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
General Facts of the Catholic Church in the United States
(Source: Our Sunday Visitor 2008 Catholic Almanac)
The Church in the United States was established on November 6, 1789 by Pope Pius VI.
First Catholic diocese: Baltimore, MD in 1789; John Carroll named first bishop
17% of the world's population is Catholic.
6% of the world's Catholics are from the United States.
11% of the world's Catholic priests are from the United States.
Catholics comprise the largest religious faith group in the U.S. Congress with 155 members (30%):
130 House members (42 Republicans, 88 Democrats)
25 Senators (9 Republicans, 16 Democrats)
Five of the nine members of the U. S. Supreme Court are Catholic
(Roberts, Kennedy, Scalia, Thomas and Alito).
Catholics comprise 25% of the U.S. military and are served by an Archbishop for the Military Services,
presently Archbishop Timothy Broglio.
The representative of the Holy See to the Church in the United States is as an apostolic nuncio,
presently Archbishop Pietro Sambi.
There are 194 U. S. dioceses and archdioceses.