Rome (Fides Service) - The Oblate Missionaries of Mary Immaculate have issued statistics with regard to their members working all over the world. On 9 January 2003 the total number was 4,488: 1 cardinal, 5 archbishops, 37 bishops, 2 apostolic prefects, 3,288 priests, 469 Brothers with perpetual vows and 29 Brothers with temporary vows. Compared to the previous year the overall number of OMI dropped by 46 units: from 4,534 in 2002 to 4,488 at present. Looking at the numbers around the world here are the OMI by continent in order of highest numbers: Europe 1,356; Africa-Madagascar 837; Canada 735; Asia-Oceania 615; Latin America 466; United States 434, to whom we must add 45 member engaged in general administration. In 2002, 121 OMI missionaries died: 1 bishop, 98 priests, 21 Brothers, 1 scholastic. Oblates in formation on 31 December 2002 were as follows: 159 novices, 657 scholastics, 29 brothers in formation, 130 made their first vows, 78 made perpetual vows, 76 priestly ordinations. See table at www.fides.org SL (Fides Service 5/2/2003 EM lines 24 Words: 314)