VATICAN - Presented to the Holy Father Benedict XVI Pontifical Year Book 2006, the first in his Pontificate

Saturday, 18 February 2006

Vatican City (Fides Service) - The Annuario Pontificio 2006 (Pontifical Year Book) was presented to Pope Benedict XVI this morning Saturday 18 February by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the Pope’s Secretary of State and Archbishop Leonardo Sandri, Secretary Substitute for general affairs. The publication, the first in the pontificate of Benedict XVI, was prepared under the supervision of Mgr. Vittorio Formenti of the Church’s Central Statistics Office in collaboration with Prof. Enrico Nenna and many other people. The book, available in Italian only, is printed by the Vatican Press and will be on sale soon in bookshops in and around the Vatican
The Pope showed great interest in the new edition and thanked those involved in its production. We give some of the most interesting facts contained in the book.
During 2005 the Pope created 15 new bishop’s Sees, 1 Metropolitan See and 1 Apostolic Administration and appointed 170 new bishops. In twelve months 2003 - 2004 the number of Catholics in the world rose from 1 billion 86 million to 1 billion 98 million with an increase of 12 million equal to 1.1 %. Comparing this increase with the fact the world population in the same period grew from 6 billion 301 million to 6 billion 388 million, we note that the relative presence of Catholics dropped by one thousandth: from 17.2 Catholics per 100 inhabitants in 2003 to 17.1 in 2004.
In keeping with the trend in recent years, the number of priests grew also in this period by 441 units and in 2004 was: 405,891 priests, 2/3 diocesan and 1/3 religious at world level, by continent as follows. Consistent increase in numbers in Asia and Africa, respectively + 1,422 and + 840, no change in America and Oceania, whereas in Europe a drop in the number of priests with 1,876 less.
The number of permanent deacons has grown steadily with a high average growth since 1978, and in 2004 the number grew by 2.5% to 32,324 permanent deacons mainly in North America 47.3% and Europe 32.3%. The year referred to as a basis is 1978 (when there were only 5,562 permanent deacons)
The number of seminarians, diocesan and religious, also grows steadily and rose in the same 12 month period from 112,373 to 113,044. While old Europe shows a concerning decline the young Churches in Africa and Asia show encouraging vitality in vocations. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 18/2/2006 - righe 35, parole 502)


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