Vatican Pope
Staten Island Catholics, who comprise more than 50 percent of the borough's population, are eagerly awaiting the visit of Pope Francis to New York. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- When Pope Francis comes to town, there will be hundreds of Staten Island Catholics in the seats at Madison Square Garden to hear him celebrate Mass,. Many more will line Central Park for a chance to see the pontiff in his motorcade.
That's because Staten Island -- the southernmost county in the 10-county Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York -- still has an overwhelming population of the faithful.
Here's a look at Staten Island's Catholics, by the numbers:
- According to the most recent U.S. Census figures, there were 250,000 Staten Islanders who identified themselves as being Roman Catholic. Catholics made up 54 percent of the borough population.
- That number is down about 15,000 from a decade ago, when just under 60 percent, or 265,000 Islanders, identified themselves as Catholic.
- There are more than 100 priests serving Staten Island Catholics, including priests of the New York Archdiocese, who serve as pastors, administrators and assistant pastors, as well as retired clergy and visiting priests who come to say Sunday Masses; priests "on loan" from foreign dioceses, and priests from religious orders, such as the Society of Jesus (Jesuits).
- There were 33 Catholic parishes on Staten Island up until Aug. 1 when a dozen
- St. Clare's R.C. Church, Great Kills, is the Island's largest Catholic parish, with more than 4,000 families on the register, closely followed by Our Lady Star of the Sea in Huguenot and St. John Neumann in Greenridge.
- The newly merged parish of St. Mary-St. Joseph-Immaculate Conception is the Island's smallest new parish; St. Mary's R.C. Church in Rosebank was closed in the merger.
- There are 18 Catholic elementary schools on Staten Island, with classes from pre-K through eighth grade, and seven Catholic high schools.
- More than 10,000 students attend Catholic schools on Staten Island. Elementary schools enroll more than 6,100 students, while the seven high schools enroll more than 4,300 students. St. Joseph by-the Sea High School, Huguenot, is the largest Catholic high school with a co-ed enrollment of more than 1,300. Our Lady Star of the Sea and St. Clare's are the two largest elementary schools, followed by St. Charles School in Oakwood.
- More than 98 percent of Staten Island Catholic high school students go on to college.