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The Catholic Church in the United States At A Glance
(Figures Represent the U.S. Catholic Church Through 2007 Unless Otherwise Indicated)


Laity

There are 67,117,016 Catholics in the United States1 (22% of the U.S. population),
and 1 billion Catholics worldwide2.

New Church Members3

Infant Baptisms: 902,841
Adult Baptisms: 49,415
Received into Full Communion: 87,363


Dioceses and Archdioceses (alphabetical listing - Listing by population)

In the United States, there are 195 archdioceses and dioceses:

145 Latin Catholic dioceses
33 Latin Catholic archdioceses
15 Eastern Catholic dioceses
2 Eastern Catholic archdioceses


Clergy and Religious

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is an assembly
of the hierarchy of the United States and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Cardinals
There are 16 U.S. Cardinals

  • 5 Cardinals currently lead U.S. archdioceses
    Cardinal Daniel DiNardo - Galveston-Houston
    Cardinal Francis George - Chicago
    Cardinal Roger Mahony – Los Angeles
    Cardinal Sean O'Malley - Boston
    Cardinal Justin Rigali – Philadelphia

  • 4 U.S. Cardinals are not currently diocesan bishops
    Cardinal John P. Foley – Grand Master of the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher
    Cardinal Bernard F. Law – Archpriest of St. Mary Major Basilica, Rome
    Cardinal William J. Levada, Prefect, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
    Cardinal James Stafford – Major Penitentiary

  • 7 U.S Cardinals are retired
    Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua – Archbishop Emeritus of Philadelphia
    Cardinal William Baum – Major Penitentiary Emeritus
    Cardinal Edward Egan – Archbishop Emeritus of New York
    Cardinal William Keeler - Archbishop Emeritus of Baltimore
    Cardinal Adam Maida – Archbishop Emeritus of Detroit
    Cardinal Theodore McCarrick - Archbishop Emeritus of Washington
    Cardinal Edmund Szoka - Former President, Pontifical Commission for Vatican City

Bishops
There are 425 active and retired U.S. bishops in the United States:

  • 261 Active Bishops:
    • 5 Cardinal Archbishops
    • 28 Archbishops
    • 1 Coadjutor Archbishop
    • 155 Diocesan Bishops
    • 1 Coadjutor Bishop
    • 71 Auxiliary Bishops

  • 164 Retired Bishops:
    • 7 retired Cardinal Archbishops
    • 20 retired Archbishops
    • 89 retired Diocesan Bishops
    • 48 retired Auxiliary Bishops
Currently, 5 dioceses are vacant (sede vacante):

  • Duluth
  • Cheyenne
  • Owensboro
  • Oakland
  • St. Louis
Priests4
There are 41,406 diocesan and religious-order priests in the United States.
  • 28,067 diocesan priests
  • 13,339 religious-order priests (Jesuits, Dominicans, Franciscans, etc.)
Seminarians5
There are 5,029 seminarians enrolled in the United States.

  • 3,248 enrolled in diocesan seminaries
  • 1,781 enrolled in religious-order seminaries
Permanent Deacons6
There are 16,408 men who are ordained as permanent deacons in the United States. A permanent deacon is a man, either married or single, who is ordained to the order of deacons, the first of three ranks in ordained ministry. They assist priests in administrative and pastoral roles.

Vowed Religious7

  • Sisters: 63,032
  • Brothers: 5,040

Catholic Education8
  • Total Catholic elementary and high school enrollment: 2,256,990
  • Elementary Schools: 6,266 schools educating 1,576,301 students
  • High Schools: 1,352 schools educating 680,689 students
  • Colleges and Universities: 236 institutions educating 794,321 students
  • Non-residential Schools for Handicapped Persons: 68 schools educating 6,419 students
  • Public School Students Receiving Religious Education:
    • Elementary School students: 3,145,424
    • High School students: 689,552

Catholic Health Care9
  • Hospitals: 557 Catholic hospitals treated 83,795,186 patients
  • Other Health Care Centers: 417 centers treated 7,271,716 patients
  • Specialized Homes: 1,538 assisted 756,902 residents
  • Residential Care of Children: 163 locations assisted 30,106 residents

Catholic Charities

Social Services10
More than 1,735 local Catholic Charities agencies and institutions provided services to 7,854,104 unduplicated individuals in need of help in 2004.

  • Provided Services that Build Strong Communities to 3,618,993 people
    Social support services 1,698,047
    Education and enrichment 747,021
    Socialization and neighborhood services 609,149
    Health-related services 234,635
    Services to at-risk populations 331,141

  • Provided Food Services to 6,360,939 people
    Food banks and food pantries 2,373,087
    Soup kitchens 1,826,738
    Congregate dining 1,232,217
    Home delivered meals 279,345
    Other food services 649,520

  • Provided Services that Strengthen Families to 1,093,339 people
    Counseling and mental health services 468,844
    Immigration services 341,087
    Addiction services 97,980
    Refugee services 77,801
    Pregnancy services 65,718
    Adoption services 41,909

  • Provided Housing Related Services to 474,999 people
    Housing services 171,787
    Temporary shelter 139,938
    Supervised living 102,297
    Permanent housing 41,424
    Transitional housing 19,553

  • Provided Other Basic Needs Services to 1,384,101 people
    Financial Assistance (not rent, mortgage, etc.) 154,637
    Clothing Assistance 533,828
    Utilities Assistance 167,510
    Assistance with Purchase of Prescriptions 47,136
    Additional Other Basic Needs Assistance 480,990

  • Provided Disaster Services to 567,334 people

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops - Executive 2009

  1. The Official Catholic Directory 2008, P.J. Kenedy & Sons, New Providence, NJ. 2006
  2. The Official Catholic Directory 2008.
  3. The Official Catholic Directory 2008.
  4. The Official Catholic Directory 2008.
  5. Ibid.
  6. Ibid.
  7. Ibid.
  8. Ibid.
  9. Ibid.
  10. Catholic Charities USA 2006 Annual Survey At A Glance.
    * USCCB

Catholic Church in the United States and Abroad: 1965-2005

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Department of Communications | 3211 4th Street, N.E., Washington DC 20017-1194 | (202) 541-3000 © USCCB. All rights reserved.

Department of Communications | 3211 4th Street, N.E., Washington DC 20017-1194 | (202) 541-3000 © USCCB. All rights reserved.