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Vatican news agency Fides released new figures from the "Church’s Book of Statistics" last Sunday (19 October). The release, which was based on data from 2023 and timed to coincide with World Mission Sunday, reported that the Catholic Church grew by 15,881,000 over the previous year, to 17.8% of the world's population.

Speaking shortly before World Mission Sunday, Pope Leo said:

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"Your prayers, your support will help spread the Gospel, provide for pastoral and catechetical programs, help to build new churches, and care for the health and educational needs of our brothers and sisters in mission territories."

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Highlighting the significant number of Catholic nurseries, schools and universities across the globe the "Church’s Book of Statistics" notes the scope of the Church's work recording: 5,377 Catholic hospitals, 13,895 dispensaries, 504 leper colonies, 15,566 homes for the elderly, chronically ill, or disabled and 10,858 daycare centres.

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‍The Vatican's "Book of Statistics" takes a year to compile, with data requested annually from every Diocese. Parish statistics gathered from churches in our Diocese are also included in our printed Diocesan Directory which should arrive in churches shortly before Christmas.

If you have questions about 2026's Directory, please contact our Communications Team.