two continents in fact the number of priests has grown.

But generally Priests have decreased, by 128 units (750 less Religious priests but 622 more diocesan priests) In Asia the number of priests increased by 1,037 (+ 714 and + 323 Religious); in Africa by 600 (+749 diocesan but less 149 Religious); decreased in America by 69 (+ 509 diocesan but less 578 Religious); decrease in Europe of 1,664 (- 1,306 diocesan and – 358 Religious) and in Oceania by 32 (- 44 diocesan and + 12 Religious.

Religious men have decreased generally by 757 units despite an increase in Asia by 119, in Africa by 97. Because they decreased by 538 in Europe, 317 in America and 118 in Oceania.

Women Religious have decreased considerably by 9,382 units: while they increased by 1,664 in Asia, and by 97 in Africa they decreased in Europe by 8,175 and by 4,064 in America.

Catechists have increased generally by 434,388

Major seminarians have increased generally by 2,647: increasing by 1,904 in America, by 922 in Africa and by 673 in Asia, but decreasing by 788 in Europe and 64 in Oceania.

Minor seminarians decreased generally by 2,741 because while they increased by 2,185 in Africa they decreased by 2,123 in America, 1,720 in Europe and by 1,074 in Asia and 9 in Oceania.

CATHOLICS IN THE WORLD
AND ON THE INDIVIDUAL CONTINENTS

BISHOPS
(bracketed variations compared with last year)

(bracketed variations compared with last year)

BROTHERS, SISTERS, CATECHISTS
(bracketed variations compared with last year)

SEMINARIANS

SCHOOLS AND PUPILS
The Church’s work in education reaches a total 47,187,187 pupils (increase of 587,769 units in 1996)
 not counting students formed in professional schools.

RELIGIONS IN THE WORLD
At the end of 1997, according to approximate statistics,
the religions of the world population of 5,820,767,000 were as follows:

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