(ANS – Rome) – At the conclusion of the work of the General Council the latest statistics of the Salesian Congregation at the end of 2011 were presented and published. The Salesians in the world number 15,560.

The total is made up of 15,439 professed, to which are added 414 novices and 121 Bishops; not included is Fr Daniel Sturla, appointed auxiliary of  Montevideo on 10 December but not yet consecrated.

Among the perpetually professed there are 1609 Salesian Brothers (12,1% of the total), and 10,433 Salesian priests  (67,6%). There is an overall increase in the number of Salesians in the Regions of South Asia, East Asia Oceania and Africa-Madagascar, while there is a decrease in the others. The number of novices also reflects this. The Provinces with the highest numbers are almost all in Asia: India-Guwahati 24, Indonesia-East Timor 21 and  Vietnam 20, but Central Africa also has 22.

There are 1823 canonically erected Salesian houses in the world, to which can be added a further 142 non-erected foundations. Countries in which the Sons of Don Bosco are now 131 n 2011 – one more than in 2010; this is due to the division of Sudan into two separate countries, North Sudan and South Sudan, with Salesians already present in both. The number of Provinces and Vice Provinces remains the same (89), but in 2012 there has already been the creation of  a new Province of  India-Silchar and the Special Circumscription of East Europe will be reorganised.

The Province with the highest number of Salesians –professed and novices together – is the original one of  Don Bosco, the Special Circumscription of Piedmont-Val d’Aosta, with 520. The one with the least is Hungary with 37. The country with the highest number of Salesians is India with 2,537; that with the least is Namibia, with 2, where the Salesians have been for only 15 years.

Published 27/01/2012