Annual SDB Statistics 2018, January 1

By Our Own Correspondent

RMG, 29 January 2018 -- Thanks to the regular and patient diligent work of all 90 provincial secretaries, of Fr. Stefano Vanoli (Secretary General) and Fr. Francesco Maraccani (former Secretary General, until 2002) – we have again our statistics update to the 31st December 2017, so called ‘Flash 2017’.

Our EAO region is among the three growing Regions of the Congregation together with Africa – Madagascar and South Asia, while the two Regions of America and two Regions of Europe are slightly diminishing in numbers.

Simple overview of the above table shows the steadfast growth of our Region: 1497 Salesians

• Total of 1422 professed Salesians SDB (5 more than last year)


• Total of 75 novices (25 more than last year)


• Total of 208 Salesian Brothers, among them 53 temporary professed (5 less than last year)


• Total of 325 Salesian candidates to the priesthood (7 less than last year)


• Total of 892 Salesian priests (15 more than last year)


• Total of 13 Salesian bishops

In the same time the Worldwide Salesian statistics show a decrease of 88 SDB

• From the total of 14.748 SDB (2016) decrease to the total of 14.660 SDB (2017).


• Total number of professed SDB is 14.264 (including the 131 Salesian bishops)

The good news is the stable number of 432 Salesian novices, same number as last year, backed with much less drop outs during the novitiate time than 10 years ago. We humbly acknowledge that our Congregation is still blessed with the highest number of novices among all male religious congregations with similar geographical distribution as in recent past: 191 novices in Asia – Oceania, 132 novices in Africa, 68 in Americas and only 41 novices in Europe.

According the specific categories of the confreres the world figures of SDB living in 134 countries:

• Salesian Brothers - temporary professed: 212 (1 less than last year)


• Salesian Scholastics - temporary professed: 1955 (10 more than last year)


• Salesian Brothers – perpetually professed: 1426 (19 less than last year)


• Salesian Priests perpetually professed: 9941 (128 less than last year)


• Salesian Permanent Deacons: 19 (1 more than last year)


• Salesian Scholastics perpetually professed: 629 (10 less than last year)


• Salesian Bishops: 131 (3 more than last year)

According the geographical regions there are following numbers of Salesians (+novices)

• UPS and RMG (‘Generalate’): 209 SDB


• Mediterranean Region (Southern Europe and Middle East): 2951 SDB + 12 novices


• Central and North Europe Region: 2301 SDB + 29 novices


• Interamerica Region: 1730 SDB + 37 novices


• America Southern Cone Region: 1263 + 31 novices


• Africa Region: 1585 SDB + 132 novices


• South Asia Region: 2770 SDB + 116 novices


• East Asia – Oceania Region: 1422 + 75 novices

We know, that these are not only numbers. We are invited to read and interpret the 'Statistics' like the Word of God, as a message for our life and mission, for our animation and government.

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