The Global Face of the Church

Vatican stats confirm growth of church, especially in Asia, Africa

Some interesting stats as of the end of 2005:

1.12 billion Catholics
17.2 percent of the world population

Global population increase from 2004: 1.2%
Catholic increase from 2004: 1.5%
Global increase in number of priests: .1% (520)

For every 100 seminarians at the end of 2005:
32 from the Americas
26 from Asia
21 from Africa
20 from Europe
1 from Oceania

Doing some math:
Catholics at the end of 2004 = 1,103,448,276
Increase in Catholics to end of 2005 = 16,551,724
Number of new Catholics per new priest = 31,830

Keep praying for those increases in vocations!