By Patrick Downes | Hawaii Catholic Herald

Diocese by the numbers Churches and schools Parishes          66 Mission churches       27 Early learning centers            11 Elementary schools    25 High schools   7 University       1 Clergy Bishops           1 Total active priests     109 Active diocesan priests           56 Diocese of Honolulu   32 From Philippines        17 From Mainland          4 From Colombia          2 From Korea    1 Active religious priests           54 Total retired priests    29 Diocesan         19 Religious         10 Military chaplains      6 Permanent deacons   60 Diocesan priests working/studying outside diocese............. 10 Diocesan priests on leave       1 Religious orders Religious orders of men         10 Religious orders of women    15 Religious brothers      34 Religious sisters          182 Lay organizations      29

In Hawaii, the number of active priests dropped slightly, the number of permanent deacons jumped, and the number of nuns and religious brothers stayed the same over the past year, according to the 2007-2008 Directory of the Catholic Church in Hawaii.

Hawaii has 110 active priests this year, down from 114 in the previous year.

The numbers have slipped despite the ordinations of three new priests, one priest returning from a leave of absence, another returning after serving as a military chaplain and two additions from mainland dioceses.

The overall decline in numbers is due to deaths, retirements, reassignments, and priests leaving the islands for work or study on the mainland. The number of diocesan priests is down by one, the number of religious priests by three.

Of the diocesan priests, 32 belong to the Diocese of Honolulu and 24 are “externs,” priests from other dioceses working here.

The number of retired priests in Hawaii have remained the same, 19 diocesan and 10 religious.

The number of permanent deacons rose from 46 to 60, thanks to a new ordination class this year.

The directory lists 10 religious orders of men and 15 of women. The number of religious sisters remained the same at 182 and the number of religious brothers went from 35 to 34.

The diocese also counts 29 lay church organizations.

The directory lists a new vicariate. The diocese split the Leeward Oahu vicariate in two, creating the vicariate of Central Oahu and giving the diocese into a total of nine geographical divisions.

The directory is published by the Hawaii Catholic Herald.