Divine Word Missionaries

SVD Mission 2000

Province
Reports
for
the XV
General
Chapter

Contents

Presentation
Four Zones
AFRAM
ASPAC
EUROPA
PANAM
Statistics
Index

en Español

SVD Publications
Generalate
Rome
1999

Brief Statistical Profile of the Society

Mark Twain, an American humorist, was once quoted as saying, "There are three kinds of lies: small lies, damnable lies... and statistics." While it is true that statistical measures can sometimes mislead, it is hoped that the brief statistical profile of the Society presented here give an accurate overall view of the Society's membership.

1. Overall and Zonal Summaries

The accompanying chart gathers together the data presented in each zonal introduction and additionally provides an overall summary for the entire Society.

2. A Growing Society  Growing Younger!

The Society has been experiencing a time of rapid growth. In fact, the increasing number of young confreres is such that the average age of the Society is dropping. We are growing younger, fast! This is the opposite of the trend in virtually all other religious congregations and of most dioceses.

3. Formation

By far the largest number of students is being trained in the Asia Pacific Zone. But the other Zones also have a steady or increasing number of young confreres in formation. The accompanying chart shows the number of confreres in initial formation in each Zone - both novices and those in temporary vows.

4. Recruitment

While the Society has been blessed with tremendous success in attracting new members in Asia, recruitment in the other Zones has also been holding steady or rising slightly. While many students have part of their initial formation outside of their "home" Zone, novices are almost always trained in the place where they have been recruited. Thus the number of novices is the best available indicator to show where new members are being recruited.

A caution, the comparison of numbers of novices among the Zones can be misleading because some provinces, particularly in ASPAC and EUROPA, have novitiate before philosophy or university studies. As a result their total numbers are much higher than those areas where novitiate is placed after philosophy and/or university. Also, several provinces, notably those in Indonesia and Poland, operate two year novitiates.

5. Sources for Data

The statistical summaries above and those published with the provincial, regional and zonal reports were provided by the Generalate SVD Mission Secretariat. The data come from the following sources:

• All information about those assigned to each province, including the average age, the percentage of foreign born confreres, and the number of nationalities present, is based on the Catalogus 1999 listing.
• The information for the "Personnel Distribution of Confreres in Final Vows" is from a series of surveys from November 1996 to September 1998.
• Data for AFRAM is from the AFRAM provincials during Workshop for Provincials, Nemi, February 1997. (Based on 1997 Catalogus). Data for MOZ by T. Ascheman.
• Data for EUROPA is from Mission Secretaries from each Province, Fatima, September 1998. (Based on 1998 Catalogus). Dta for GBR by A. Pernia, data for ROM by T. Ascheman.
• Data for ASPAC is from participants in ASPAMIR symposium, Nagoya, September 1997. (Based on 1997 Catalogus)
• Data for PANAM was provided by the PANAM provincials during workshop for Provincials, Medellin, November 1996. (Based on 1995/6 Catalogus).

6. Explanatory Notes for Categories

6.1 Assigned to Province

The base number of those assigned to each Province includes all confreres who have received an appointment to the Province, whether they are present in the Province, or whether they are residing elsewhere.

Clerics includes priests and permanent deacons who have professed final vows.

Brothers includes Brothers who have professed final vows.

Temporary Vows includes both clerics and Brothers who are in temporary vows.

Novices includes both clerical and Brother novices.

Foreign Born includes those confreres for each Province who were born outside the country or countries where a Province or Region is located. It does not take account of the current citizenship of the members nor of their cultural background. As a result, it is only a general indicator of the international and multicultural character of the various Provinces and Regions. For the zonal and total summaries, this number includes all of those confreres who are assigned to a Province away from the country in which they were born.

6.2 Personnel Distribution

The surveys used to determine the personnel distribution allowed for the designation of a confrere in up to two categories. Thus it was possible for a confrere to be listed as part time in parish ministry and part time in a special apostolate, etc. Note that the personnel distribution refers only to those confreres in final vows.

Parish Ministry includes both priests and Brothers whose work is focused on the diverse needs and programs of a parish.

Schools & Education includes all confreres working in either SVD or non-SVD schools at all levels, whether as administrators, teachers, or support staff. This category does not include formators and educators dedicated to the formation of SVD students. They are listed under SVD Vocation & Formation.

Special Apostolates includes all confreres working in all other apostolates whose primary focus is contact with the public. Examples include communications workers, prison chaplains, retreat masters, etc.

SVD Vocation & Formation includes all confreres working to recruit and train SVD missionaries.

SVD Administration & Support includes all confreres working to organize and support the Society and its activities. Examples in this category include provincials, rectors, those caring for retired members, receptionists, gardeners, computer experts, treasurers, etc.