An Interpretation of the Statistics

An Interpretation of the Statistics

Years 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994

Victor Bieler

Assistent General

General Remarks

The Graphics are based on the reports sent to the Holy See for the years 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1994.

They were done using the countries and continents in which the Congregation serves. Some of the graphics are based on the information in our own catalogue.

Although the graphics speak for themselves, I would like to make some observations and raise a few questions:

  1. The medium age of the provinces in Europe and America increases more than in the provinces of the other continents.

What are these provinces going to do in the future? If they want to keep their works, they need more confreres or at least to maintain their number through input from other provinces.

The younger provinces in Latin America, Africa and Asia are not quite able to send many confreres to other provinces, as they need them especially for the formation of their own candidates.

  1. There is an increase in “aspirants”, but who is going to take care of them? In the older provinces the confreres who could take care of the aspirants are getting older, farther away from young people. The younger provinces do not have sufficient members yet to do all the work that should be done, which is urgent.

  2. The number of incorporated brothers is decreasing, and so is the number of the admitted brothers. Should we try to boost the number of our brothers?

  3. Some of the numbers in the graphics are misleading;

  4. The younger, provinces can be found in Latin America, Africa and Asia; they have several vocation, but generally do not have the necessary resources for the formation of their members. What could be done about this?

If we do not really find ways to help them, and share with them, the whole Congregation will feel the effects in the future.

6. On 31 December 1994, The Congregation of the Mission had 554 houses, 29 bishops and 1 patriarch, 3224 priests, 11 permanent deacons (4 are waiting to be ordained), 123 scholastics with vows, 216 lay brothers with vows, 550 seminarians (internal seminary) for the priesthood, 37 seminarians (internal seminary) for the brotherhood, 1318 aspirants.

Copyright 2009 Congregation of the Mission