The Philippines Ranks No. 3 Worldwide With 83.6 Million Adherents

►Half of the world’s Catholics are accounted for by only TEN COUNTRIES. According to Vatican figures (as of 2015), they are Brazil (172.2 million), Mexico (110.9), Philippines (83.6), USA (72.3), Italy (58.0), France (48.3), Colombia (45.3), Spain (43.3), Democratic Republic of Congo (43.2) and Argentina (40.8).

The number of Catholics worldwide increased, from 1,272 million in 2014 to 1,285 million in 2015.

Of every 100 baptized, 49 are from America, 22.2 from Europe, 17.3 from Africa, 11 from Asia, and 0.8 are from Oceania.

Viewed as continents, 63.7 percent of Americans are Catholics, 39.9 percent of Europeans, 19.4 percent of Africans, 26.4 percent of Oceanians, and 3.2 percent of Asians.

To serve them, there are 5,304 bishops, 415,656 priests, 670,320 nuns, and 45,255 permanent deacons. (No numbers for Brothers? No figures for seminarians preparing to serve?)

The grimmest figures are in the number of women religious, which has fallen from 721,935 to 670,320 – in only five years. ◘