Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - This morning, Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B. presented the Holy Father with the 2007 edition of the "Annuario Pontificio," or pontifical yearbook. Also present were Archbishop Leonardo Sandri, substitute for General Affairs, and the officials responsible for compiling and printing the volume.
A statement regarding the presentation highlights some of the salient facts contained in the new yearbook. In 2006, 12 new Bishops’ sees were created, as well as nine metropolitan sees and one apostolic administration; 180 new bishops were also appointed.
Between 2004 and 2005, the number of Catholics in the world increased from 1,098 million to 1,115 million, a growth of 1.5 percent. However, because this growth is very similar to that of the population of the planet (1.2 percent), the percentage of Catholics in the world remained substantially unchanged at 17.2 percent. A geographical analysis of these variations shows that over the period 2004-2005, the number of Catholics in Africa grew by 3.1 percent, while the population of the continent grew by 2.1 percent. In Asia and the Americas the number of Catholics also increased slightly with respect to the population (2.71 percent against 1.18 percent in Asia, 1.2 percent against 0.9 percent in the Americas). In Europe, the number of Catholics grew slightly while the population remained almost stationery.
In 2004-2005, the number of religious and diocesan priests passed from 405,891 to 406,411 (a growth of 0.13 percent). However, the distribution of priests differed from continent to continent, with their numbers growing in Africa and Asia (respectively, by 3.8 percent and 3.55 percent) and falling in Europe and America (by 0.5 percent), and in Oceania (by 1.8 percent). The contribution of priests by continent shows slight changes in the two years considered. In 2004 Africa and Asia together contributed 19.58 % of the world total; in 2005 this percentage rose to 20.28 %. America offers circa 29.8 % while Oceania is relatively stable at just over 1 %. The only continent where number diminished was Europe: in 2004 its 199.978 priests represented almost 49.3 % of the total but by the following year it had dropped to 48.8 %.
The overall number of seminarians increased from 113.044 in 2004 to 114.439 in 2005, with an increase of 1.23 %. The increase was as follows Africa (3.46 %), in Asia (2.90 %) in America (0.6 %), except for a 1.9 % decrease in Europe. The number in Oceania is stable with 950 men. In 2005 out of the 100 seminarians in the world, 32 were Americans, 26 Asians, 21 Africans, 20 Europeans and 1 in Oceania. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 12/2/2007 - righe 38, parole 554)
