PRIESTS WORLDWIDE--The total number of priests worldwide stands at 408,000. That's one priest for about every 2,800 Catholics. (CNS graphic/Emily Thompson)
RISE IN NUMBER OF CATHOLICS, CLERGY--The 2009 Official Catholic Directory shows an increase of the number of Catholics, priests and deacons in the US over the past year. (CNS graphic/Emily Thompson)
PRIEST-CATHOLIC RATIO--Fewer priests serve an expanding number of Catholics. (CNS graphic/Emily Thompson)
CATHOLICS-TO-PRIEST RATIO--As the number of active priests decreases and the populations of Latin-rite dioceses increase, the Catholics-to-priest ratio is high. (CNS graphic/Emily Thompson) (March 9, 2007)
