[Catholic Caucus] Catholic population remains stable at 17.8% of world population; baptisms decline, number of priests rises

[Catholic Caucus] Catholic population remains stable at 17.8% of world population; baptisms decline, number of priests rises17.8% of the world’s people are Catholic, a figure that remained steady in 2024, according to statistics published in the new editions of the Annuarium Statisticum Ecclesiae (2024 edition) and Annuario Pontificio (2026 edition).The number of Catholics rose from 1.406 billion in 2023 to 1.422 billion in 2024, an increase of 1.14%. The growth in Catholic population was most dynamic in Africa, where the Catholic population rose from just over 281 million in 2023 to over 288 million in 2024.There are now more Catholics...