The Church in Portugal in 2015: Less Catholics, but higher percentage

A very slight rise in the percentage of the Portuguese who identify themselves as Catholics, more parishes, more bishops, less diocesan priests and religious and more deacons – this is the Catholic Church portrait in Portugal on the 31st of December 2015, according to the data revealed today by the Vatican.

The numbers that were published in the context of the pilgrimage of Pope Francis to Fatima, on the 12th and 13th of May, indicate that 9,183 million of Portuguese, out of a population of 10,349 million, declare that they profess the Catholic faith, that is, 88,7 percent of the population.

Regarding the official numbers of 2014, there is a rise of 0,3 percent, though the number of Catholics has reduced: on the 31st of December 2014, the Vatican official statistics was pointing to 9,207 million Catholics in a population of 10,412 million residents, that is, 88,4 percent.

Keeping the 20 dioceses (besides the Military Ordinariate – Diocese of the Armed and Security Forces), the Catholic Church in Portugal has now 4.424 parishes (4.378 in 2014), 2.524 diocesan priests (2.595 in 2014), 907 religious priests (909 in 2014) and 360 permanent deacons (who pastorally collaborate with the presbyteries in the celebration of some sacraments and in certain functions) against 354 in 2014.

The number of bishops, updated on the 31st of March this year, is 49, while in 2014 there was 45.

The number of seminarians who are studying Philosophy and Theology also decreased: on the 31st of December 2015, there were 551 seminarians, against 565 in the previous year.

According to the statistics, on the 31st of December 2015 the Catholic Church managed 44 hospitals (41 in 2014) and 105 centers of ambulatory care or dispensaries (82 in the previous year).

There was a decrease in the houses for the elder and disabled people (997 in 2015, 1.017 in 2014) and in kindergartens and orphanages (672 against 717).

Regarding education, the data indicate the existence of 847 establishments, including kindergartens, primaries, secondary schools, superior institutes and universities, which represents a decline of around 47,6 percent.

The numbers revealed today by the Vatican does not contain references to the area of publication. On the 31st of December 2014, the official data indicated the existence of 17 catholic editors and 174 newspapers, among which five daily and 47 weekly, besides 34 radio stations.