By Michael Haynes, Catholic Herald. (Photo: Ágatha Depiné/Unsplash)
According to the newest dossier compiled by the Pontifical Mission Societies, the Catholic Church is growing in size on every continent, though the outlook for her clergy continues to decline.
The most recent annual figures document that there are over 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide (1,422,144,000 to be precise) out of a total population of 7.9 billion. Such a total is a growth of over 16.6 million from the previous year, which saw 1.39 billion Catholics out of the global population. Fides News Agency, the news arm of the Pontifical Mission Societies, noted that the population figures are from June 30, 2024, whilst all the other figures are dated up to December 31, 2024.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the population and Catholic population grew most in Africa. So great has been the consistent grown of Catholicism on the continent in recent years that Catholics are now more numerous there than in Europe. Over 288 million Catholics – or around 20.3 percent of the Church – are found in Africa, while Europe is home to 287 million Catholics, which is 20.1 percent of the Church.
A full continental breakdown is as follows:
America (North and South) – 679 million Catholics
Africa – 288 million Catholics
Europe – 287 million Catholics
Asia – 156 million Catholics
Oceania – 11.6 million Catholics
The annual figures have documented this growth in Africa year on year, such that it is no surprise that the Church there now outnumbers the Church in Europe.