The number of pupils attending Catholic schools has risen by almost three million between 2008 and 2011, while the number of Church-run schools increased by over 6,000 over the same period, according to new official Vatican figures.

The figures are contained in the document “Educating in intercultural dialogue in the Catholic school. Living together for a civilisation of love”, launched yesterday by the Prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education, Zenon Grocholewski.

However the documents also revealed that these increases took place in Africa, Asia and Oceania. In Europe and the Americas the numbers have dropped.  

Cardinal Grocholewski also warned that gender ideology posed a major challenge to the identity of Catholic schools. Catholic school curricula must reinforce Catholic identity, he said.

According to the data provided by the Annuarium statisticum Ecclesiae, the number of Catholic schools increate by 6000 units (6,273) between the years 2008 and 2011, making a total of 209,670 schools.  

Pupil numbers have risen by almost three million (2,950,383), totalling 57,612,936, Cardinal Grocholewski said.  
But he noted that the number of pupils attending Catholic schools in Europe and the Americas have dropped by more than two million (2,023,209), while in Africa, Asia and Oceania the number of pupils attending Catholic schools has risen by almost five million (4,973,592).  

More specifically, Catholic schools in Africa have increased by 4,695 units in Africa, 2,693 in Asia, 219 in Oceania but dropped by 415 units in the Americas and by 1,189 units in Europe.  

The number of students attending Catholic educational institutions have risen by 2,542,332 in Africa, 2,384,625 in Asia and 46,635 in Oceania. Inversely, numbers have dropped by 1,845,291 in the Americas and 177,918 in Europe.

Vatican Insider reports that, answering journalists’ questions during a press conference in the Holy See newsroom, the Polish cardinal mentioned the example of a Muslim ambassador who had explained to him that he had attended a Catholic school because “they are the best” and “they do not just teach science, but they mould people and transmit values.”  

Cardinal Grocholewski then referred to another example: the existing agreement with the Government of Taipei, according to which the social Doctrine of the Catholic Church must be included in all school curricula.  

This means the Church can have any teacher who does not respect Catholic identity removed.  

The agreement received unanimous approval in Parliament and is a great sign of respect that is typical of many Asian countries.

In Europe on the other hand, he said, we often see that a certain group of people are forbidden from being themselves.

But he added there were global currents, including in the European Union, which were trying to impose a gender ideology. He specifically pointed to recommendations that children learn about sexual techniques and how to use a condom.

This was frightening, he said, adding that the Catholic Church was not the only group that has spoken out against this.