The sacramental index is a statistic sometimes used by Roman Catholic bishops as a rough approximation of how active a parish is, based on the occurrence of sacraments or rites of passage. The precise formula varies; in the Archdiocese of Boston, the sacramental index for a parish is calculated by adding the total number of baptisms, funerals, and twice the number of weddings.
The index is used to help determine the number of priests assigned to a parish.
