Ireland: Statistics of the Church as Pope Francis Prepares to Visit

The People and Institutions

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Statistics of the Catholic Church in Ireland as of 31 December 2016 (from the Central Office for Church Statistics)
Table 1 – Population and ecclesiastical structure
Table 2 – People engaged in activities of the apostolate
Table 3 – Indicators of pastoral workload
Table 4 – Priestly Vocations
Table 5 – Educational centers owned/managed by ecclesiastics or religious
Table 6 – Charitable and social centers owned/managed by ecclesiastics or religious
The following are some statistical data relating to the situation of the Catholic Church in Ireland as of 31 December 2016:
Table 1 – Population and ecclesiastical structure

Area (km2) 84,405
Population (in thousands) 7,005
Density (inhabitants/km2) 83
Catholics (in thousands) 5,331
Catholics per 100 inhabitants 76.1
Ecclesiastical circumscriptions 26
Parishes 1,359
Other pastoral centers 40
Catholics per pastoral center 3,811

Table 2 – People engaged in activities of the apostolate

Bishops1 56
Diocesan priests 2,542
Religious priests 1,793
Total priests 4,335
Permanent deacons 132
Men religious (other than priests) 59
Professed women religious 764
Members of secular Institutes 97
Lay missionaries
Catechists 2,357
[1] Situation on 31.12.2017
Table 3 – Indicators of pastoral workload

Catholics per priest 1,230
Catholics per pastoral worker 683
Priests per pastoral center 3.1
Priests per 100 people engaged in activities of the apostolate 56.3

Table 4 – Priestly vocations

Minor seminarians 10
Major seminarians 150
Major seminarians per 100,000 inhabitants
 
2.14
Major seminarians per 100,000 Catholics 2.81
Major seminarians per 100 priests 3.46

Table 5 – Educational centers owned/managed by ecclesiastics or religious

Schools:
Pre-school and primary 3,375
Lower middle and secondary 599
Higher and university 9
Students in:
Pre-school and primary schools 526,640
Lower middle and secondary schools 318,030
Higher and university institutes 22,775

Table 6 – Charitable and social centers owned/managed by ecclesiastics or religious

Hospitals 21
Clinics
Leper colonies
Homes for the elderly and disabled 36
Orphanages and nurseries 33
Family consultation centers 57
Special centers of social education or rehabilitation 8
Other institutions 3

 

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