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rug

(82,333 posts)
Mon May 13, 2013, 03:27 PM May 2013

Catholic population surges across the Global South

Alessandro Speciale | May 13, 2013

VATICAN CITY (RNS) Gains in Asia and Africa are making up for losses in Europe among the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics, according to Vatican statistics released Monday (May 13), signaling a shift of the church’s center of gravity toward the Global South that was heralded by the election of the first Latin American pope.

Data published in the 2013 Statistical Yearbook of the Church also show that while the number of priests in the Americas and in Europe is declining compared to the overall Catholic population, those losses were offset by increasing ranks of permanent deacons.

There are now about 41,000 permanent deacons worldwide, a 40 percent increase over the past decade. The vast majority of them — 97.4 percent — live in the Americas or in Europe.

According to Maureen Tilley of Fordham University, the diaconate is becoming increasingly appealing to “older ‘second-career’ men,” as younger men remain reluctant to take the vow of celibacy required by the priesthood.

http://www.religionnews.com/2013/05/13/catholic-population-surges-across-the-global-south/

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Catholic population surges across the Global South (Original Post) rug May 2013 OP
I've seen the rise of married deacons. goldent May 2013 #1
Vatican II revived the office of deacon. rug May 2013 #2

goldent

(1,582 posts)
1. I've seen the rise of married deacons.
Mon May 13, 2013, 07:52 PM
May 2013

I never knew this was possible. I suspect it was always possible in theory, but I wonder if the RCC supports it more these days.

 

rug

(82,333 posts)
2. Vatican II revived the office of deacon.
Mon May 13, 2013, 07:54 PM
May 2013

Now it's becoming a necessity, in the North at least.

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