As of December 31, 2021, the world population stood at 7,785,769,000 inhabitants, an increase of 118,633,000 inhabitants compared to 2020. On the same date, the number of Catholics was 1,375,852,000, an increase of 16,240,000 compared to 2020.
The increase concerns all continents except Europe (-244,000). As in the past, it is more marked in Africa (+8,312,000) and North and South America (+6,629,000), followed by Asia (+1,488,000) and Oceania (+55,000). The global percentage of Catholics decreased slightly (-0.06) compared to the previous year and stands at 17.67%.
The total number of bishops in the world decreased by 23, to 5,340. There are 4,155 diocesan bishops and 1,185 religious bishops. The total number of priests in the world increased to 407,872. Europe and the Americas again recorded a constant decline.
Increases have been are recorded in Africa (+1,518), Asia (+719) and Oceania (+11). The number of diocesan priests worldwide decreased by 911 to 279,610. The number of religious priests decreased by 1,436 to 128,262. The number of permanent deacons continues to increase, (+541), reaching 49,176. The increases have occurred on all continents.
The number of religious non-priests decreased by 795 to reach 49,774. Declines were recorded in the Americas (-311), Europe (-599) and Oceania (-115). They are increasing in Africa (+205) and Asia (+25).
The trend towards a decrease in women religious is confirmed, with -10,588 compared to the previous year for a total of 608,958. Increases were recorded in Africa (+2,275) and Asia (+366), along with decreases in Europe (-7,804), the Americas (-5,185) and Oceania (-240).
The total number of major seminarians, diocesan and religious, decreased by 1,960 to reach 109,895. Increases were recorded only in Africa (+187), decreases in the Americas (-744), Asia
(-514), Europe (-888) and Oceania (-1).
The total number of minor seminarians increased by 316 to reach 95,714. It decreased in the Americas (-372), Asia (-1,216), Europe (-144) and Oceania (-5), while it increased in Africa (+2,053).
In the field of education and instruction, the Church manages 74,368 kindergartens in the world, attended by 7,565,095 students; 100,939 primary schools for 34,699,835 students; 49,868 secondary schools for 19,485,023 students. In addition, it follows 2,483,406 high school students and 3,925,325 university students.
The health, charity and assistance institutions managed throughout the world by the Catholic Church include 5,405 hospitals, 14,205 dispensaries, 567 leper hospitals, 15,276 homes for the elderly, chronically ill and handicapped, 9,703 orphanages, 10,567 nursery schools, 10,604 marriage counseling centers, 3,287 social rehabilitation centers, and 35,529 other social institutions.
There are a total of 1,121 Ecclesiastical Circumscriptions dependent on the Dicastery for Evangelization (section for the first evangelization and the new particular Churches), according to the latest changes recorded. Most of the ecclesiastical circumscriptions entrusted to the Dicastery are in Africa (523) and Asia (481), then come the Americas (71) and Oceania (46).
On the occasion of the 97th World Mission Day, Fides Agency presented statistics on the Church in the world, on the members of the Church, pastoral structures, along with activities in the areas of health, assistance, and education. Finally, an overview of the ecclesiastical districts entrusted to the Dicastery for Evangelization is given.