41% of world’s permanent deacons serve in United States
June 22, 2026
An estimated 21,562 of the world’s permanent deacons 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 52,102 permanent deacons worldwide in 2024—up from 51,433 in 2023 and 50,150 the previous year. Thus, an estimated 41% of the world’s permanent deacons serve in the United States.
“During the 2025 calendar year, 466 new permanent deacons were ordained in the responding arch/dioceses,” according to the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate. “Extrapolating to include arch/dioceses and arch/eparchies that did not respond to the survey, it can be estimated that there are 570 deacons ordained in the United States in 2025. At the same time, 494 deacons retired from active ministry and another 390 deacons died.”
The survey—to which 77% of U.S. 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 Archdioceses of Chicago (812 permanent deacons), Galveston-Houston (686), Los Angeles (507), San Antonio (427), and New York (362)
- the most deacon-rich responding dioceses proportionally, with the highest ratios of permanent deacons to Catholics, are the Dioceses of Lexington, Kentucky; Rapid City, South Dakota; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Duluth, Minnesota; and Bismarck, North Dakota
- 93% of active permanent deacons are married and 4% are widowers
- 18% of permanent deacons in active ministry are in their 50s, 42% are in their 60s, and 36% are 70 or older
- 71% of permanent deacons in active ministry are white, 23% are Hispanic, 4% are Asian-American, and 2% are African-American
- 68% of permanent deacons in active ministry have at least a college degree
The survey, published in May 2026, was posted last week by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
For all current news, visit our News home page.
Further information:
All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a current donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!
