Augustinians of the Assumption (Assumptionists): It was always a minor branch of Augustinians, though influential in France. Their peak membership reached 1,967 in 1966. As of January 1, 2013, only 898 remained, although that was 16 more than the previous year. They had lost 55% of their members along the way. A debacle. On January 1, 2014, there were 915. There are 17 more Assumptionists than the year before. Admissions currently offset deaths and even exceed them. We’ll see how long that lasts, as there are many elderly members who will soon pass away. At least they have halted what seemed like an unstoppable decline. As of January 1, 2015, there were 912. Numbers fell again, but only minimally—by just 3 members. They have lost 54% of the congregation.
On January 1, 2019, they keep rising to 940, ten more. They remain at 53%.
A year later, on January 1, 2020, the miracle continues: three more religious, reaching 943. They stay at 53%.
On January 1, 2021, they drop to 933, ten fewer than the year before. They remain at 53%.
Carthusians: This is an order that, due to its strictness, has always been a minority. Their peak was reached in 1967 with 602 members. As of January 1, 2013, only 304 remained—six fewer than the previous year. They have lost 50% of their monks. And here one cannot speak of worldliness or laxity. The case of the Assumptionists is not that of the Carthusians, who continue to decline. On January 1, 2014, there were 296, eight fewer than the year before. The loss is now 51% of their former membership. Their decline continues on January 1, 2015, when there were only 289, seven monks fewer than the previous year. They have now lost 52% of their members.
On January 1, 2017, they had risen to 294, eight more Carthusians. The reduction drops one point, to 52%.
On January 1, 2018, they decline again, losing six monks in a year: 288. The loss returns to 53%.
On January 1, 2020, the crisis deepens with the loss of nine monks: 278. The decline rises to 54%.
On January 1, 2021, they continue to decline: 275, three fewer than the previous year. The decline is 55%.
On January 1, 2022, oh miracle, they increase by 5 monks: 280. And the ruin drops to 54%.
On January 1, 2023, they decline again: 276. Four fewer than a year earlier. The loss returns to 55%.
On January 1, 2024: 272, four fewer than a year earlier: 55%.
On January 1, 2025, they remain at 272. The decline is the same: 55%.
Clerics of St. Viator: There were 1,968 in 1967, and as of January 1, 2013, only 494 remained—twenty-two fewer than the previous year. They are in free fall, and I don’t think the Church will lose anything with their disappearance. Rather, it will gain. They have lost 76% of the institute along the way. A group of disoriented elderly men reaping what they have sown in abundance. Nothing. On January 1, 2014, there are 497, three more than the previous year. They remain a ruin with a 76% loss of members. On January 1, 2015, they had dropped to 489, eight fewer than the previous year. They continue with a 76% loss.
These continue to plummet. On January 1, 2016, they had already fallen to 465—a loss of 24 religious. They are now 77% fewer than they once were. Setting records.
On January 1, 2017, they continued in free fall, with only 444 left, having lost 21 religious in the past year. The losses are now 78%.
They continue on the path to extinction. On January 1, 2018, there were only 433, eleven fewer than a year earlier. The decline remains at 78%.
On January 1, 2019, they see a slight rebound of five religious, reaching 438. They remain at a 78% loss.
It was a fleeting illusion. On January 1, 2020, the cuts return, and they lose eleven religious: 427. The decline is 79%.
On January 1, 2021, only 407 remained, twenty fewer than a year earlier. They have now lost 80% compared to 1974, and in reality it will be more. Personally, I think the sooner they disappear, the better for the Church.
On January 1, 2022, six more disappear, leaving 401. They remain at 80%.
On January 1, 2023, the fall accelerates: 15 have disappeared. 386 remain. The loss rises to 81%.
On January 1, 2024, twelve more clerics disappear, leaving 374. They have now lost 81%.
On January 1, 2025, there were 365, nine fewer than a year earlier. The decline is now 82%.
Somascans: Although historic, this is a minor order. In 1959 there were 360, but counting who knows whom, by 1991 they reached 535. As of January 1, 2013, there were 501, although 25 more than the previous year. Such figures, with their peaks and valleys, invite suspicion. In 2013, there were only 353 priests. And one may assume most were elderly. Are the others novices, students, lay brothers? All conjectures are possible. On January 1, 2014, there were 500. A loss of 1 compared to the previous year, which had seen an increase of 25. With all these doubts, they have lost 7% of their members, making them truly privileged. On January 1, 2015, they increase again, reaching 531—almost their highest figure, with only 4 friars fewer. An excellent result.
On January 1, 2016, they saw moderate losses. There were 521, ten fewer than the previous year. But the results remain extraordinary.
On January 1, 2017, there were already 596, 75 more than the previous year and far exceeding their best figures. Can this be true?
It seems it was not, as on January 1, 2018, only 510 remained. Since a loss of 86 religious in a year is not acceptable in an institute with so few members, one might suspect an error in the 2017 data. Still, they continue to show very good results.
On January 1, 2019, they increase by one religious, to 511.
They lose that on January 1, 2020: 510.
On January 1, 2021, already the usual: 520. Well… who knows if it’s true or not. The Annuario accepts it as valid.
On January 1, 2022, they lose 3: 517.
On January 1, 2023, they rise to 525. Eight more than a year earlier. Do we believe it?
On January 1, 2024, they continue to grow: 533.
On January 1, 2025, they keep increasing: 545, twelve more than the previous year. Are they telling the truth?
Theatines: There were 164 in 1973. As of January 1, 2013, 170 still remained. A loss of four compared to the previous year. On January 1, 2014, there were 171, one more than the previous year. Their situation remains alarming, but due to their numbers, not because of losses—there are none; in fact, they are even increasing. On January 1, 2015, there were 165, five fewer than the previous year. Another privileged group within their insignificance.
A year later, on January 1, 2016, they lost another religious and stand at 164—the same number as in 1973. It is possible there was some loss compared to previous years. But maintaining the same membership as more than forty years ago, given what has happened, seems an excellent result. Their problem lies in how few they are, and likely how elderly.
On January 1, 2017, they reached 178, fourteen more than the previous year. Extraordinarily good figures in their smallness.
On January 1, 2018, they had a tough year, losing thirteen religious: 165. Still one more than in 1973.
On January 1, 2019, the decline continues—four fewer: 161. The decline is 2%.
And as is normal in these times, they continue to decrease. Five religious were lost during the year: 156 as of January 1, 2020. The decline is 5%.
Now, in this accordion of suspicious credibility, new growth: 161 on January 1, 2021. Five more than a year earlier. Do we believe it?
On January 1, 2022, they still list 161.
On January 1, 2023, they rise again to 175. A highly suspicious accordion.
On January 1, 2024, a decrease: 4 fewer than a year earlier: 171.
On January 1, 2025, they lose another 5 friars. 166 remain.
Claretians: The sons of St. Anthony Mary Claret reached 4,128 in 1966. By 2013, they had dropped to 3,076. With a notable gain of 52 religious compared to the previous year. They have suffered a 26% decline, which, given what we are seeing, seems like a remarkable achievement. On January 1, 2014, there were 3,056, 20 fewer than the previous year. Losses have risen one point: 27%. On January 1, 2015, there were 3,065, nine more than the previous year. They have declined only 26%, which, given the circumstances, is an excellent result within the disaster.
On January 1, 2016, there were 3,077, 12 more than the previous year. They remain at a 26% loss, which is a very good result given the situation.
On January 1, 2017, they suffer losses. 2,952—125 fewer than a year earlier. The reduction rises to 29%.
Now they had a good year, as on January 1, 2018 there were 3,028—seventy-six more than the previous January. The loss drops to 27%.
The upward trend continues: 3,081 religious at the start of 2019, 52 more than a year earlier. The loss decreases to 26%.
Now come lean times—they lose 42 Claretians: 3,039 as of January 1, 2020. Back to 27%. And these fluctuating numbers are hard to understand.
They decline again, though very slightly: 3,034 on January 1, 2021. 27%.
A year later, with a decrease of 39 religious, they fall below the 3,000 mark. The loss is 27%.
On January 1, 2023, they confirm the loss of the three thousand. 2,970 remain—25 fewer than a year earlier. They stay at 27%.
On January 1, 2024: 2,966—four fewer than the previous year. The loss is 29%.
On January 1, 2025, they rise to 2,995—29 more than a year earlier. Are they deceiving the Vatican? The loss drops to 28%.
Oblates of Mary Immaculate: They were an important congregation that reached its peak in 1966 with 7,890 religious. As of January 1, 2013, only 4,094 remained—fifty-five fewer than the previous year. They have lost 49% of their religious, and everything suggests this will continue.
Indeed, it has. On January 1, 2014, there were 4,046—48 fewer than the previous year. Although they remain at 49% loss.
The following year was also not good for them. As of January 1, 2015, only 3,992 remained—54 fewer than the previous year. And the loss now reaches 50% of what they once were. A disaster, though there are worse cases.
On January 1, 2016, they dropped to 3,924, losing 68 religious. The loss of members is now at 51%.
On January 1, 2017, they continue to decline: 3,916—eight fewer than a year earlier. They remain at 51%.
They keep losing religious. On January 1, 2018, there were 3,856—sixty Oblates lost in a single year. Although they remain at a 51% decline.
On January 1, 2019, there were 3,828—28 fewer than a year earlier. The decline is 52%.
On January 1, 2020, 3,786 remained—42 fewer than the previous year. The loss rises to 53%.
On January 1, 2021, there were already 3,726—60 fewer than a year earlier. They remain at 53%.
A year later, they continue to decline. There are 32 fewer Oblates: 3,694. A 54% decline.
On January 1, 2023, only 3,624 remain—70 fewer than a year earlier. 55%.
On January 1, 2024, they remain at 3,478. 55%.
On January 1, 2025, they have reached nothing less than 3,694—increasing by 216. The loss drops to 54%.
Hieronymites: An exclusively Spanish order that is disappearing. Today they only maintain the monastery of El Parral in Segovia. In 1974, they reached 35 monks. Today barely 12 remain, although that is one more than the previous year. Any day now we may hear they have closed. I think the Church would lose nothing with their disappearance today. Although El Escorial, Guadalupe, and Zurbarán would mourn their past. They continue to decline. On January 1, 2014, only 11 remained—one fewer than the previous year. Of these, only 4 are priests. This is ending. They have lost 69% of the order. On January 1, 2015, they remain at 11.
On January 1, 2016, there are only 10. 72% disappearance. Their future is very bleak.
A year later, on January 1, 2017, another had disappeared, leaving only 9. The decline is at least 75%, and surely more, as before 1974 there were certainly more than 35.
On January 1, 2018, they remain at the 9 from the previous year, and the loss continues at 75%.
2018 was particularly tragic, as two of the nine disappeared. Only 7 remain, of whom only 4 are priests. 80% of the Order has disappeared.
They continue on the path to closure. In 2019, they lost another monk. On January 1, 2020, there were only 6. And it would be good to know their ages, which are surely very advanced. The disappearance is 83%, and as we have said, likely higher.
On January 1, 2021, they remain only 6, just one year older. Unfortunately, El Parral is already dead.
On January 1, 2022, there were 7—one more than a year earlier. They remain dead.
On January 1, 2023, they remain at 7, but say these are the 2021 figures.
On January 1, 2024, only 7 remain. And they continue to say these are the 2021 data.
They remain at 7 on January 1, 2025.
Augustinian Recollects: This other Augustinian branch once had 1,580 friars in 1967. In 2013, 1,141 remained. With a loss of 4 compared to the previous year. A 28% loss is almost something to congratulate. On January 1, 2014, there were 1,130, with a loss of 11 compared to the previous year. They remain at a 29% loss, but getting closer to 30% each time. The decline continues. On January 1, 2015, there were only 1,105—25 friars fewer than the previous year. They have now reached a 30% decline.
The decline continues. On January 1, 2016, only 1,072 remained. 33 religious disappeared in a year. They are at a 33% decline.
On January 1, 2017, there were only 1,054—eighteen fewer than a year earlier. The loss is now 34%.
On January 1, 2018, they had dropped to 1,039—fifteen friars fewer than the previous year. The decline rises to 35%.
On January 1, 2019, they continue to decline: 1,011 remain—28 fewer than a year earlier. The loss is 37%.
The year 2019 made them lose the 1,000-member mark, which is always a moral blow. As of January 1, 2020, they are 999. Twelve fewer than a year earlier. The loss remains at 37%.
And it doesn’t stop. A year later, they counted 955—forty-four fewer than a year earlier, bringing the disaster to 40%.
On January 1, 2022, the decline has slowed—only three religious fewer in the last year: 952. They remain at a 40% loss.
On January 1, 2023, they had dropped to 934—18 fewer than a year earlier. Losses rise to 40%.
On January 1, 2024, there were only 929—5 fewer than a year earlier. The loss remains at 40%.
On January 1, 2025, they also join this generalized increase in religious vocations and claim there are 952—23 more than a year earlier. They remain at 40%.