ANNUARIUM STATISTICUM ECCLESIAE: Published for 2000

L'Osservatore Romano
1. The Annuarium Statisticum Ecclesiae with Church statistics for 2000 was recently presented to the
press. The Central Office for Statistics of the Church compiles it and it is published by the Libreria
Editrice Vaticana.
This boo !i"es a picture of the most important data concernin! the Catholic Church# enablin! one to
assess from "aried "iewpoints the chan!in! characteristics of pastoral acti"ity from 1$%& to 2000# the
most recent year for which statistics are a"ailable. 'mon! other thin!s# the analysis will shed li!ht on the
profound territorial differences in the composition per continent that ha"e occurred durin! the (ontificate
of )ohn (aul **.
2. The number of bapti+ed faithful across the world has !rown !radually from %,% million in 1$%& to
1#0-, million in 2000# with an increase of about .&/. Since this increase is lower than the increase in the
world population# the relati"e number of bapti+ed Catholics has diminished# if only sli!htly0 from 1&.0
Catholics per 100 inhabitants in 1$%&# to 1%.. in 2000 1Table 12.
Table 1 - Catholics in 197!19 and 2000"
#eo#ra$hical distribution $er 100 inhabitants - variations of the $o$ulation $er continent
CO%T&%'%T
Catholic Faithful (Baptized)
In thousands Per 100 of the total Per 100 inhabitants Percent
variation
1978-2000
1978 1988 2000 1978 1988 2000 1978 1988 2000
AFRICA 5!759 81!88" 1"0!018 7#2 9#1" 12# 12#"7 1"#7" 1$#7 1"7#
A%&RICA "$$!$1 !22 519!"91 8#$ 9#55 9#70 $2#22 $"#50 $2#8 1#$7
A'IA $"!18" 8!"02 107!"01 8#"5 9#0 10#27 2#5" 2#78 2#90 $9#8"
&(R)P& 2$$!"$1 279!01 280!1 "5#21 "1#15 2$#81 0#5" 1#1 "9#87 5#17
)C&A*IA 5!$1$ $!870 8!202 0#7 0#77 0#78 25#"0 2$#8" 2$#8" $#05
(ORL) 7*+!*,, 9+!7 1!0-*!0*+ 100.00 100.00 100.00 17.99 17.2 17.2 ,.1-
3owe"er# if the world trend o"er the past 22 years has not substantially chan!ed# the situation on the
different continents has. *n some# the relati"e increases between 1$%& and 2000 are conspicuous# whilst
in others it is more contained. 'frica shows the !reatest increase 11.%.-/24 'sia 1especially in the
5iddle East2 comes ne6t with 17$.-/24 at the other end of the scale# Europe shows the smallest increase
of 1,.&/2.
Of particular interest to us is the interpretation of the data# continent by continent# on the relati"e number
of Catholics in relation to the population0 a 8uotient that pro"ides the number of faithful per 100
inhabitants. These fi!ures show how bapti+ed Catholics differ radically in the "arious !eo!raphical areas
as follows0 Catholics number 72.&/ of the population of 'merica# -0/ in Europe and 2.$/ in 'sia. *t is
important to stress that "ariations within the 'merican area itself are !reater0 if# in 9orth 'merica the
percenta!e of Catholics is only 2-.7/# in central and continental 'merica it is 1$0.1/2 and in South
'merica 1&7.7/2 the number of Catholics is far hi!her. ' diachronic interpretation of the 8uotients
enables us to pic out the different trends in the "arious !eo!raphical areas from 1$%& and which "ary
only sli!htly. 3owe"er# if the number of Catholics throu!hout the world is dwindlin! sli!htly in e"ery
1
area+with the e6ception of Europe+the o"erall trend shows slow !rowth.
.. *n the 22 years from 1$%& to 2000 the number of bishops has increased from .#%1- to -#,-1# with a
relati"e !rowth that reaches 22/ 1Table 22. 3owe"er# the increases are "ery different from the
!eo!raphical "iewpoint. *f we calculate the a"era!e linear increase# we notice the different consistency of
the phenomenon in the "arious parts of the !lobe0 in decreasin! order it !oes from the ma6imum "alue of
1.%&/ for 'frica# to the minimum for Europe of 0.&$/ 1other "alues0 Oceania 1..1/# 'sia 0.$-/#
'merica 0.$0/2.
*t is therefore clear that 'frica and Oceania ha"e re!istered a reasonable increase in comparison with
other areas# but the trends o"er time can be of more interest than these !lobal fi!ures.
Table 2 - /isho$s in 197!19 and 2000"
#eo#ra$hical distribution and numerical variations
CO%T&%'%T
Bishops

Percenta,e
of variation
1978-2000
*u-ber Per 100 of the total
1978 1988 2000 1978 1988 2000
AFRICA "2 87 $01 11#$" 11#80 1"#2" "9#12
A%&RICA 1!1$ 1!589 1!$95 "8#1" "8#51 "7#"" 19#70
A'IA 519 578 $27 1"#97 1#01 1"#81 20#81
&(R)P& 1!25" 1!"$5 1!97 ""#7 ""#08 "2#97 19#7
)C&A*IA 9 107 121 2#5" 2#59 2#$$ 28#72
(ORL) ,!71- -!12+ -!*-1 100.00 100.00 100.00 22.27
The dynamics of the period under e6amination ensure that in comparison with 1$%&# the distribution of
bishops in the different areas has remained more or less the same. *n particular# the whole of 'merica
represents .%../ of all bishops# followed by Europe with ../# 'sia with 1..&/# 'frica with 1..2/ and
Oceania with 2.%/.
*t is also interestin! to note the number of priests 1both diocesan and reli!ious2 per bishop# calculated so
as to !i"e a rou!h idea of the balance between these numbers and the indi"idual continental situations. *f
this ratio has !rown throu!hout the world in the course of time 111... priests per bishop in 1$%& and &$
priests in 20002# this can be ascribed abo"e all to the sharp decline in Europe 1from 1$$.$ in 1$%& to 1.$
in 20002.
-. ' !lance at Table . enables us to come to certain conclusions on the numerical "ariation of priests#
diocesan and reli!ious# on the different continents as time has passed.
*n 2000# priests numbered -0,#1%&# of these 27,#%&1 were diocesan and 1.$#.$% reli!ious# with a
decrease of ..%,/ in 1$%&# the result of a decrease of 12.0-/ amon! the diocesan cler!y and an increase
of 1.27/ amon! reli!ious priests. *t can also be seen that the incidence of diocesan and reli!ious priests
has not si!nificantly chan!ed in time# and in the three years under re"iew# the fi!ures ha"e been "ery
close to 77/ for diocesan priests and .-/ for reli!ious priests.
Table 3 - Diocesan or religious priests in 1978, 1988, and 2000 per continent and numerical variations
CO%T&%'%T

!iests
1978 1988 2000 Percent variation 1978-2000
Diocesan Religious Total Diocesan Religious Total Diocesan Religious Total Diocesan Religious Total
AFRICA 5!507 11!19 1$!92$ 9!18 10!085 19!2$9 1$!9$2 10!20" 27!1$5 208#01 -10#$5 $0#9
A%&RICA $$!08 5!187 120!271 $8!1 50!989 119!0" 75!121 5!720 120!81 1"#$8 -15#$" 0#7
A'IA 1"!8$" 1"!8"7 27!700 17!789 1!502 "2!291 25!71$ 17!850 "!5$$ 85#50 29#00 57#28
&(R)P& 17!175 7$!"2" 250!98 159!0"" $9!1" 228!$ 15!2$8 $"!"91 208!$59 -1$#$0 -1$#9 -1$#70
2
)C&A*IA 2!85$ 2!720 5!57$ 2!779 2!$$9 5!8 2!71 2!2"" !97 -#97 -17#90 -11#28
.)R/0 272#-&, 1,&#-&7 -20#$%1 2,%#1$$ 1-%#7,& -0-#&,% 27,#%&1 1.$#.$% -0,#1%& 1.27 :12.0- :..%,
Let us start with the latter whose numbers# apart from an e6ceptional increase such as occurred in 'sia#
are !enerally on the decline.
The number of diocesan priests# on the other hand# shows an upward trend0 here the areas where they are
decreasin! are the e6ception in a !eneral pattern of !rowth. *t is worth pointin! out the case of 'frica and
'sia# where the trend in !rowth is considerable and steady.
Let us now consider the distribution of diocesan and reli!ious priests per area and the number of
Catholics entrusted to the pastoral care of each one.
*n "iew of the ,1.,/ of the total number of priests who belon! to the European re!ion# .0.0/ are of the
'merican cler!y4 then come the other areas with 10.&/ for 'sia# 7.%/ for 'frica and 1.2/ for Oceania.
Let us loo more closely at the trends in time per continent and per cate!ory of cler!y. *n Europe the
diocesan priests are !radually decreasin!# whereas the decrease in the number of reli!ious priests is
sli!hter. The trends in 'frica# 'sia# 'merica and Oceania are different0 more or less consistent increases
can be seen here# in the number both of reli!ious and diocesan priests.
;ith re!ard to the number of Catholics per priest# the worldwide trend cannot but increase# because of
the differential of demo!raphic !rowth amon! the "arious +ones0 thus there has been an increase from
1#%$% to 2#21, and 2#,%$ respecti"ely for the years 1$%&# 1$&& and 2000. '!ain# the !eo!raphical
differences are remarable0 from a little under 1#%00 Catholics per priest in Oceania to -#2$& in 'merica
and -#%&7 in 'frica.
,. <ishops and priests are naturally assisted in their pastoral acti"ity by other people who wor with
them4 we de"ote the followin! obser"ations to their analysis.
5eanwhile# to ha"e an idea of the si+e of the !roups# we note that in 2000 diocesan and reli!ious
permanent deacons accounted for half of the professed reli!ious who were not priests 1,,#000 in 20002
and that in turn# the number of these was 1-., times less than the number of professed women reli!ious
1Tables -# , and 72.
Table - 0 Permanent deacons in 197! 19! and 2000"
Their #eo#ra$hical distribution and numerical variations
e!"a#e#t deaco#s (diocesa# a#d !eli$ious)
CO%T&%'%T
*u-ber Per 100 of the total Percenta,e
of variation
1978-2000
1978 1988 2000 1978 1988 2000
AFRICA 91 2"5 "$1 1#$ 1#50 1#"0 29$#70
A%&RICA !2"9 11!89 18!"2 7$#21 7"#2 $5#92 ""2#70
A'IA 52 81 128 0#9" 0#52 0#$ 1$#15
&(R)P& 1!1"" "!781 8!81" 20#"7 2#10 "1#$7 $77#85
)C&A*IA 7 100 180 0#85 0#$ 0#$5 282#98
(ORL) *!*+2 1*!++ 27!2- 100.00 100.00 100.00 -00.2*
(ermanent deacons mae up the !roup that has de"eloped the most in the period0 their numbers o"erall
ha"e 8uintupled on all the continents with a relati"e increase of -00.2,/. This increase occurred in all
.
the continental areas. *n Europe# permanent deacons increased by 7%&/# in 'merica by .../# in 'frica
by 2$%/ and in Oceania by 2&./.
(rofessed reli!ious brothers are a !roup that is steadily decreasin! throu!hout the world0 %,#&02 were
listed in 1$%& and in 2000 there were only ,,#0,%. This decrease howe"er# can be ascribed# in order of
importance# to the !roup of Oceania# to that of Europe and to that of 'merica# whereas# con"ersely# in
'frica and in 'sia a certain rise in the number of these worers is becomin! apparent. These trends ha"e
ensured that their respecti"e numbers on the "arious continents are !radually chan!in! as can be seen
from the percenta!es shown in Table ,.
Table * - Professed Reli#ious 1non-$riests2 in 197! 19! and 2000"
their #eo#ra$hical distribution and numerical variations

CO%T&%'%T
!ofessed Reli$ious #o#%p!iests
*u-ber Percenta,e of the total Percenta,e
of variation
1978-2000
1978 1988 2000 1978 1988 2000
AFRICA 5!28 5!95 7!25$ $#92 8#9 1"#18 "8#2$
A%&RICA 2"!77 19!51$ 1$!$15 "1#"" "0#17 "0#18 -"0#0"
A'IA $!508 $!"91 7!$59 8#59 9#88 1"#91 17#$9
&(R)P& "7!10 "0!$81 21!$91 8#95 7#" "9#0 -1#5
)C&A*IA "!195 2!$0" 1!8"$ #21 #02 "#"" -2#5
(ORL) 7*!02 +-!++ **!0*7 100.00 100.00 100.00 -27.,7
Let us now loo at the "ariations of professed women reli!ious who constitute a substantial !roup of
pastoral worers0 in 1$%&# they were under a million. This !roup also decreased "isibly in the period
under consideration# droppin! from $$1#000 at the be!innin! of the period# to &01#000 at the end# with a
relati"e decrease of 1$/ in 22 years. Once a!ain# the profound difference on the "arious continents must
be pointed out0 while Oceania# Europe and 'merica are e6periencin! a continuous# pro!ressi"e reduction
of these !roups# in 'sia and in 'frica the population is steadily !rowin!. The incidence of the "arious
continents on the total is practically the same 1in 1$%& and 20002 in 'merica and in Oceania4 on the other
hand# the percenta!e in Europe has dropped from ,,/ to -7/# while in 'sia it has risen from $/ to
1%/# and the percenta!e of professed 'frican women reli!ious has !rown from ..7/ to 7.7/ 1Table 72.
Table + - Professed reli#ious in 197! 19 and 2000"
their #eo#ra$hical distribution and numerical variations
CO%T&%'%T
!ofessed !eli$ious
*u-ber Percenta,e of the total Percenta,e
of variation
1978-2000
1978 1988 2000 1978 1988 2000
AFRICA "5!7" 0!789 52!58" "#58 #5" $#5$ 8#2"
A%&RICA "00!89 2$9!9$7 2"2!98$ "0#"" "0#01 29#08 -22#$
A'IA 91!585 109!50 1"8!195 9#2 12#18 17#25 50#89
&(R)P& 5$!029 $5!27" "$$!"2$ 55#11 51#72 5#72 -"2#91
)C&A*IA 17!192 1!075 11!095 1#7 1#5$ 1#"8 -"5#$
(ORL) 990!7+ 99!+-- 01!1* 100.00 100.00 100.00 -19.1,
*t is also interestin! to loo at the "ariations in other cate!ories of pastoral worers# namely0 catechists#
lay missionaries and the members of secular institutes# who also wor in the Catholic Church=s
catechetical pro!rammes. ;e see immediately from Table % that it is only the members of Secular
*nstitutes who ha"e suffered a sli!ht decrease in the 10 years re"iewed 11$$0:20002# while lay
-
missionaries ha"e "ery rapidly increased 1by as much as -,.% times2# and catechists ha"e steadily !rown
to o"er 2.7 million. The territorial increases were# as usual# "ery "aried.
Table 7 - Other cate#ories of $astoral 3or4ers on ,1 )ecember 1990 and ,1 )ecember 2000
CO%T&%'%T
%e-bers of 'ecular Institutes /a1 %issionaries Catechists
1990 2000 2ariat# 3 1990 2000 2ariat# 3 1990 2000 2ariat# 3
AFRICA 51 -1#$ 1"29 1!222 -8#1 25$!90" "85!897 50#2
A%&RICA !757 5!780 21#5 8$ 119!582 1"!70#5 9$!5 1!80!""5 5"#5
A'IA 892 1!57 $"#" "52 "!597 921#9 172!$"0 2$0!9$1 51#2
&(R)P& 25!272 22!9$1 -9#1 - 1!857 - "59!50 502!"52 "9#7
)C&A*IA 7 5 -#" 220 107 -51# 2$!1$2 12!"" -52#8
(ORL) ,1!-19 ,0!+7 -2., 2!7+* 12+!,+* -!-70.2 1!779!779 12!+-1! -.-
7. Candidates to the priesthood throu!hout the world ha"e multiplied 1Table &2. >rom 7-#000 in 1$%&#
they numbered 111#000 in 2000 with a trend of continuous and uninterrupted !rowth in all the
inter"enin! years. 3owe"er# while these increases in 'frica and 'sia are pro"in! substantial and
impressi"e# in the first continent# in Europe and Oceania the trends are more che8uered and the increases
far less.
Table - Candidates to the $riesthood in 197! 19 and 2000" their #eo#ra$hical distribution! numerical variations! indication of $riestl5
vocations
CO%T&%'%T
Ca#didates to the p!iesthood
*u-ber Percenta,e of the total Percent
variation
1978-
2000
Per one -illion Catholics Per 100 4riests
1978 1988 2000 1978 1988 2000 1978 1988 2000 1978 1988 2000
AFRICA 5!$"$ 12!$"$ 20!"8" 8#82 1"#2 18#" 2$1#$$ 102#92 15#"2 15$#77 ""#"0 $5#58 75#0"
A%&RICA 22!011 "1!010 "$!"92 "#$ "2#9 "2#91 $5#" $0#0 $9#78 70#07 18#"0 25#97 "0#12
A'IA 11!5"$ 19!090 2$!00$ 18#0$ 20#28 2"#52 125#" 182#58 22$#5 22#"$ 1#$5 59#12 59#$9
&(R)P& 2"!915 "0!581 2$!879 "7# "2#8 2#"1 12#"9 89#78 109#5 95#95 9#55 1"#"9 12#88
)C&A*IA 78 8"1 92" 1#2" 0#88 0#8" 17#7" 1"9#$0 120#9$ 122#52 1#0$ 15#25 18#$$
(ORL) +,!2 9-!1- 110!*, 100.00 100.00 100.00 7,.11 -.-- 10-.97 10*.2 1*.17 2,.2* 27.29
One factor that relati"i+es the number of candidates to the priesthood consists in includin! their number
amon! the number of Catholics on the "arious continents. ;e therefore reali+e that this number
calculated per million Catholics "aries considerably from continent to continent and in the three years
considered0 in particular# in 2000 the number of candidates to the priesthood went from 2-2 per million
Catholics in 'sia# to 1,% in 'frica# 11. in Oceania# $7 in Europe# and %0 in 'merica. ' last interestin!
statistic that can be seen as a rate of renewal# is obtained by comparin! the number of candidates to the
priesthood with the number of priests4 in particular# this ratio was multiplied by 100 to hi!hli!ht the
number of candidates to the priesthood per 100 priests. Once a!ain# the rapidly !rowin! trend in the
number of 'frican and 'sian candidates is reflected in these ratios that ha"e rapidly !rown in time and
are far hi!her than on the other continents0 in 2000 there were %, candidates per 100 priests in 'frica and
70 in 'sia. *nstead numbers were much lower in 'merica 1.02# in Oceania 11$2 and in Europe 11.2. 's a
result of what has been mentioned abo"e# the relati"e number on the "arious continents has chan!ed
durin! the years e6amined.

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