To that end, illustrating the reach of Catholic-run institutions around the world was a focal point of the convening. GHR partnered with Goodlands, a cartography organization, to create the first global illustrations of Catholic orphanages; hospitals; dispensaries; communities and institutions for individuals with Hansen’s disease (leprosy); matrimonial advice centers; unspecified welfare institutions; re-education centers; homes for the elderly ill, infirm, and handicapped; children’s nurseries; and population from 1980 to 2016.
Mining several decades of data from the Vatican’s Annuarium Statisticum Eccleasiea, cleaning it and joining it to geodata sets of historical and current country boundaries, Goodlands created a significant number of web-based map applications, analyses, and infographics. An example of these is the above time lapse, which illustrates the global spread of Catholic orphanages between 1980 and 2016. These resources have proved crucial in developing strategies to gradually transition from institutional care for children.
Founder Molly Burhans, who led the collaboration with GHR on this project, has recently been recognized by the United Nations Environment Program for her groundbreaking work in digitally mapping the land assets of one of the world’s largest land-owners—the Catholic Church.