The Church's Numerical Strength Continues to Grow
THE CHURCH’S NUMERICAL STRENGTH CONTINUES TO GROW
LOR
‘Annuarium Statisticum’ Published for 1998
1. The Annuarium Statisticum Ecclesiae was recently published with Church statistics for 1998.
The publication provides a quantitative overview of the Catholic Church according to the different continents and countries. Here we will focus on the aspects that indicate the most important trends.
2. The worldwide increase in the number of baptized Catholics from 1996 to 1997 continued in 1998. It is interesting to note that the increase in 1998 is slightly higher than in 1997 (respectively 1.29% and 1.02%), and is greater than the increase from 1997 to 1998 in the general population. Thus, the number of baptized Catholic faithful has risen by one tenth of one per cent: from 17.3 Catholics per 100 inhabitants in 1997 to 17.4 in 1998.
CONTINENT
Bishops
Priests
Permanent
deacons
Brothers
Women
religious
Members of secular
institutes
Lay
missionaries
Catechist
Total
Africa
1.34
60.53
0.73
16.34
119.32
0.88
2.92
797.94
1,000
America
0.98
70.36
9.80
9.94
138.91
3.28
30.46
736.27
1,000
Asia
1.49
100.12
0.53
18.75
323.71
2.90
5.49
547.01
1,000
Europe
1.32
191.67
7.14
21.80
344.12
21.30
0.51
412.14
1,000
Oceania
3.45
149.16
5.20
57.56
345.49
1.46
7.28
430.40
1,000
WORLD
1.20
109.58
6.86
15.66
220.65
8.33
15.28
662.44
1,000
The distribution of the Catholic population varies widely from one geographic area of the world to another: the American continent is home to almost half the world's Catholics (28.4% of the total number of Catholics live in South America and 14% in Central and North America), while Europe accounts for 27.8% of the whole. Smaller numbers are found in Africa (11.5%), Asia (10.4%, almost all concentrated in the South-East) and Oceania (0.8%). The figures cited refer to 1998 and are essentially the same as the previous year's, while differing slightly from those of 1978. It is important to note the downward trend in the number of European Catholics and the upward trend in Africa and Asia.
3. From 1978 to 1998 the number of Bishops rose from 3,714 to 4,439, an increase of slightly less than 20%. However, the average linear increase varies considerably from one region to another. The percentage of growth is greatest in Africa (1.66%) and least in Europe (0.82%); other data: Oceania, 1.17%; Asia 0.94%; America 0.91%.
Africa has clearly had a high increase compared to other areas, particulary in relation to Europe. However, the distribution of Bishops throughout the world has remained basically the same: 37.7% of all prelates are to be found in America, followed by 32.9% in Europe, 13.9% in Asia, 12.9% in Africa and 2.6% in Oceania.
Bishops in 1978, 1988 and 1998: geographical distribution and numerical variations
CONTINENT
Number
per 100
of the total
Percentage
of variation 1978-1998
1978
1988
1998
1978
1988
1998
AFRICA
432
487
575
11.63
11.80
12.95
33.10
AMERICA
1,416
1,589
1,672
38.13
38.51
37.67
18.07
ASIA
519
578
617
13.97
14.01
13.90
18.88
EUROPE
1,253
1,365
1,459
33.74
33.08
32.87
16.44
OCEANIA
94
107
116
2.53
2.60
2.61
23.40
WORLD
3,714
4,126
4,439
100.00
100.00
100.00
19.52
4. The number of both diocesan and religious priests has fallen since 1978, although with considerable differences depending on the continent and the time period. In 1998 the total number of priests was 404,626; of these, 246,202 belonged to the diocesan clergy and 140,424 were religious.
From 1978 to 1998 the number of diocesan priests grew considerably in Africa; growth was less dynamic but still positive overall in Asia and America (on close inspection we can see the difference between the North, with downward trends more like those in Europe, and the Centre and the South, where the numbers are steadily rising). These trends contrast with the noticeable drop in Europe and the positive and negative variations in Oceania.
As for religious priests, who are steadily decreasing in Africa, America and Asia, and slightly increasing in Europe, we can see that, as the national Churches are consolidated, a certain number of these priests are returning to their places of origin.
5. However, although the number of priests (especially in Europe and North America) has fallen, there is a vigorous increase in the number of diocesan and religious permanent deacons, lay members of secular institutes, lay missionaries and catechists. Catechists, moreover, far outnumber the other categories. These trends thus show the difference in choices among pastoral workers, as well as the overall variations in the respective categories. Although the available data does not give us a precise idea of the magnitude of the shifts between the various categories, it is interesting to note the percentages per continent of the individual categories in 1998. The following table shows by continent the number of pastoral workers per 1,000 in each category.
It would be interesting to be able to analyze the longitudinal variations in these categories, also in the light of the initial data briefly indicated here, which suggest that we are seeing a balancing and reproportioning of the various categories of pastoral worker: the decrease in some corresponds to an increase in others, with a compensatory movement indicating differing religious choices. Understanding the shifts from one category to another, which according to the table differs considerably from one continent to another, could open our eyes to a changing reality.
6. Lastly, we would like to point out the movement of the Church's young dynamic forces, i.e., candidates for the priesthood and, even more interestingly, novices in male and female religious institutes. The picture appears particularly satisfying regarding seminarians in the African and American Churches (especially in Latin America), whereas in Europe the situation is at a standstill in the West but gaining momentum in the East (Poland is the exception: a vigorous period of growth from 1978 to 1988 has been followed by a marked decline). The longitudinal trend in the number of novices—where women continue to outnumber men—show rapid, widespread growth in Africa and a marked decrease in Europe, paralleling the data for priesthood candidates. The Americas fall somewhere in between, since the decline in North America is offset by a prevailing growth in South America, while Asia shows no clearly defined pattern.
Diocesan and religious priests in 1978, 1988 and 1998 by continent: numerical variations
CONTINENT
1978
1988
1998
Percentage
of variation
1978-1998
Diocesan
Religious
Total
Diocesan
Religious
Total
Diocesan
Religious
Total
Diocesan
Religious
Total
AFRICA
5,507
11,419
16,926
9,184
10,085
19,269
15,535
10,491
26,026
182.09
-8.13
53.76
AMERICA
66,084
54,187
120,271
68,414
50,989
119,403
74,039
46,258
120,297
12.04
-14.63
0.20
ASIA
13,863
13,837
27,700
17,789
14,502
32,291
24,337
17,119
41,456
75.55
23.72
49.66
EUROPE
174,175
76,323
250,498
159,033
69,413
228,446
147,517
64,310
211,827
-15.31
-15.74
-14.44
OCEANIA
2,856
2,720
5,576
2,779
2,669
5,448
2,774
2,246
5,020
-2.87
-17.43
-9.97
WORLD
262,485
158,486
420,971
257,199
147,658
404,857
264,202
140,424
404,626
0.65
-11.40
-3.88
Pastoral workers in the Catholic world as of 31 December 1998
CONTINENT
Bishops
Priests
Permanent Deacons
Brothers
Women religious
Members of secular institutes
Lay missionaries
Catechists
Total
AFRICA
575
26,026
313
7,025
51,304
378
1,256
343,085
429,962
AMERICA
1,672
120,297
16,748
16,990
237,504
5,610
52,084
1,258,836
1,709,741
ASIA
617
41,456
219
7,764
134,035
1,200
2,274
226,500
414,065
EUROPE
1,459
211,827
7,890
24,097
380,309
23,535
562
455,481
1,105,160
OCEANIA
116
5,020
175
1,937
11,627
49
245
14,485
33,654
WORLD
4,439
404,626
25,345
57,813
814,779
30,772
56,421
2,298,387
3,692,582
Major seminarians (diocesan and religious) per continent as of 31 December from 1978 to 1998
Years
AFRICA
NORTH
AMERICA
CENTRAL
AMERICA
(Continental)
CENTRAL
AMERICA
(Antilles)
SOUTH
AMERICA
AISA
Middle East
ASIA
South-East
EUROPE
OCEANIA
WORLD
1978
5,636
9,636
3,275
580
8,520
335
11,002
22,902
784
62,670
1979
6,356
9,104
3,474
630
9,193
369
11,615
23,405
843
64,989
1980
6,549
8,543
3,613
727
9,817
368
11,822
23,666
937
66,042
1981
6,905
8,372
4,160
701
11,113
464
12,035
24,032
851
68,633
1982
7,495
8,234
4,665
655
11,959
421
13,026
25,630
916
73,001
1983
8,273
8,394
5,173
751
13,283
387
13,461
26,458
864
77,044
1984
8,894
8,264
5,670
745
13,768
410
14,017
27,616
918
80,302
1985
10,025
8,090
6,220
886
14,537
383
15,495
28,610
838
85,084
1986
10,708
7,828
6,333
907
14,840
425
16,460
29,197
813
87,511
1987
11,472
7,299
6,698
942
15,656
466
17,302
29,743
846
90,424
1988
12,636
6,937
6,866
975
16,232
525
17,915
29,256
831
92,173
1989
13,433
6,659
7,202
1,119
16,085
531
19,119
28,418
839
93,405
1990
14,363
6,268
7,717
863
16,201
558
20,730
28,661
794
96,155
1991
14,649
6,147
8,025
862
16,368
633
22,231
29,968
785
99,668
1992
15,618
5,972
8,072
972
17,475
644
22,229
30,240
778
102,000
1993
16,471
5,758
8,302
938
17,582
643
23,381
29,896
738
103,709
1994
17,125
5,692
8,435
1,025
17,808
702
23,943
29,511
834
105,075
1995
17,789
5,464
8,601
1,045
18,433
699
24,190
29,351
774
106,346
1996
18,156
5,413
8,445
1,144
18,041
696
24,473
28,641
861
105,870
1997
19,078
5,325
9,053
1,160
19,409
734
24,608
27,853
797
108,017
1998
19,654
5,439
9,180
1,126
20,326
804
24,677
27,154
811
109,171
Novices in religious institutes
Years
Male novices
Female novices
1982
8,958
17,939
1983
9,490
19,642
1984
9,659
20,293
1985
9,759
20,608
1986
9,648
21,103
1987
9,527
21,824
1988
9,556
21,639
1989
9,680
21,113
1990
10,075
21,338
1991
9,603
21,383
1992
9,602
21,338
1993
10,262
21,376
1994
10,635
20,617
1995
10,722
21,326
1996
10,819
21,286
1997
10,925
21,247
1998
10,923
21,303
Taken from:
L'Osservatore Romano
Weekly Edition in English
3 May 2000, page 6/7
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