Vocations to diaconate have increased over 40% in Europe and U.S. in past decade

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 4:51 pm by Deacon Greg Kandra

Vocations to diaconate have increased over 40% in Europe and U.S. in past decade 2016-09-30T16:51:40-04:00 Deacon Greg Kandra

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

From the Vatican Radio:

The number of Catholics globally remains largely unchanged at 1214 million, rising only slightly higher than global population growth for the 2010/2011 period. The number of priests (religious and diocesan) has grown, largely thanks to a rise in vocations in Asia and Africa which has helped balance the continued decline in Europe (-9% in the last decade).

The same cannot be said for the number of professed women religious with a downward trend registering a drop of 10% over the past decade. But, perhaps the most surprising statistic revealed in the 2013 Pontifical Yearbook Monday was the boom in vocations to the permanent diaconate, particularly in Europe and the US where numbers have increased by over 40% in the past decade.

The 2013 Pontifical Yearbook was presented to the Holy Father Monday morning by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone and the Substitute for General Affairs Archbishop Angelo Becciu. The preparation of the new Yearbook was edited by Monsignor Vittorio Formenti, in charge of the Central Bureau of Statistics of the Church, by Prof. Enrico Nenna and other collaborators.

At the same time the Annuarium Statisticum Ecclesiae, 2011, edited by the same office was also presented. Both volumes will soon be on sale in bookshops.

The Holy Father expressed his gratitude for the tribute, showing a keen interest in the figures illustrated therein and expressing deep gratitude to all those who have contributed to the new edition of the two yearbooks.

The data recorded revels new statistics relating to the life of the Catholic Church in the world, in the course of 2012 and until the election of Pope Francis.

During this period 11 new Episcopal Sees, 2 Personal Ordinariates, 1 Apostolic Vicariate and 1 Apostolic Prefecture were erected; 1 Territorial Prelature was elevated to the rank of Diocese and 2 Apostolic Exarchates to Eparchies.

The statistical data from the Annuarium Statisticum, (statistical Yearbook relevant to 2011) referring to the year 2011 highlights aspects of the presence and ministry of the Catholic Church in 2979 ecclesiastical jurisdictions around the world.

The number of Catholics worldwide rose from 1196 in 2010 to 1214 million in 2011, an increase of 1.5% and since this growth is only slightly higher than that of the Earth’s population (1.23%), the presence of Catholics in the world remains essentially unchanged (17.5%). Territorial analysis of changes in this period, show an increase of 4.3% of Catholics in Africa, which instead saw a population increase of 2.3%. Asia also registered an increase in the number of Catholics that was higher than that of the population (2.0% versus 1.2%). The growth in the number of Catholics in America and Europe remained stable, in line with population growth (0.3%). In 2011, the total number of baptized Catholics distributed across the continents is: 16.0% in Africa, 48.8% in the Americas, 10.9% in Asia, 23.5% in Europe and 0.8% in Oceania.

Read the rest.

Deacons

Vocations

Previous Post

May 13, 2013

"Phenomenal": Officer reunited with suicidal man whose life he saved eight years ago

Next Post

May 13, 2013 Abuse report: 11 "credible allegations" against clergy in 2012

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category "Mad Men" 9/11 advent All Things New Amazing video amazing videos amazon america Anglicans Anti-Catholicism art ascension thursday ash wednesday Atheists baltimore Bible Bishops Blogging bonnie engstrom Books bridgeport Brooklyn Chaplains children christian art christmas Church Churches CNEWA Converts criticism Deacons Death Penalty easter eastern christian Eastern Christians Ecumenism Education education Eucharist Europe euthanasia Evangelization Exorcism Family Feasts Gay rights Good Friday Great links Great Moments in Journalism Hanging with the saints heather renshaw Hispanic Catholics Hispanics History homelies Homilies Humor Hymn of the Week Immigration indianapolis Inspiration Interfaith news ireland Jesus Jews Journalism Judaism lent Liturgy logos Marriage Mary Media Medical news Mental health Middle East Monks Movies Music Muslims My world and welcome to it New Evangelization new york News Nuns Parenting Parish life peoria Persecution Politics politics Pope pope francis pope john paul Prayer Preaching Priests Pro-life Quote of the day radio rebecca frech ripp Ripped from the headlines rippred from the headlines Sacraments saints Scripture sex abuse Sex abuse crisis SEX ABUSE CRISIS TAGGED WITH: SEX ABUSE CRISIS The people in the pews the visitation project theatre This & that Thomas Merton Trappists TV Uncategorized uncategorized VATICAN Vatican vocation Vocations Voices & Views Women Worth a thousand words Writing Year of Faith year of mercy young people

Select a Month December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What is the collective name of the stories Jesus told?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Psalms Parables Gospel Miracles

Books by This Author Books by Deacon Greg Kandra

See All Titles »