Catholics all over the world have risen, from 2005 to 2006, from 1,115 to 1,131 million, i.e. a 1.4% relative rise. The number of bishops has risen from 4,841 to 4,898 with a 1.2% relative rise. The number of priests both diocesan and religious has risen from 406,411 in 2005 to 407,262 in 2006, on overall rise of 0.21%. These are some statistics for the year 2006 presented by the 2008 Papal Yearbook, given to Benedict XVI this morning by cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Secretary of State, and by mgr. Fernando Filoni, Deputy Secretary of State for General Affairs. All over the world, ecclesiastic districts are 2,923. The distribution of Catholics, depending on the different demographic rate of each continent, is different in each geographical area of the planet. America has a rate of about 14% of the total population, while the weight of the American Catholics accounts for 49.8% of the Catholics of the world. Europe has a rate of just less that of America, but its importance in the Catholic world has a definitely lower level than that of the American countries (25%). In Asia the weight of Catholics is 10.5%. (continued)” “
