A press release from the agency stated today that the donations from 18 different countries of Europe, North and South America and Australia, equaled over €82 million [$115 million], a 3% increase from the previous year.
This money was used for 5,020 projects in 137 countries, including the construction or renovation of churches, religious houses, seminaries, parish houses and centers.
The agency supported 14,739 seminarians, which amounts to almost one in eight of all seminarians worldwide.
Families were supported through the distribution of 1.1 million children’s Bibles, and 365,000 catechism booklets.
The agency helped the Catholic ministries in the African earthquake stricken regions of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It also aided the Church in Sudan and Zimbabwe.
In the Middle East, assistance was given to the Christian minority suffering from persecution.
The agency also provided funds to aid the Church in Cuba, Colombia, Haiti, Brazil, China, Vietnam and Burma.
