U.S. DATA

1965

1975

1985

1995

2000

2003

Diocesan priests

35,925

36,005

35,025

32,349

30,607

29,285

Religious priests

22,707

22,904

22,265

16,705

15,092

14,349

Total priests

58,632

58,909

57,317

49,054

45,699

43,634

Priestly ordinations

994

771

533

511

442

441

Graduate-level seminarians

8,325

5,279

4,063

3,172

3,474

3,414

Permanent

deacons

--

898

7,204

10,932

12,378

13,635

Religious brothers

12,271

8,625

7,544

6,535

5,662

5,499

Religious sisters

179,954

135,225

115,386

90,809

79,814

73,316

Parishes

17,637

18,515

19,244

19,331

19,236

19,081

Without a resident priest

549

702

1,051

2,161

2,843

3,040

Catholic population

45.6 m

48.7 m

52.3 m

57.4 m

59.9 m

63.4 m

Percent of U.S. population

24%

23%

23%

23%

22%

22%