The following comes from a March 9 Catholic News Agency article by Ann Schneible:
The number of Catholics has increased at a faster rate than the rest of the population, newly released statistics by the Vatican reveal.
Over the course of nine years, the number of Catholics worldwide has increased by 17.8 percent, compared to the global population, which increased by 17.3 percent.
From 2005-2014, the number of Catholics grew from 1.12 billion to 1.27 billion.
The greatest increase in Catholics was seen in the African continent at 41 percent, amid an overall population growth of 23.8 percent. This was followed by Asia, with a 20 percent Catholic increase vs. the 9.6 percent population increase, then America which saw an 11.7 percent increase in Catholics compared to 9.6 percent of the population.
There was also a worldwide increase in the number of diocesan and religious priests, mostly in Africa and Asia, although there was a decline in new priests in Europe and Oceana.
While the number of permanent deacons increased in the African continent, the rest of the world saw a decline. Likewise, female religious saw a decline, but an increase in Africa and Asia.
Seminarians for the priesthood increased from 114,439 in 2005 to 116,939 in 2014, peaking in 2011 at 120,616. The number of seminarians was consistently highest in Africa, Asia, and Oceana, while Europe and America saw a decline.
In Europe and the Americas, Catholicism is dying. And in the other areas, are the people really Catholic? Many so called Catholics in Asia and Africa still practice their pagan religions while professing to be Catholic at the same time. It is like voodoo in Haiti.
Every Catholic church i visit is full
Yes, they are full here too.
It’s also a lot like Early Medieval Europe. Read Gregory of Tours to see just how long it took the Church to wean European converts off all their paganism .
I am an American, retired after serving the Church in the States as a canon lawyer. For the past 6 years I have been teaching canon law in a major Seminary in Nigeria. The men I have been teaching are wonderful, intelligent, spiritual, and very level headed. In my humble opinion they make excellent priests. Vocations are many by the Grace of the Holy Spirit.
‘In Europe and the Americas, Catholicism is dying. And in the other areas, are the people really Catholic?’
NON SENSE! The faith is ALIVE and WELL. Now people practice their faith, because they have CONVICTION and not because they were born into it.
‘ Many so called Catholics in Asia and Africa still practice their pagan religions while professing to be Catholic at the same time. It is like voodoo in Haiti.’
So did the Israel in the old testament and GOD NEVER abandon them.
Tony, it is the same with some Caucasians and others over here. That is what the New Age Movement is all about — a return to European type paganism, mixed often with other types of paganism. It is very prevalent in California. Many of the clerks in our secular book stores are Wiccan. Most of our book stores have gone out of business, and some say it is because of high rent and on line book stores. Some Jewish people are into New Age. I went to one Orthodox church festival in the past, and a lady was reading coffee grounds for money.
I did not mean to pick on the Orthodox churches, though, as they are many Catholics who are into astrology and have posed as so called psychics. I remember one well known psychic astrologist during the 70’s and to the turn of the century, who claimed to be Catholic. She was on television one time, and I put down on paper all five predictions she had for the next year. I put it in a drawer and read it at the end of the next year and not one of her predictions had come true. They use stage tricks, etc. to get answers often.
I have lived in Nigeria for over 6 years and am actively involved in the matters of the Catholic Church as a lecturer in canon law at a Major Seminary, member of the provincial marriage tribunal, and member of many other commissions and active parish member. I can tell you firmly that the African people I live with do not mix “pagan” customs with their Catholic faith. If anything, the practice of the faith here in Nigeria is more like we found it in the States before Vatican II.
OK….Gods love for His Church!