Joshua Bennett
The Catholic Church is one of the largest employers in the world, with over 1 million employees in the United States alone. However, determining the exact number of Catholic workers in the US is challenging due to the decentralized nature of the Catholic Worker communities. These communities are autonomous and not formally affiliated with the Church, making it difficult to track their numbers accurately. While some communities actively engage with the global Catholic Worker movement, others choose to remain unlisted or off the grid. According to Wikipedia, there are more than 240 Catholic Worker communities worldwide, with a significant presence in the Americas. The US Catholic population is diverse, with varying racial and ethnic backgrounds, and they are spread relatively evenly across the country, with the highest concentration in the South.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Total number of Catholics in the US | 72 million (23.9% of the population) |
| Catholic as a percentage of the total worldwide Catholic population | 6% |
| Catholic ethnicity | 60% non-Hispanic white, 31% Hispanic, 4% Black, 5% other |
| Catholic workers in the US | More than 1 million |
| Catholic Worker communities worldwide | More than 200 |
| Catholic Worker communities according to Wikipedia | More than 240 |
| Catholic Worker communities that are active | Unknown, as communities are "notoriously difficult to count" |
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What You'll Learn
- Catholic Worker communities are autonomous and not formally affiliated with the Church
- There are over 200 Catholic Worker communities worldwide
- Wikipedia estimates there are 240+ communities
- Communities are difficult to count as they open and close without notice
- The Catholic Church is the third-largest employer in the US
Catholic Worker communities are autonomous and not formally affiliated with the Church
The Catholic Worker Movement is a collection of autonomous communities founded by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin in the United States in 1933. The movement is not formally affiliated with the Catholic Church and is made up of anarchists, with no hierarchy or central governing body. Each community is unique, with a unique charism, guided by a commitment to pacifism and the spiritual and corporal works of mercy. The movement's aim is to "live in accordance with the justice and charity of Jesus Christ", with a focus on hospitality towards those on the margins of society. Inspired by Day's example, the activities of each community vary in how overtly religious they are.
The movement began with the Catholic Worker newspaper, created by Dorothy Day to advance Catholic social teaching and take a neutral, Christian pacifist position in the 1930s. Day put her words into action by establishing houses of hospitality and farms for people to live together on communes. The idea of voluntary poverty was advocated for those who volunteered to work at the houses of hospitality. Over time, some basic rules and policies were established, and Day appointed directors for each house, which operated autonomously and varied in size and character.
Today, there are over 240 Catholic Worker communities in the United States and at least 30 in other countries. Each house has a different mission, going about social justice work in its own way, suited to its local region. Some communities focus on anti-racist and anti-war activism, while others operate soup kitchens or practice organic farming. The movement campaigns for nonviolence and actively opposes war and the unequal global distribution of wealth.
The Catholic Worker communities provide a space for people from all walks of life to come together and put their beliefs into action. They offer a unique form of activism that is guided by their commitment to pacifism and the works of mercy. Through their autonomous structure and focus on hospitality, the communities have created a lasting impact on those they serve and continue to carry out their mission of living in accordance with the justice and charity of Jesus Christ.
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There are over 200 Catholic Worker communities worldwide
The Catholic Church is the third-largest religious congregation in the United States, with over 17,000 local parishes. However, the average Catholic parish is significantly larger than the average Baptist or Methodist congregation, meaning there are over four times as many Catholics as Southern Baptists and over eight times as many Catholics as United Methodists. In the United States, Catholics make up about 20% to 28% of the population, with 22% of 330 million Americans identifying as Catholic. This equates to approximately 72 million Catholics in the United States.
The Catholic Worker Movement, on the other hand, is a separate entity from the Catholic Church, with no formal affiliation. It is a decentralised movement, and anyone can start a Catholic Worker community without seeking approval or adhering to any standardised procedures. As a result, the number of Catholic Worker communities worldwide is challenging to pinpoint. While some sources estimate there are over 200 Catholic Worker communities globally, others suggest there may be over 240. The variability in these estimates is likely due to the autonomous nature of each Catholic Worker community, with some choosing not to be listed or going "off the grid".
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Wikipedia estimates there are 240+ communities
Wikipedia estimates that there are over 240 Catholic Worker communities worldwide. However, it is challenging to determine an exact number due to the decentralised and autonomous nature of the Catholic Worker Movement. Each community operates independently, and there is no formal affiliation with the Catholic Church. As a result, communities may not be listed in the directory, making it difficult to track their existence or closure.
The Catholic Worker Movement emphasises personalism and decentralisation, allowing anyone to establish a community without seeking approval or adhering to specific procedures. This flexibility enables individuals to initiate a Catholic Worker community spontaneously, which can complicate efforts to accurately count the number of communities.
The Catholic Worker directory serves as a reference for active communities. However, it may not always be up to date, as communities may choose not to announce their closure or hiatus. Some communities may become inactive, with outdated websites or inactive social media pages, making it challenging to confirm their current status.
Despite these challenges, the Catholic Worker Movement continues to grow and evolve, with communities spread across the globe. While the exact number of communities may be uncertain, their impact and presence within the movement are significant.
In the United States, Catholics constitute a substantial portion of the population, with approximately 22% of Americans identifying as Catholic. The Catholic Church in the US comprises 197 ecclesiastical jurisdictions and 196 geographical dioceses and archdioceses, excluding the Archdiocese for Military Services. The average bishop oversees a diocese of about 350,000 Catholic Christians.
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Communities are difficult to count as they open and close without notice
The Catholic Worker communities are challenging to count as they are independent and decentralised. They are not formally affiliated with the Church and embody the values of the movement in their own way. This means that anyone can start a Catholic Worker community without any official approval, paperwork, corporate training, or ordination.
As a result, some communities may not be listed in the directory, and it is difficult to determine if they are still active. Some communities may choose to remain unlisted, while others may slowly fade away or take a hiatus without any formal announcement of closure. This makes it challenging to maintain an accurate and up-to-date count of Catholic Worker communities.
The directory, therefore, only provides an approximation of the number of Catholic Worker communities. While the website catholicworker.org mentions a figure of over 200 communities worldwide, Wikipedia estimates the number to be over 240. However, it is important to recognise that these numbers may not reflect the current state of the communities, as they can open and close without formal notice.
To address this challenge, the catholicworker.org team may reach out to communities to inquire about their listing preferences. They may also attempt to contact communities that seem inactive through various means, such as phone, email, or other methods. However, the absence of a response does not necessarily indicate that a community has ceased to exist.
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The Catholic Church is the third-largest employer in the US
The Catholic Church is one of the largest employers in the United States, with over a million employees across the country. This includes not only clergy members but also secular careers in support of church institutions, such as educators, healthcare professionals, finance and human resources experts, lawyers, and others.
The Catholic Church has a significant presence in the US, with approximately 72 million Americans identifying as Catholic, according to a 2008 survey. This number represents around 20% to 28% of the overall American population, making Catholics the second-largest religious group in the country. The Catholic Church also has the third-highest number of local congregations in the US, with 17,007 local parishes in 2018, excluding the Archdiocese for Military Services.
The average Catholic parish is notably larger than the average Baptist or Methodist congregation. There are more than four times as many Catholics as Southern Baptists and over eight times as many Catholics as United Methodists. The leadership of the Catholic Church in the US is provided by bishops, who oversee individual dioceses and collectively govern through the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Each diocese, on average, incorporates about 350,000 Catholic Christians.
In terms of demographics, Catholics in the US constitute about 6% of the worldwide Catholic membership. The ethnic makeup of US Catholics is diverse, with 60% being non-Hispanic white, 31% Hispanic of any nationality, 4% Black, and 5% other ethnicities, including Asian Americans and American Indians. These numbers highlight the extensive reach and impact of the Catholic Church as an employer in the United States, contributing significantly to the country's religious landscape and social fabric.
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Frequently asked questions
It is difficult to determine the exact number of Catholic workers in the US as the Catholic Worker communities are autonomous and not formally affiliated with the Church. Wikipedia estimates that there are 240+ Catholic Worker communities worldwide, with more than 200 of them being located internationally.
The Catholic Worker Movement was started by Dorothy and Peter in 1933 and embodies the values of the larger movement in its own particular way. The principles of decentralisation and personalism allow anyone to start a Catholic Worker community without any official approval or training.
Catholics make up about 20% to 28% of the US population, with about 6% of the church's total worldwide 1.3 billion membership. This equates to approximately 72 million Catholics out of a national population of 306 million residents.
