On the occasion of the 99th World Mission Day, to be celebrated on Sunday, Oct. 19, with the theme “Missionaries of Hope among all Peoples,” the Vatican news agency Fides presented some statistics that offer a general overview of the Catholic Church worldwide.
The study is based on numbers from 2023, in which the world population rose to 7,914,582,000, with a positive trend on all continents, including Europe. The increase in Catholics was 15,881,000 over the previous year.
The most notable growth in Catholics is in Africa, with an increase of 8,309,000; and the Americas with 5,668,000; followed by Asia with 954,000; Europe with 740,000; and Oceania with 210,000.
The percentage of Catholics in the world’s population increased by 0.1% compared to the previous year, reaching 17.8%.
The total number of bishops worldwide increased by 77 compared to the previous year’s survey, reaching 5,430. Diocesan bishops also increased by 84, while religious order bishops decreased by seven. In total, there are 4,258 diocesan bishops and 1,172 bishops belonging to religious orders.
The number of priests worldwide continues to decline. According to data from Fides, in 2023 it decreased by 734 compared to the previous year, leaving a total of 406,996 priests.
The most significant decrease was again recorded in Europe, with 2,486 fewer priests, followed by the Americas, where the number fell by 800, and Oceania, with 44 fewer. However, the number of priests increased in Africa, with 1,451 more, and in Asia, which added 1,145 new priests.
And there is this:
Meanwhile, the number of permanent deacons continues to increase, reaching a total of 51,433. Growth is mainly concentrated in the Americas (+1,257) and Oceania (+57), while slight declines are recorded in Asia (-1), Africa (-3), and Europe (-27).
