Catholicism in Numbers

Fwd.: *VATICAN - Dossier for World Mission Day: the number of Catholics in the world is increasing*

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The number of Catholics in the world is increasing: almost one billion and 300 million, 17.7% of the world's population. 

According to figures from the Church’s Book of Statistics (data related to 2015) and elaborated by Agenzia Fides, the baptized are 12 million and a half more than the previous year (2014). This is one of the data in the Dossier published by Agenzia Fides on the occasion of the 91st World Mission Day, which is celebrated on Sunday, October 22, 2017, which offers a panorama of the Church in the world.

According to the Dossier, 1 billion and 100,000 people live in Africa, 19.42% are Catholics (222 million), with an increase of 0.12%. In America, out of 982.2 million inhabitants, 63.6% are Catholics (625 million), with a decrease of 0.08%.

In Asia, out of 4.3 billion people, 3.24% of the population (141 million) are Catholics, an unvaried figure.

In Europe, the population is increasing (716 million), but for the second year in a row, the number of Catholics is 39.87% (285 million), a decrease of 0.21%.

38.7 million people live in Oceania, 26.36% are Catholics (10.2 million), with an increase of 0.24% compared to the previous year.

The Catholic ecclesiastical circumscriptions (dioceses, vicariates, apostolic prefectures etc) in the world are 3,006 (+ 8 compared to 2014): 538 in Africa, 1,091 in America, 538 in Asia, 758 in Europe and 81 in Oceania.

The number of Bishops in the world increases by 67 units (5,304) while the number of priests decreases by 136 units (415,656).

Fides’ Dossier also informs that there are 351,797 lay missionaries in the world while 3,122,653 are catechists.

The Catholic Church runs 216,548 schools in the world, attended by over 60 million pupils. In addition, almost five and a half million young people attend Catholic institutes during high school and university studies. Finally there are about 118 thousand Catholic social and charitable institutes (hospitals, Care Homes for people with Leprosy, orphanages, homes for the Elderly) scattered throughout the world.

In Fides’ Dossier there is also an overall picture of the missionary cooperation activity of the Pontifical Mission Societies (Propagation of the Faith, Saint Peter the Apostle, Missionary Childhood, Missionary Union) which, in their support to local Churches (building of chapels and seminars, education, pastoral and formation activities), granted subsidies which amount to 134 million US dollars in 2016.

In order to illustrate the Dossier, a motion graphics (in Italian and English) is available on Agenzia Fides' Youtube channel that you can freely download and reproduce on other websites. (Agenzia Fides 20/10/2017)

Posted by Ike Onwubuya

#900k Gatemen

This question was asked on Twitter some days ago;

 "As a graduate, would you accept a job of N900,000 monthly as a Gateman?"

Here were the crazy and hilarious responses that followed....... Nigerians, I hail thee😂😂

1. I would have said NO but my hobbies include opening and closing of gate...😂

2. Why I con go school na, if not to be a young smart gateman? My dream job, we're all gatemen in our family.

3. See you, gateman that am doing free of charge most days these days..... Izz like u want me to resume on credit already, abi? 

4. I would even work seven days a week and twice on Sundays.... I go even train my pikin to take over from me. 

5. I can be the gateman, the dog, the security lights and the alarm 😄😄😂

6 After taking the job, I would pick up a form to do my masters and PhD in Opening gate and security science to be a better gateman

7. I started opening gate when I was 6 months old, so I hv too much experience plsss. Where can I apply?

8. Is it not just to open and close gate? Call me your GM.. Boss of the gate.. Commander in chief of the gate forces. When do I start?

9. Some are gatemen, some are Senior Access Controllers.. I'd even combine the two together.

10. Me that i will use my certificate to be fanning myself beside the gate when am feeling heat. 

Posted by Ike Onwubuya 

Ten ways to stay safe from the dreaded Monkey Pox

1. Avoid Monkey meat especially the Kanda. 

2. Avoid that alcoholic concoction called Monkey Tail or Monkite or Kpanrangan. 

3. Avoid Monkey Cage when u visit any Zoo until further advised. 

4. Avoid Chinese Films especially 'Snake in The Monkey Shadow'. 

5. Avoid Monkey (Wayo) Business, especially my Igbo brothers. 

6. If u luv playing football like me please avoid 'Monkey Post' for now until after the 2018 World Cup in Russia. 

7. For the sake of ur life, avoid watching those Hausa & Togolese men who carry Monkeys about in Major Nigerian cities, especially Lagos, in the name of entertainment & magic. If not u will just die troway!!! 

8. Don't ever use the phrase 'Monkey no fine but im Mama like am' else the pox will come upon u like a Hurricane. 

9. Don't allow any of ur children to be jumping upandan like Monkey else dem go catch am o! It is better they jump like Antelope or any other animal. 

10. Run 440 if u spot anyone with the disease. Avoid unnecessary physical contacts, especially in Bayelsa State & always wash & sanitise ur hands b4 eating. If u can help it, stay in ur house until this scourge is sent to meet its cousin (Ebola Virus) in the pit of hell. 

Tomatoes

A teacher asked her students to bring some tomatoes in a plastic bag to school.

🍅Each tomato was to be given the name of a person whom that child hates.

🍅So, the number of tomatoes would be equal to the number of persons they hate.

🍅On a pre-determined day, All the children brought their tomatoes well addressed.

🍅Some had two, some had three and some had five, some even had 20 tomatoes in accordance with the number of people they hated. 🍅The teacher then told them they had to carry the tomatoes with them everywhere they go for two weeks.

🍅As the days passed the children started to complain about the decay and smell of the tomatoes.

🍅The students who had many tomatoes complained it was very heavy to carry and the smell was too much.

🍅After a week, the teacher asked the students “How did you feel this week?”

🍅The children complained of the awful smell and heavy weight of the tomatoes, especially those who carried several tomatoes.

🍅The teacher said, “This is very similar to what you carry in your heart when you don’t like some people.

🍅Hatred makes the heart unhealthy and you carry that hatred everywhere. 🍅If you can’t bear the smell of spoilt tomatoes for a week, imagine the impact of bitterness on your heart as you carry it daily.”

🍅The heart is a beautiful garden that needs regular cleaning of unwanted weeds. 🍅 Forgive those who have angered you.

🍅This makes room for storing good things.

🍅Get Better, Not Bitter!!!

AIthough you may not usually forward texts but this makes sense. So forward it to someone or group. They might be motivated to let go and cleanse their hearts 💕 !!!!!

Love everyone😘

Posted by Ike Onwubuya