Europe: Constant decrease in the number of priests, seminarians and nuns

On that date, according to Vatican figures, Catholics made up 17.77% of the world’s population, or 1,272,281,000 total persons with a net increase of 18.3 million from the previous year. The increase is noted on all continents, except Europe, where the number of Catholic faithful diminished by 57,000.  

At the end of 2014 there were 415,792 priests, reflecting a very slight increase of 444. Europe is still seeing an alarming decrease in the number of its priests (-2,564). To a lesser extent, America (-123) and Oceania (-86) also experienced a decline. On the other hand, Africa (+1,089) and Asia (+2,128) are making progress.

The number of major seminarians, both diocesan and religious, decreased worldwide by 1,312 candidates to the priesthood, out of a total of 116,939. Increases are noted only in Africa (+636), whereas the number of major seminarians decreased in America (-676), Asia (-635), Europe (-629) and Oceania (-8).

In inversely proportional fashion, the number of permanent deacons in the world increased by 1,371, reaching a total of 44,566. The greatest increases were noted obviously in America (+965) and Europe (+311), continents joined to a lesser extent by Africa (+25), Asia (+65) and Oceania (+5).

The number of men religious who are not priests declined worldwide, for the second consecutive year, by 694, making a total of 54,559. Increases are noted in Africa (+331) and Asia (+66), whereas the decreases are reported in America (-362), Europe (-653) and Oceania (-76). The worldwide decline in the number of nuns proves to be even greater this year than that of the preceding year (-10,846). The increases are noted in Africa (+725) and Asia (+604), whereas the decreases affect America (-4,242), Europe (-7,733) and Oceania (-200).