The Vatican released a set of statistics on the growth of Catholics in the world over the past decade. They have seen almost 11% increase over this nine year period with most coming from Africa and Asia.
The Vatican states:
Over these nine years, the Catholic presence in the world has grown from 1,045 million in 2000 to 1,166 million in 2008, an increase of 11.54 percent. Considering the statistics in detail, numbers in Africa grew by 33 percent, in Europe they remained generally stable (an increase of 1.17 percent), while in Asia they increased by 15.61 percent, in Oceania by 11.39 percent and in America by 10.93 percent. As a percentage of the total population, European Catholics represented 26.8 percent in 2000 and 24.31 percent in 2008. In America and Oceania they have remained stable, and increased slightly in Asia.
The number of bishops in the world went up from 4541 in 2000 to 5002 in 2008, an increase of 10.15 percent.
The report further states:
Female religious are almost double the number of priests, and 14 times that of non-ordained male religious, but their numbers are falling, from 800,000 in 2000 to 740,000 in 2008. As for their geographical distribution, 41 percent reside in Europe, 27.47 percent in America, 21.77 percent in Asia and 1.28 percent in Oceania. The number of female religious has increased in the most dynamic continents: Africa (up by 21 percent) and Asia (up by 16 percent).
Thus it is an interesting question to ask:
Will the next Pope be African? Clearly the choice of a German has had its problems. A Polish Pope was a strong and seasoned man who had survived the Germans and Russians and had a well tempered stand. Will that be the next Pope.
Secondly, with the growth of women in religious orders, will this also have an influence on the Church.
Female religious are almost double the number of priests, and 14 times that of non-ordained male religious, but their numbers are falling, from 800,000 in 2000 to 740,000 in 2008. As for their geographical distribution, 41 percent reside in Europe, 27.47 percent in America, 21.77 percent in Asia and 1.28 percent in Oceania. The number of female religious has increased in the most dynamic continents: Africa (up by 21 percent) and Asia (up by 16 percent).
Thus it is an interesting question to ask:
Will the next Pope be African? Clearly the choice of a German has had its problems. A Polish Pope was a strong and seasoned man who had survived the Germans and Russians and had a well tempered stand. Will that be the next Pope.
Secondly, with the growth of women in religious orders, will this also have an influence on the Church.
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