Reflections on Recent Statistical Trends in the Church – Smaller, Stronger, Younger

The bad News: According to separate reports from the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life and the American Religious Identification Survey, fewer Americans now call themselves Catholic, and those who do aren’t attending church or praying as often as they used to.

The good news: The Catholics who remain, Church leaders will tell you, are far more devoted and involved — particularly young adults.

Read more here and see a good video: YOUNG ADULTS LEAD THE CHARGE

6 Replies to “Reflections on Recent Statistical Trends in the Church – Smaller, Stronger, Younger”

      1. …and the solution is the same – Veni Sancte Spiritus!

        After lunch I was reading “From the Holy Mountain” and the author asks the Patriarch of Jerusalem how he feels about the rapidly falling numbers of Christians in the city:

        “Do not judge a light by the size of its container – even a small oil lamp can give light to a big room”

  1. Hurrah! for young adult Catholics, it’s us old dinosaurs that sometimes stifle their enthusiasm.

  2. I am a cradle Catholic and I can relate to that statistic. The church that I grew up with and what it has become is not the same. Up to a year ago I was a Eucharist minister for the Navy, but not now. The last seven years I have seen and experienced religion that controls countries, and it is ugly. The last eight years the church has become arrogant and short sighted. I came to this realization when I was told if I was a democrat I was not Catholic. Yes, abortion is wrong but making it illegal will not stop it. If one would go back to the 1960’s when abortion was illegal, one would find there were abortions going on in large numbers, and many young women were dying from poorly done abortion. So to stop a double homicide, the Court ruled that abortion is legal. The truth is as a country we should go after the cause of abortion; young, single women that are pregnant have no support, therefore are condemned to poverty and looked upon as a low moral person for the rest of their lives. I do not see much support for unwed mothers, even today. The women I know that had abortions did so because they felt alone, scared, ashamed, and hopeless. When I discuss this with other Catholics, I am met with hostility. Making abortion illegal will not stop abortions; it will bring back the double homicide. When we stop condemning the sinner and start condemning the sin then abortion will stop being an option. But keep going down the road you are on and you will get the law repealed. Then enjoy your hollow victory. This country became the one consumer of illegal drugs by just saying no and not addressing the real problem because it was easier. That is the road the church is on now, and by doing so, the church is banning the old Catholics that really want to address the true problem. But then I was told that because I did not support the Republican Party because it got this country in war on a lie that I am fighting!, I am not a Catholic! No, I did not leave my church; my church left me. To turn a blind eye on the horrors of war because of a false promise is wrong. The church is losing more than its members.

    1. Thanks for your service to our country. Since your remarks were longish let me reproduce them here and answer one by one: My remarks are in BOLD

      I am a cradle Catholic and I can relate to that statistic. The church that I grew up with and what it has become is not the same. Up to a year ago I was a Eucharist minister for the Navy, but not now. The last seven years I have seen and experienced religion that controls countries, and it is ugly. I SUPPOSE YOU MEAN ISALM ?? The last eight years the church has become arrogant and short sighted. I came to this realization when I was told if I was a democrat I was not Catholic. IF ANYONE TOLD YOU THAT THEY WERE WRONG. THE CHURCH DOES NOT SAY WHAT PARTY TO VOTE FOR OR BELONG TO. A CATHOLIC IS PERMITTED TO VOTE FOR A DEMOCRAT. THE ISSUE OF ABORTION CANNOT BE THE REASON YOU VOTE FOR A CANDIDATE OF ANY PARTY. THUS ONE MAY VOTE FOR A CANDIDATE WHO IS PRO-ABORTION AND DOES NOT INCUR PENALTY PROVIDED THAT THEY DID NOT VOTE FOR THEM FOR THAT REASON. THUS, YOU MAY LIKE THEIR POSITION ON THE WAR ETC. AND VOTE FOR THAT REASON, WISHING THEY WERE NOT PRO-ABORTION. I PERSONALLY COULD NOT VOTE FOR ANY CANDIDATE OF ANY PARTY WHO THINKS IT SHOULD BE LEGAL TO KILL BABIES IN THE WOMB. BUT THE CHURCH DOES NOT ABSOLUTELY REQUIRE YOU TO REFUSE TO VOTE FOR A CANDIDATE OR PARTY WHO IS PRO-ABORTION. Yes, abortion is wrong but making it illegal will not stop it. If one would go back to the 1960’s when abortion was illegal, one would find there were abortions going on in large numbers, I DISAGREE WITH YOU HERE. IF IT WHERE ILLEGAL MANY FEWER ABORTIONS WOULD BE PERFORMED. GRANTED THEY WOULD NOT TOTALLY DISAPPEAR BUT FAR FEWER WOULD OCCUR JUST AS FAR FEWER OCCURRED BACK IN THE YEARS YOU CITE. and many young women were dying from poorly done abortion. So to stop a double homicide, the Court ruled that abortion is legal. YOU CAN’T END A PROBLEM BY DOIG EVIL The truth is as a country we should go after the cause of abortion; young, single women that are pregnant have no support, therefore are condemned to poverty and looked upon as a low moral person for the rest of their lives. I do not see much support for unwed mothers, even today. THIS IS NOT A FAIR ACCUSATION AGAINST THE CHURCH IF THAT’S WHAT YOU MEAN. WE HAVE QUITE A LOT OF OUTREACH TO WOMEN IN CRISIS PREGANANCY. WE PROVIDE FREE MEDICAL SERVICES AND HELP THEM BRING THEIR BABIES TO TERM. ETC. The women I know that had abortions did so because they felt alone, scared, ashamed, and hopeless. When I discuss this with other Catholics, I am met with hostility. IS IT ONLY HOSTILITY? PERHAPS YOU ARE BEING TOO HARSH. THERE MAY BE HOSTILE PEOPLE OUT THERE BUT SOMETIMES PEOPLE TODAY CALL HOSTILITY WHAT IS SIMPLY DISAGREEMENT Making abortion illegal will not stop abortions; it will bring back the double homicide. When we stop condemning the sinner WHO IS DOING THAT?? and start condemning the sin then abortion will stop being an option. WELL THERE’S PROBABLY MORE REQUIRED TO STOP IT THAN THAT But keep going down the road you are on and you will get the law repealed. NOT TOO LIKELY RIGHT NOW Then enjoy your hollow victory. This country became the one consumer of illegal drugs by just saying no and not addressing the real problem because it was easier. That is the road the church is on now, and by doing so, the church is banning the old Catholics that really want to address the true problem. But then I was told that because I did not support the Republican Party because it got this country in war on a lie that I am fighting!, I am not a Catholic! SEE ABOVE No, I did not leave my church; my church left me. NOT FAIR CHRIS, THE CHURCH HASN’T LEFT YOU OR GIVEN UP ON YOU. THERE MAY BE CERTAIN INDIVIDUAL CATHOLICS WHO HAVE REJECTED YOU, BUT THE CHURCH HAS NOT – OTHERWISE, SHOW ME YOU BIL OF EXCOMMUNICATION. To turn a blind eye on the horrors of war because of a false promise is wrong. The church is losing more than its members. HMM… WHAT ARE YOU IMPLYING HERE?

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