Report reveals COVID-19 toll on Catholic priests and religious

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The Associated Press suggests deaths from COVID-19 could exacerbate the shortage of Catholic priests.

More than a year after the start of the global pandemic, The Associated Press is examining the effect of COVID-19 on Catholic clergy and religious. The report focused on some of the countries hardest hit by the pandemic.

The report noted that not all of those who succumbed to the disease were the elderly, although this was the most susceptible group. Many people who have died fell ill while working on the front lines of the pandemic with medical staff. The AP suggests the pandemic could further exacerbate the shortage of Catholic priests.

India

Spring 2021 saw a drastic increase in active COVID-19 cases, as well as deaths, in India. According to the AP, April saw up to two Indian priests and nuns die per day. Catholics are a minority in the predominantly Hindu nation, representing just 20 million of the country’s 1.38 billion people.

Death rates were higher in areas affected by severe weather events. At the start of this year’s spike in infections, weather conditions prevented vaccine distribution. It is estimated that more than 500 priests and nuns have succumbed to the disease since mid-April.

Italy & Brazil

Italy was one of the hardest hit countries at the start of the pandemic. It is estimated that 292 Italian diocesan priests died from March 2020 to March 2021. This report almost corresponds to the 299 new ordinations in Italy that took place in the same period of time.

Brazil, likewise, has experienced some of the highest infection rates among Catholic priests. The AP reports some 1,400 infections of Brazilian clerics, 65 of whom have died. Among those deaths are three Catholic bishops and Cardinal Eusebio Scheid, 88, who was raised by Pope Saint John Paul II.

United States

The United States was high on the list of affected countries, although the report notes that there are no complete statistics on the matter. Since March 2020, more than 600,000 Americans have died from COVID-19.

Although the report lacked precise figures, it noted that dozens, if not hundreds, of nuns have died. These deaths have been reported nationwide and the majority of cases have been found in people living in the community. Many of those who died were retired nuns who had worked in education or medicine. Only one order, the Sisters Féliciennes, lost 21 nuns in four convents.

Read the full report and learn more about specific cases from The Associated Press.

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