Some interesting numbers. Number of Catholics up but sacramental practice for initiation down. Does this reflect an increase in Catholics, immigration?, who
are adults or Catholics who are not particularly into the faith?
And at 68.1 million, an increase of nearly 1 million over the 2008 directory, Catholics continue to make up 22 percent of the U.S. population...................-- There were 191,265 church-recognized marriages in the year ending Jan. 1, 2009, more than 5,000 fewer than the year before.
-- Confirmations numbered more than 622,000, down about 8,500 from the previous year.
-- First Communions numbered nearly 822,000, a drop of about 1,300.
Another interesting number which needs more digging into is the number of ordained deacons were 5-1 over priests. Even taking into account that the deconnate is a step to priesthood this is a huge difference. Does it reflect a desire by men for a clergy life without giving up the right to marry?
The total number of priests in U.S. dioceses and religious orders was 41,489, an increase of 83 over the previous year. The increase was 89 for religious-order priests, offsetting a decrease of six for diocesan priests.
Permanent deacons went from 16,408 at the beginning of 2008 to 16,935 the next year, an increase of 527. The number of diocesan seminarians went up by 26 to 3,274, but the number studying for the religious-order priesthood decreased by 82 to 1,699.
http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0902595.htm
And at 68.1 million, an increase of nearly 1 million over the 2008 directory, Catholics continue to make up 22 percent of the U.S. population...................-- There were 191,265 church-recognized marriages in the year ending Jan. 1, 2009, more than 5,000 fewer than the year before.
-- Confirmations numbered more than 622,000, down about 8,500 from the previous year.
-- First Communions numbered nearly 822,000, a drop of about 1,300.
Another interesting number which needs more digging into is the number of ordained deacons were 5-1 over priests. Even taking into account that the deconnate is a step to priesthood this is a huge difference. Does it reflect a desire by men for a clergy life without giving up the right to marry?
The total number of priests in U.S. dioceses and religious orders was 41,489, an increase of 83 over the previous year. The increase was 89 for religious-order priests, offsetting a decrease of six for diocesan priests.
Permanent deacons went from 16,408 at the beginning of 2008 to 16,935 the next year, an increase of 527. The number of diocesan seminarians went up by 26 to 3,274, but the number studying for the religious-order priesthood decreased by 82 to 1,699.
http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0902595.htm
