The number of Irish Catholic missionaries working abroad has fallen to its lowest number in 50 years, according to new figures.There are now fewer than 2,000 priests, religious sisters and brothers serving in missions around the world, according to a 2008/2009 survey of Irish overseas missionary personnel.
The figure has fallen by 17 per cent over the past five years.
The survey was carried out by the Irish Missionary Union (IMU),which represents Irish mission orders that have members abroad.
The IMU figures show a consistent decline in missionary numbers - from 2,387 in 2004 to 2,183 in 2006 and 1,981 last year.
There are 1,199 religious working in Africa, down from 1,351 in 2006. The number in Asia-Oceania has fallen from 425 to 385,while the number in Latin America is down from 392 to 349.
The remainder are in eastern Europe and the Middle East.
In 1965,there were more than 7,000 Irish priests, brothers and nuns working abroad, including more than 4,100 working in 29 African countries.
IMU executive secretary Fr Eamon Aylward said that Irish religious were increasingly being replaced by locals entering the vocations, as part of an ‘‘organic and natural’’ succession.
The 2006 Irish government White Paper on Aid recognised the Irish missions as ‘‘pioneers’’ in development assistance, and said that the state’s overseas aid programme - which was close to €1 billion last year - had ‘‘followed that lead’’. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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