VATICAN – Catholic Church Statistics 2022
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – As every year, in view of World Mission Sunday, which this year celebrates its 96th anniversary on Sunday, October 23, 2022, Fides New Service offers some statistics chosen to give an overview of the missionary Church everywhere world.
Tables are taken from the latest published edition of the Church’s Book of Statistics (updated to December 31, 2020) relating to Church membership, Church structures, health care, social welfare, and education. Finally, the table of ecclesiastical circumscriptions dependent on the Dicastery for Evangelization is reported.
As of December 31, 2020, the world population was 7,667,136,000, with an increase of 89,359,000 units from the previous year. Population growth has been recorded, even this year, on all continents. On the same date, Catholics in the world numbered 1,359,612,000 with an overall increase of 15,209,000 over the previous year. On the same date, the number of Catholics amounted to 1,359,612,000 people with an overall increase of 15,209,000 units compared to the previous year. The increase affects all continents, with the exception of Oceania.
The total number of priests in the world decreased by 1 unit, to 5,363.
Diocesan bishops have increased and religious bishops have decreased. Diocesan bishops number 4,156, while religious bishops number 1,207.
The total number of priests worldwide decreased to 410,219 (-4,117). The continent that recorded a sharp drop is again Europe as well as America and Oceania. Increases were recorded in Africa and Asia.
Permanent deacons in the world continue to increase, reaching 397 units this year, to 48,635. The largest increase was recorded in America and Oceania, a decline in Europe, Asia and Africa.
The number of non-religious priests increased by 274 units, to 50,569. Declines were recorded in America and Oceania.
Increases in Europe, Asia and Africa.
Even this year, there is an overall decrease in the number of nuns of 10,553 units, for a total of 619,546. Increases were recorded, once again, in Africa and Asia, decreases in Europe, America and Oceania.
The number of major seminarians, diocesan and religious has decreased this year, they are globally 2,203 units, reaching a total of 111,855. Increases were recorded only in Africa, decreases on all the other continents.
The total number of minor seminarians, diocesan and religious this year decreased by 1,592 units to 95,398. Decreases were recorded in America, Asia and Europe, while increases were recorded in Africa and Oceania.
In the field of education, the Catholic Church manages 72,785 kindergartens with 7,510,632 pupils; 99,668 primary schools with 34,614,488 pupils; 49,437 secondary schools with 19,252,704 pupils. The Church also hosts 2,403,787 high school students and 3,771,946 university students.
The charitable and health centers run worldwide by the Church include: 5,322 hospitals, 14,415 dispensaries, 534 nursing homes for people with leprosy, 15,204 homes for the elderly or chronically ill or disabled, 9,230 orphanages, 10,441 nurseries, 10,362 marriage centers, counseling centers, 3,137 social rehabilitation centers and 34,291 other types of institutes.
The Ecclesiastical Circumscriptions dependent on the Dicastery for Evangelization number 1,118. Most of the ecclesiastical circumscriptions entrusted to the Dicastery are in Africa (518) and Asia (483), followed by America (71) and Oceania (46).
(SL) (Fides Service, 10/21/2022)
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