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The Catholic Church in the United States At A Glance

Laity
There are 67,515,016 Catholics in the United States1 (22% of the U.S. population), and 1 billion Catholics worldwide2.

New Church Members3

Infant Baptisms: 953,688
Adult Baptisms: 64,464
Received into Full Communion: 92,975

Dioceses and Archdioceses (alphabetical listing)

Listing by population
In the United States, there are 195 archdioceses and dioceses:

145 Latin Catholic dioceses
33 Latin Catholic archdioceses
15 Eastern Catholic dioceses
2 Eastern Catholic archdioceses

Clergy and Religious

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is an assembly of the hierarchy of the United States and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Cardinals
There are 15 U.S. Cardinals

  • 6 Cardinals currently lead U.S. archdioceses
    Cardinal Francis George - Chicago
    Cardinal Adam Maida – Detroit
    Cardinal Roger Mahony – Los Angeles
    Cardinal Edward Egan – New York
    Cardinal Justin Rigali – Philadelphia
    Cardinal Sean O'Malley - Boston

  • 5 U.S. Cardinals are not currently diocesan bishops
    Cardinal Avery Dulles – Professor of Theology, Fordham University
    Cardinal James Stafford – Major Penitentiary
    Cardinal Bernard F. Law – Archpriest of St. Mary Major Basilica, Rome
    Cardinal Edmund Szoka – President, Pontifical Commission for Vatican City
    Cardinal William J. Levada, Prefect, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith

  • 4 U.S Cardinals are retired
    Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua – Archbishop Emeritus of Philadelphia
    Cardinal William Baum – Major Penitentiary Emeritus
    Cardinal William Keeler - Archbishop Emeritus of Baltimore
    Cardinal Theodore McCarrick - Archbishop Emeritus of Washington

Bishops
There are 431 active and retired U.S. bishops in the United States:

  • 268 Active Bishops:
    • 6 Cardinal Archbishops
    • 25 Archbishops
    • 0 Coadjutor Archbishop
    • 193 Diocesan Bishops
    • 74 Auxiliary Bishops

  • 164 Retired Bishops:
    • 5 retired Cardinal Archbishops
    • 16 retired Archbishops
    • 93 retired Diocesan Bishops
    • 48 retired Auxiliary Bishops
Currently, 6 dioceses are vacant (sede vacante):

  • Birmingham
  • Des Moines
  • Knoxville
  • Little Rock
  • Shreveport
  • St. Thomas
Priests4
There are 42,307 diocesan and religious-order priests in the United States.
  • 28,462 diocesan priests
  • 13,845 religious-order priests (Jesuits, Dominicans, Franciscans, etc.)
Seminarians5
There are 5,180 seminarians enrolled in the United States.

  • 3,383 enrolled in diocesan seminaries
  • 1,797 enrolled in religious-order seminaries
Permanent Deacons6
There are 15,868 men who are ordained as permanent deacons in the United States. A permanent deacon is a man, either married or single, who is ordained to the order of deacons, the first of three ranks in ordained ministry. They assist priests in administrative and pastoral roles.

Vowed Religious7

  • Sisters: 64,877
  • Brothers: 5,095
Catholic Education8
  • Elementary Schools: 6,197 schools educating 1,638,114 students
  • High Schools: 1,350 schools educating 672,426 students
  • Colleges and Universities: 236 institutions educating 785,619 students
  • Non-residential Schools for Handicapped Persons: 82 schools educating 8,659 students
  • Public School Students Receiving Religious Education:
    • Elementary School students: 3,387,142
    • High School students: 732,917
Catholic Health Care9
  • Hospitals: 556 Catholic hospitals treated 84,736,305 patients
  • Other Health Care Centers: 429 centers treated 6,517,561 patients
  • Specialized Homes: 1,517 assisted 653,719 residents
  • Residential Care of Children: 986 locations assisted 60,861 residents
Catholic Charities

Social Services10
More than 1,673 local Catholic Charities agencies and institutions provided services to 7,449,119 unduplicated individuals in need of help in 2004.

  • Provided Services that Build Strong Communities to 3,618,993 people
    Social support services 1,698,047
    Education and enrichment 768,021
    Socialization and neighborhood services 609,149
    Health-related services 234,635
    Services to at-risk populations 331,141

  • Provided Food Services to 6,360,939 people
    Food banks and food pantries 2,373,087
    Soup kitchens 1,826,738
    Congregate dining 1,232,217
    Home delivered meals 279,345
    Other food services 649,520

  • Provided Services that Strengthen Families to 1,093,339 people
    Counseling and mental health services 468,844
    Immigration services 341,087
    Addiction services 97,980
    Refugee services 77,801
    Pregnancy services 65,718
    Adoption services 41,909

  • Provided Housing Related Services to 474,999 people
    Housing services 171,787
    Temporary shelter 139,938
    Supervised living 102,297
    Permanent housing 41,424
    Transitional housing 19,553

  • Provided Other Basic Needs Services to 1,384,101 people
    Financial Assistance (not rent, mortgage, etc.) 154,637
    Clothing Assistance 533,828
    Utilities Assistance 167,510
    Assistance with Purchase of Prescriptions 47,136
    Additional Other Basic Needs Assistance 480,990

  • Provided Disaster Services to 99,863 people

  1. The Official Catholic Directory 2007, P.J. Kenedy & Sons, New Providence, NJ. 2006
  2. Statistical Yearbook of the Church 2004; population estimated as of June 30, 2002.
  3. The Official Catholic Directory 2007.
  4. The Official Catholic Directory 2007.
  5. Ibid.
  6. Ibid.
  7. Ibid.
  8. Ibid.
  9. Ibid.
  10. Catholic Charities USA 2006 Annual Survey At A Glance.

Catholic Church in the United States and Abroad: 1965-2005

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Office of Media Relations | 3211 4th Street, N.E., Washington DC 20017-1194 | (202) 541-3000 © USCCB. All rights reserved.