Catholics in Vietnam are urged to celebrate the coming World Mission Sunday by praying the Our Father and reaching out to people in need. Bishop Matheus Nguyen Van Khoi of Qui Nhon said October is chosen as the Mission Month, starting with the feast of St. Therese of the Child Jesus, patroness of mission lands, including Vietnam. Bishop Khoi said the height of Mission Month is World Mission Sunday falling on Oct. 24 this year. The entire Church unites in prayer and sacrifices for the work of evangelization worldwide and locally.
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Catholics number 1,344,403,000, 17.74% of the world population
Catholics numbered 1,344,403,000 as of 31 December 2019, up by 15,410,000 over the previous year, while the world popu-lation stood at 7,577,777,000, up by 81,383,000 over the same period, Agenzia Fides reported to mark the 95th World Mission Day, which will be celebrated on 24 October.
The increase touches every continent, except Europe (-292,000). As in the past, the highest increases were reported in Africa (+8,302,000), Americas (+5,373,000), Asia (+1,909,000), and Oceania (+118,000).
The worldwide percentage of Catholics increased compared to the previous year, reaching 17.74 per cent. With respect to the continents, variations are minimal: increases in Africa (+0.14), Asia (+0.02), and the Americas (+0.09); decrease in Europe (-0.05); no change in Oceania.
The number of Bishops dropped by 13 to 5,364. Dio-cesan Bishops gained 12 new members, but religious bisho-ps declined by 25. Diocesan Bishops increased in Africa (+11), Asia (+5), Europe (+4) and Oceania (+2); decreased only in America (-10). Religious Bishops declined on all continents: Africa (-6), America (-7), Asia (-5), Europe (-4) and Oceania (-3). The total number of priests in the world went up, to 414,336 (+271). Europe again reported a major drop (-2,608) as did the Americas (-690) and Oceania (-69). Increases were reported in Africa (+1,649) and Asia (+1,989).
Permanent deacons also increased (+734) to 48,238. The largest gain was in the Americas (+562), followed by Europe (+177), Oceania (+5), Africa (+1), decreasing only in Asia (-11).
Adults from Afghanistan, Iran, prepare to be baptized as Catholics in Vienna
Eleven people from Afghanistan are among the 27 adults who will soon be baptized as Catholics in Austria’s Vienna archdiocese.
Cardinal Christoph Schönborn of Vienna formally welcomed the candidates for adult baptism at a ceremony on Oct. 20 at a Carmelite church in the city’s Döbling district. In addition to the 11 Afghans, there are six Iranians and four Austrians, with the remainder from five other countries.
More than two-thirds of the catechumens are male and between the ages of 20 and 40.
The 76-year-old cardinal told the candi-dates: “Being a Christian imparts a hope that is greater than the problems and crises of this world and also greater than the personal blows of fate that some of you have already experi-enced.”
Afghanistan is the world’s second-worst country in which to be a Christian after North Korea, according to the advocacy group Open Doors, which ranks Iran in eighth place.