Rachel Evans
Catholicism is a concept pertaining to beliefs and practices that are widely accepted by numerous Christian denominations. The Catholic Church was the dominant influence on Western civilization from Late Antiquity to the modern age. It is one of the largest religious groups in the United States, outnumbering any single Protestant denomination. The number of Catholics worldwide has more than tripled in the past century, with the largest share (39%) in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Catholic Church has a rich history, from its establishment by Emperor Justinian to its influence on art and architecture, and its role in the development of Western civilization. With its sacraments, devotions, and global presence, the Catholic Church continues to play a significant role in the lives of its followers, whether they were born into the faith or converted later in life.
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What You'll Learn
Catholic population growth
Catholicism is currently the world's largest religious body, with approximately 1.4 billion followers worldwide as of 2025. This represents a notable growth of 1.15% in the global Catholic population between 2022 and 2023, rising from approximately 1.39 billion. In 1910, Catholics comprised about 17% of the world's population, and a century later, in 2010, they still constituted about 16% of the total global population. However, the geographic distribution of Catholics has changed significantly during this period.
In 1910, Europe was home to about two-thirds of all Catholics, with nearly nine-tenths living in Europe (65%) or Latin America (24%). By 2010, however, only about a quarter of Catholics (24%) resided in Europe, while the largest share was in Latin America and the Caribbean (39%). This shift is partly due to differing overall population growth rates; Europe's share of the global population decreased from 24% in 1910 to 11% in 2010, while Latin America and the Caribbean's share grew from 4% to 9% during the same period.
Latin America remains the most heavily Catholic region, though the proportion of Catholics in the region's population decreased from about 90% in 1910 to 72% in 2010. Meanwhile, Europe's Catholic population declined from 44% to 35% during this period. Despite these decreases, Latin America surpassed Europe in sheer numbers of Catholics due to its much larger overall population growth.
The most rapid growth in Catholic population has occurred in sub-Saharan Africa, which is now home to about 171 million Catholics (16%), a significant increase from an estimated 1 million (less than 1%) in 1910. The Catholic population in Africa increased by 708% between 1900 and 2000, while the continent's overall population grew by 313%. Africa currently represents 20% of the world's Catholic population and is characterised by a highly dynamic spread of Catholicism. The Democratic Republic of Congo has the highest number of baptised Catholics in Africa, with almost 55 million, followed by Nigeria with 35 million. Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya also register significant numbers.
The Asia-Pacific region has also experienced rapid growth, with 131 million Catholics (12%) now living there, up from 14 million (5%) a century ago. The Catholic population in Asia grew by 0.6% between 2022 and 2023, and the region currently accounts for about 11% of the global Catholic population. The Philippines and India have significant Catholic populations, with 93 million and 23 million, respectively.
North America's share of the global Catholic population has increased more slowly, from about 15 million (5%) in 1910 to 89 million (8%) as of 2010. The United States, in particular, has a significant Catholic population, with an estimated 75.4 million Catholics in 2010, of whom 22.2 million were born outside the country. The Catholic population in the US continues to grow, with an increase in the number of practicing Catholics from 2010 to 2020, especially in states along the southern border, such as Florida and Arizona.
While the Catholic Church is growing in many parts of the world, it is facing challenges in some traditionally Catholic regions. In Europe, the Catholic population increased by only 0.2% between 2022 and 2023, reflecting a near-stagnant dynamic. Countries like Italy, Poland, and Spain, which have high proportions of Catholics, are projected to experience large declines in the numbers of their Catholic citizens. Secularisation and immigration of non-Catholic populations with higher fertility rates are contributing to the decrease in the percentage of Catholics in Europe.
Similarly, in the United States, there has been a decline in Catholic worshippers in some states, including Illinois, the home state of Pope Leo XIV. The number of Catholic churches in the US has also decreased, with 1,000 fewer churches in 2020 compared to a decade earlier. However, it is important to note that the number of practicing Catholics in the US increased from 2010 to 2020, indicating a geographic realignment of American Catholicism.
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Catholic political leanings
Catholicism is the largest single religious denomination in America, with 68 million members, and Catholics comprise 25% to 27% of the national electorate. In the 2020 election, Catholic voters were split down the middle, with 48% describing themselves as Republican or leaning Republican, and 47% identifying with or favouring the Democrats.
Historically, Catholics have been willing to cooperate politically with other religious groups, such as German Lutherans, to protect their interests, such as parochial schools. In the late 19th century, 75% of Irish and German Catholics in America voted for Democratic presidential candidates, and the Irish increasingly controlled the Democratic Party machinery in major cities. In the 20th century, Catholics tended to vote Democratic, but they were not as reliable as they had been for the party of FDR and LBJ. Since the 1970s, non-Hispanic white Catholics have voted majority Republican, while a majority of Hispanic or Latino Catholics have voted Democrat.
The partisan divide among Catholics is a challenge for Catholic preachers, with some commentators noting that Catholic voters are the most maddening electoral group in American politics. However, this divide also provides an opportunity for the church to model proper civic behaviour and foster nonpartisan conversation. Catholic bishops have traditionally not endorsed political candidates or parties, but they do have substantial influence over the faithful in their dioceses.
On specific policy issues, Catholics are often more aligned with their political party than with the teachings of their church. For example, on abortion, Catholic Democrats are more likely to support legal abortion than Catholic Republicans, despite the Catholic Church's official opposition to abortion in all circumstances.
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Catholic views on abortion
The Catholic Church has long been one of the foremost opponents of legal abortion, teaching that human life is sacred "from conception to natural death" and that unborn children have a "right to life". The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: "Since the first century, the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion is gravely contrary to the moral law". Canon 1397 §2 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law imposes automatic excommunication on Latin Catholics who procure an abortion. Eastern Catholics are not subject to automatic excommunication but may be absolved of the sin only by the eparchial bishop.
The Church does recognize as morally legitimate certain acts that indirectly result in the death of the fetus, such as the removal of a cancerous womb. While the Church has consistently condemned abortion as immoral, many Catholics hold views on abortion that differ from the official position.
Catholics are divided on the issue of abortion, with regular Mass attenders tending to be the most opposed. Among Catholics who attend Mass at least once a week, about two-thirds say abortion should be illegal in all or most cases, and about half or fewer support exceptions that would make abortion legal in the case of rape or threats to the life or health of the mother. Most Mass attenders also believe that life begins at conception. However, most Catholics who do not attend Mass weekly say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, including three-quarters who say it should be legal in cases of rape or threats to the woman's life.
Political affiliation is also tied to differences in opinion among Catholics, with majorities of Catholic Republicans and Republican-leaning independents saying abortion should be illegal in most or all cases, while most Catholic Democrats and Democratic leaners say it should be legal in most or all cases. Catholic women are a bit more likely than Catholic men to say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, and they are also more likely to say the decision about whether to have an abortion should belong solely to the pregnant woman.
In summary, while the Catholic Church has a clear and consistent teaching on the immorality of abortion, Catholics themselves hold a range of views on the issue, influenced by factors such as Mass attendance, political affiliation, and gender.
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Catholic views on Pope Francis
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on 17 December 1936, was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 13 March 2013 until his death in 2025. He was the first Jesuit pope, the first Latin American pope, and the first non-European pope since Gregory III in the 8th century. Pope Francis was known for taking a less formal approach to the papacy than his predecessors. For instance, he chose to reside in the Domus Sanctae Marthae guesthouse instead of the papal apartments in the Apostolic Palace. He was also known for favouring simpler vestments devoid of ornamentation.
Pope Francis is viewed favourably by many Catholics. According to a February 2024 survey, three-quarters of Catholics view Pope Francis favourably, although this is slightly lower than the 80% or more who expressed a positive view in previous polls during his papacy. Catholic Democrats are much more likely than Catholic Republicans to view Pope Francis favourably.
Pope Francis has been credited with changing the Catholic Church's teaching in several areas, such as the death penalty and nuclear weapons. However, he has also upheld traditional teachings in other areas, such as abortion and celibacy for priests. He was the first pope to use scientific data in a major teaching document, calling global warming a largely human-caused problem. He has also been an outspoken critic of trickle-down economics, consumerism, and overdevelopment.
Pope Francis has been described as being in close continuity with the Second Vatican Council of Catholic bishops, which strove to address new questions that challenged the Catholic Church in the mid-20th century, such as its appeal to non-Western cultures. He has emphasised the importance of a missionary church that is constantly "going out, reaching out to the margins". He has also been noted for his emphasis on Jesus himself and on mercy. For example, he suggested that women threatened with the Zika virus could use artificial contraception, saying that "avoiding pregnancy is not an absolute evil" in light of epidemics.
Pope Francis has faced some criticism and controversy during his papacy. One of his most controversial moves was reversing Benedict and reimposing restrictions on celebrating the old Latin Mass, which outraged his traditionalist and conservative critics. He has also faced conservative criticism for his outreach to gays and divorced Catholics. In addition, his recognition of Joseph Shen Bin as bishop of Shanghai without Vatican approval caused tension between the Vatican and the Chinese government.
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Catholic demographics in the US
Catholicism is the second-largest religious grouping in the United States, with 22% to 23% of the population identifying as Catholic in 2017 and 2018, respectively. The United States has the fourth-largest Catholic population in the world, and it is the largest single church if Protestantism is divided into separate denominations. The number of self-identified Catholics has grown by 48.5 million to 73.2 million, with about 20% being foreign-born. In 2020, the U.S. Religion Census reported 61.9 million Catholics in the country, about 18.7% of the population. A 2020 Gallup poll showed a higher proportion, with 25% of Americans identifying as Catholic.
The Catholic population in the United States has grown by about 2 million people in the past 10 years, with much of this growth concentrated in the South. Fifty years ago, 71% of U.S. Catholics were in the Northeast and Midwest, but in 2020, only 45% were. The South now has more Catholics than any other region, and Catholicism is the largest religious body in 36 states. The number of practicing Catholics increased nationwide from 2010 to 2020, even as the number of churches declined. In the Northeast and Midwest, the number of Catholics declined by 3 million during this period.
The racial and ethnic makeup of the Catholic population varies across regions. In the Midwest, 78% of Catholics are White and 15% are Hispanic. In the Northeast, 72% are White and 20% are Hispanic. The South has a more even distribution, with 44% White and 45% Hispanic Catholics. In the West, there are more Hispanic Catholics than White Catholics (58% vs. 27%), and this region also has a relatively larger population of Asian Catholics (10%) compared to other regions.
Hispanic Catholics and Asian Catholics tend to be younger than White Catholics. Overall, nearly six-in-ten Catholic adults (58%) are ages 50 and older, compared to 47% of all U.S. adults. Among Hispanic Catholics, 58% were born outside the U.S., and 22% were born in the U.S. to at least one immigrant parent. In contrast, 83% of White Catholics have families that have been in the U.S. for three generations or longer.
Despite the growth in the number of Catholics, religious participation rates are declining. In 2022, only 39% of all Catholics attended Mass at least weekly, and two-thirds of Catholics reported that their trust in church leadership had been undermined by the clergy sex abuse crisis. However, 86% of Catholics still consider religion important in their lives.
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Frequently asked questions
By 2010, there were approximately 1,078,790,000 Catholics in the world, according to the Pew Research Center.
The U.S. has more Catholics than all but three other countries – Brazil, Mexico, and the Philippines.
While the number of Catholics worldwide has more than tripled over the past century, Catholics have made up a remarkably stable share of all people on Earth.
