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Backgrounder
prepared by
Department of Communications
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
3211 Fourth Street NE · Washington, DC 20017
202-541-3200 · 202-541-3173 fax · www.usccb.org/comm
THE CHURCH WORLDWIDE
(CHANGES FROM 2000 TO 2005)
| REGION | 2000 | 2005 | DIFFERENCE |
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| Africa |
| Catholic population | 130,018,000 | 153,470,000 | +18% |
| Priests, diocesan and religious | 27,165 | 32,370 | +19% |
| Graduate-level seminarians | 9,876 | 10,847 | +10% |
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| North America (excluding Mexico) |
| Catholic population | 76,815,000 | 80,917,000 | +5% |
| Priests, diocesan and religious | 58,129 | 53,987 | -7% |
| Graduate-level seminarians | 3,077 | 3,280 | +7% |
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| Central America (including Mexico and Caribbean) |
| Catholic population | 145,121,000 | 155,223,000 | +7% |
| Priests, diocesan and religious | 20,707 | 22,202 | +7% |
| Graduate-level seminarians | 4,504 | 4,643 | +3% |
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| South America |
| Catholic population | 297,455,000 | 319,444,000 | +7% |
| Priests, diocesan and religious | 42,005 | 44,806 | +7% |
| Graduate-level seminarians | 8,838 | 10,454 | +18% |
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| Asia |
| Catholic population | 107,302,000 | 116,572,000 | +9% |
| Priests, diocesan and religious | 43,566 | 50,053 | +15% |
| Graduate-level seminarians | 12,095 | 14,752 | +22% |
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| Europe |
| Catholic population | 280,144,000 | 280,642,000 | +0.2% |
| Priests, diocesan and religious | 208,657 | 198,279 | -5% |
| Graduate-level seminarians | 16,683 | 14,106 | -15% |
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| Oceania |
| Catholic population | 8,202,000 | 8,698,000 | +6% |
| Priests, diocesan and religious | 4,947 | 4,714 | -5% |
| Graduate-level seminarians | 480 | 456 | -5% |
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| Worldwide |
| Catholic population | 1,045,057,000 | 1,114,966,000 | +7% |
| Priests, diocesan and religious | 405,178 | 406,411 | +0.3% |
| Graduate-level seminarians | 55,986 | 58,538 | +5% |
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| Source: Statistical Yearbook of the Church, 2005 |
WORKFORCE FOR THE APOSTOLATE
As of December 31, 2005
| Category | Worldwide | USA | US % of Total |
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| Bishops | 4,841 | 438 | 9% |
| Priests, diocesan and religious | 406,411 | 45,292 | 11% |
| Permanent Deacons | 33,391 | 14,717 | 44% |
| Religious Brothers | 54,708 | 5,370 | 10% |
| Religious sisters | 760,529 | 67,112 | 9% |
| Catechists | 2,974,703 | 412,730 | 14% |
| Total Catholics | 1,114,966,000 | 66,893,000 | 6% |
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| Source: Statistical Yearbook of the Church, 2005 |
U.S. Data on Catholics
As of December 31, 2005
| 1965 | 1975 | 1985 | 1995 | 2005 | 2007 |
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| Diocesan priests | 35,925 | 36,005 | 35,052 | 32,349 | 28,702 | 27,971 |
| Religious priests | 22,707 | 22,904 | 22,265 | 16,705 | 14,137 | 13,478 |
| Total priests | 58,632 | 58,909 | 57,317 | 49,054 | 42,839 | 41,449 |
| Priestly ordinations | 994 | 771 | 533 | 511 | 454 | 456 |
| Graduate-level seminarians | 8,325 | 5,279 | 4,063 | 3,172 | 3,308 | 3,274 |
| Permanent deacons | -- | 898 | 7,204 | 10,932 | 14,574 | 15,409 |
| Religious brothers | 12,271 | 8,625 | 7,544 | 6,535 | 5,451 | 5,015 |
| Religious sisters | 179,954 | 135,225 | 115,386 | 90,809 | 68,634 | 63,699 |
| Parishes | 17,637 | 18,515 | 19,244 | 19,331 | 18,891 | 18,634 |
| Parishes without a resident prie st pastor | 549 | 702 | 1,051 | 2,161 | 3,251 | 3,238 |
| Catholic population | 45.6m | 48.7m | 52.3m | 57.4m | 64.8m | 64.4m |
| Percent of U.S. population that is Catholic | 24% | 23% | 23% | 23% | 23% | 22% |
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| Sources: The Official Catholic Directory, CARA Catholic Ministry Formation Directory |
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