Among the subjects dealt with by the General Council at the end of their winter plenary session was also a study of the statistics regarding the Congregation updated to 31 December 2009.

From the information sent in from the 92 Provinces and Vice Provinces as the religious geographical areas are called in which the Congregation is organised, it emerges that in the world professed Salesians  (including Bishops) are 15,465. The number of novices present in the novitiates at the end of December 2009 was 487. The complete number (professed + novices) is 15,952, -142 with respect to 2008.

In detail, the perpetually professed are 13,084, (including the Bishops), the Salesians in temporary  vows are 2,381.

The newly-professed Brothers in 2009 were 39, the equivalent of 8.95% of the total number of  the newly-professed in the year. The number of newly ordained priests in 2009 was 195.

Considering the Regions, made up of a number of Provinces and Vice Provinces,  there has been a noticeable  increase in the South Asia Region. There was also an increase in the Africa-Madagascar Region. The East Asia–Oceania Region is almost unchanged. The other Regions all experienced falls in their numbers, more marked in those for Europe.

There are 92 Provinces and Vice Provinces, one less than in 2008 since the Vice Province of Canada (CAN) became part of the East United States Province (SUE). The Salesians of Don Bosco are present in 130 countries. In the course of 2009 Bangladesh was added although it has not yet been canonically erected.

Published 26/01/2010