39% of world’s permanent deacons serve in US
June 04, 2025
An estimated 20,212 of the world’s permanent deacons (39%) serve in dioceses of the United States, which has 6% of the world’s Catholic population, according to a newly-released survey conducted for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) at Georgetown University.
The Vatican reported in March that there were 51,433 permanent deacons worldwide in 2023—up from 50,150 the previous year. However, the number of permanent deacons in the United States is decreasing, according to CARA.
“During the 2024 calendar year, 393 new permanent deacons were ordained in the responding arch/dioceses,” according to the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate. “At the same time, 545 deacons retired from active ministry and another 361 deacons died. As is the case with priests in the United States, there are not enough new permanent deacons being ordained to make up for the numbers who are retiring from active ministry and dying each year.”
The survey—to which 76% of US dioceses and eparchies responded—also found that
- 69% of permanent deacons in the US are in active ministry
- the most deacon-rich responding dioceses numerically are the Archdiocese of Chicago (848 permanent deacons), Archdiocese of Atlanta (385), Archdiocese of New York (369), Archdiocese of San Antonio (361), and Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston (316).
- the most deacon-rich responding dioceses proportionally, with the highest ratios of permanent deacons to Catholics, are the Diocese of Rapid City, South Dakota (487 Catholics per permanent deacon), Diocese of Lexington, Kentucky (502), Diocese of Tulsa (575), Diocese of Bismarck (649), and Diocese of Duluth (664).
- 93% of active permanent deacons are married and 4% are widowers
- 18% of permanent deacons in active ministry are in their 50s, 41% are in their 60s, and 38% are 70 or older
- 74% of permanent deacons in active ministry are non-Hispanic white, 20% are Hispanic, 3% are Asian-American, and 2% are African-American
- 66% of permanent deacons in active ministry have at least a college degree
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