Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Salesians Grow in Africa, Asia, Shrink Worldwide

Salesians Grow
in Africa, Asia,
Shrink Worldwide

On February 2 the Salesians of Don Bosco published official membership statistics for 2010. The total number worldwide on December 31, 2010, was 15,762. This was 190 fewer than in 2009.

The number includes 10,507 priests, 1,915 coadjutor (lay) brothers, 2,741 seminarian brothers, 481 novices, and 113 bishops and 6 cardinals.

The number of countries in which Salesians are working is unchanged at 136: 42 in Africa, 24 in Asia (not counting Siberian Russia), 8 in Australia-Oceania, 38 in Europe (including Russia), 13 in North America, and 11 in South America.

The number of provinces fell from 92 to 89 during 2010 because the 5 provinces of Argentina were restructured into 2.

The province with the most Salesians is Piedmont-Val d’Aosta (537), itself the result of the merger of three provinces several years ago, and that with the fewest is Hungary (39). The province of Vietnam has the most novices (38).

For the first time in the 151-year history of the Salesian Congregation, the Italian provinces (numbering 6 at present) do not number the most members (2,411). They have been surpassed by the 10 Indian provinces, with 2,504 members. India is also the country with the largest number of houses (337).

In five of the eight geographical regions into which the Salesian Congregation is divided administratively, the number of Salesians declined: Italy-Middle East to 2,356 (-78), America Southern Cone to 1,569 (-71), West Europe to 1,502 (-52), InterAmerica (to which the U.S. belongs) to 2,090 (-44), and North Europe to 2,459 (-24).

The Salesians have increased in Africa to 1,432 (+35), East Asia-Oceania to 1,438 (+30), and South Asia to 2,584 (+12).

Not part of the regional structure are 213 staff and students from all over the world at the Salesian Generalate in Rome and the Salesian Pontifical University, also in Rome, or the 119 bishops and cardinals.

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