Vatican reports 77 million Catholics before papal journey

Pope Leo XIV is preparing for a Nov. 6–17 visit to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru, a country where his years as a missionary, priest and bishop helped shape his commitment to serving poor communities. Vatican figures show the three countries had nearly 77 million baptized Catholics in 2024, although annual baptisms have fallen substantially since 1980. The Church’s presence has expanded in parishes across all three countries; Peru also recorded growth in its number of priests, while Uruguay and Argentina saw declines. Catholic schools and charitable institutions remain a significant part of the Church’s work, particularly in Argentina, which has the largest Catholic population among the three.