Pope Francis on one of his many travels© L'Osservatore Romano

Pope Francis on one of his many travels© L'Osservatore Romano

Numbers for Catholic Church in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia

Apostolic Journey of Pope Francis September 22-25, 2018

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In advance of the Holy Fathers September 22-25, 2018 apostolic journey, the Vatican presents the Statistics of the Catholic Church in Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia as of December 31, 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 Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia as of 31 December 2016:
 
Table 1 – Population and ecclesiastical structure

Lithuania Latvia Estonia
Area (km2) 65,200 64,600 45,100
Population (in thousands) 3,243 1,980 1,316
Density (inhabitants/km2) 50 31 29
Catholics (in thousands) 2,590 413 6
Catholics per 100 inhabitants 79.9 20.9 0.5
Ecclesiastical circumscriptions 8 4 1
Parishes 712 263 9
Other pastoral centres 227 22 6
Catholics per pastoral centre 2,758 1,449 400

 
Table 2 – People engaged in activities of the apostolate

Lithuania Latvia Estonia
Bishops (situation at 31.07.2018) 17 8 1
Diocesan priests 708 138 15
Religious priests 101 28 2
Total priests 809 166 17
Permanent deacons 3 1
Men religious (other than priests) 20
Professed women religious 557 99 30
Members of secular Institutes 11 12
Lay missionaries 64 12
Catechists 930 270 5

 
Table 3 – Indicators of pastoral workload

Lithuania Latvia Estonia
Catholics per priest 3,202 2,488 353
Catholics per pastoral worker 1,104 666 92
Priests per pastoral centre 0.86 0.58 1.13
Priests per 100 people engaged in activities of the apostolate 35.2 28.1 27.7

 
Table 4 – Priestly Vocations

Lithuania Latvia Estonia
Minor seminarians 2
Major seminarians 44 12 7
Major seminarians per 100,000 inhabitants
 
1.36 0.61 0.53
Major seminarians per 100,000 Catholics 1.70 2.90 116.7
Major seminarians per 100 priests 5.44 7.23 41.18

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

Lithuania Latvia Estonia
Schools:
Pre-school and primary 135 6 3
Lower middle and secondary 331 3
Higher and university 9 1
Students in:
Pre-school and primary schools 21,570 532 517
Lower middle and secondary schools 84,321 96
Higher and university institutes 8,807 53

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

Lithuania Latvia Estonia
Hospitals 3
Clinics
Leper colonies
Homes for the elderly and disabled 26 1
Orphanages and nurseries 29
Family consultation centers 48 2
Special centers of social education or rehabilitation 4 2
Other institutions 88
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