According to the recent report released by the “Statistics of the Catholic Church of Korea,” the population of Catholics has increased in the country by 2022.
Newsroom (11/05/2023 08:50, Gaudium Press) According to the recent report released by the “Statistics of the Catholic Church of Korea,” the population of Catholics has increased in the country by 2022.
The study collected data from the country’s 16 dioceses in 2022 and the total number of Catholics is 5,949,842. The increase of 0.2% from the previous year’s report for 2021. Men account for 42.9% of Catholics and 57.1% are women living spread across the country’s 1,784 parishes. This number represents 11.3% of the total population of South Korea.
The document that was presented by the Korean Bishops’ Conference also shows a 3% increase in the number of people attending Mass on Sundays. By 2022, 699,681 people said they would frequently attend Sunday services. Despite the increase, the number represents only 11.3% of the total number of Catholics. According to Agenzia Fides, the increase is due to the end of restrictions because of the pandemic.
The increase in the number of baptisms was 13.3%. A total of 41,384 people were baptized in South Korean churches in 2022, in 2021 the number of baptisms was 36,540. Interestingly, baptisms are classified into three types in the report: infant, adult, and dying baptisms. Infant baptisms had a 22% increase, adult baptisms increased by 9.3%, and deathbed baptisms increased by 16%.
Regarding clergy and religious, the report shows that 77 more priests were ordained than in 2021. As for the number of religious (men and women), the numbers have decreased.
In South Korea, there are 1,602 male religious belonging to 48 different religious orders and 9,974 nuns spread among 125 congregations. In addition, there are 227 novices who are preparing to enter religious life for good. (FM)
With information from Fides.
Compiled by Kate Iwuc
