Are there really 64 million U.S. Roman Catholics?

[Maranatha]

Are there really 64 million U.S. Roman Catholics?

Are there really more than 64 million U.S. Roman Catholics?

That’s what the 2007 Official Catholic Directory, due out this week, will say. But what about the dead, the double-counted and the disgruntled ex-Catholics - all of whose names may still plump up parish rolls?

Yes, there are probably “ghosts” in the lists, says demographer Mary Gautier, senior researcher for the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate, in Washington, D.C. The center analyzes data for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

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[b_justb]

I’m not dead or disgruntled. I live in the US.

I’ll start.

1
Your turn.

 

[Riley259]

Are there really 64 million U.S. Roman Catholics?

Are there really more than 64 million U.S. Roman Catholics?

That’s what the 2007 Official Catholic Directory, due out this week, will say. But what about the dead, the double-counted and the disgruntled ex-Catholics - all of whose names may still plump up parish rolls?

Yes, there are probably “ghosts” in the lists, says demographer Mary Gautier, senior researcher for the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate, in Washington, D.C. The center analyzes data for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

more

Now if only all 64 million really practiced their faith…what a difference that would make!!

 

[holy_wood]

I’ll follow

2
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[Catholig]

I’ll be number

3

 

[KathleenElsie]

What a wonderful moral and social responsibility example we would be if everyone of the 64 million practiced the Faith as taught in the Magesterium.

64 million persons would be a very visible example to others.

 

[rien]

Very mislading - thi counts baptized catholics but in my workplace alone out of 15 baptized Catholics I know 8 have converted to other faiths, 3 don’t practice. That leaves, even counting the non-practicing, just 7. Less than half of what the offical figure shows or would show.

At least the LDS issues numbers based on practicing Mormons.

For all practical purposes I suspect the number of actual catholics in the US is 20 - 35 million. But that is just a guess - the “official” number is obviously bogus.

 

[Maranatha]

Now if only all 64 million really practiced their faith…what a difference that would make!!

Through the whole history outlined in the Bible, only a fraction in each generation stayed true. I guess it’s to be expected that this continues today.

 

[BigVinny]

Even people who claim to be devoutly Catholic rarely follow the Commandments. There are millions on this list that are certainly living with a member of the opposite sex. And I’m sure they go to Communion regularly, but that’s another discussion, I guess.

If we could get 30 million to live as Catholics and actively defend the faith, the entire culture of this country would change.

 

[KathleenElsie]

Even people who claim to be devoutly Catholic rarely follow the Commandments. There are millions on this list that are certainly living with a member of the opposite sex. And I’m sure they go to Communion regularly, but that’s another discussion, I guess.

If we could get 30 million to live as Catholics and actively defend the faith, the entire culture of this country would change.

two thimbs up

 

[brianwalden]

Very mislading - thi counts baptized catholics but in my workplace alone out of 15 baptized Catholics I know 8 have converted to other faiths, 3 don’t practice. That leaves, even counting the non-practicing, just 7. Less than half of what the offical figure shows or would show.

At least the LDS issues numbers based on practicing Mormons.

For all practical purposes I suspect the number of actual catholics in the US is 20 - 35 million. But that is just a guess - the “official” number is obviously bogus.

The numbers are not purposely misleading or bogus but represent the Church’s definition of what it means to be Catholic. Anyone who is baptised or confirmed Catholic and hasn’t renounced their faith has a right to the sacraments (if properly disposed). Unless they write their bishop to formally cut themselves off, the Church is, in a sense, responsible for their souls. The Catholic Church’s records reflect this type of thinking, the real question is why don’t other churches see themselves as responsible for the lost sheep of their flock in the same way that the Catholic Church does?

 

[Nohome]

Unless they write their bishop to formally cut themselves off, the Church is, in a sense, responsible for their souls.

Even then, the Church teaches that a formal act of defection can’t erase the mark of Baptisim. In other words, the Church does not have the ability to “unbaptize”, she can only acknowledge that someone has abandoned her.

Nohome

 

[MelanieAnne]

At least the LDS issues numbers based on practicing Mormons.

Are you sure about that? I’ve heard the Mormons count everybody on their membership list unless someone has formally requested that their name be removed. Hence, all their “inactive” or “non-practicing” members are counted in their numbers too.

 

[Nohome]

Very mislading - thi counts baptized catholics but in my workplace alone out of 15 baptized Catholics I know 8 have converted to other faiths, 3 don’t practice. That leaves, even counting the non-practicing, just 7. Less than half of what the offical figure shows or would show.

I met a man last night that was one of eight children raised in a devout Catholic family. His mother died and his father became a priest. A sore spot for his father is that of 8 children he raised in the faith, only one remains Catholic.

Looking at my own family, all four siblings including myself are no longer Catholic. So I guess it depends on what you call a Catholic, but based on my own experience 64 million is an inflated number.

Perhaps the church should look for a better performance measure like Mass attendance or vocations.

Nohome

 

[stbruno]

I met a man last night that was one of eight children raised in a devout Catholic family. His mother died and his father became a priest. A sore spot for his father is that of 8 children he raised in the faith, only one remains Catholic.

Looking at my own family, all four siblings including myself are no longer Catholic. So I guess it depends on what you call a Catholic, but based on my own experience 64 million is an inflated number.

Perhaps the church should look for a better performance measure like Mass attendance or vocations.

Nohome

Why don’t you come home? Jesus is waiting…with open arms and willing to run the extra mile to find his lost sheep.

 

[brianwalden]

Perhaps the church should look for a better performance measure like Mass attendance or vocations.
Nohome

Nohome, I think it all depends on why the Church is keeping those statistics. And we already both agree from the Church’s standpoint once a Catholic always a Catholic unless you formally renounce it.

But there are other surveys out there concerning how often people who label themselves as Catholic attend Mass or believe in the Real Presence, etc. You could take one of those and take whatever percentage of 64 million meets your criteria. That would give you a ballpark. Given how “sticky” Catholicism is (i.e. lots of people who haven’t set foot in a Church in years still call themselves Catholic) I think that method would give you a fairly accurate estimate.

 

[Gregory_Francis]

I am a very simple cradle RC, un-informed on many stats, so I don’t always follow “whys” how’s and If’s" of the news on faith.

But I truly Pray to God the Father there are 64 mil, and each will in the faith birth, baptize, and raise many beautiful new souls. Call me ignorant old fashioned…GF

 

[Nohome]

Why don’t you come home? Jesus is waiting…with open arms and willing to run the extra mile to find his lost sheep.

I’m quite content outside the Catholic faith. The Chruch is not about to change to meet my needs, nor do I expect it. Likewise, I will not change to conform to her teachings.

Nohome

 

[brianwalden]

I’m quite content outside the Catholic faith. The Chruch is not about to change to meet my needs, nor do I expect it. Likewise, I will not change to conform to her teachings.

Nohome

Great response. I wish everyone would have that attitude regarding their faith and other people’s faiths. It would sure make dialog a whole lot more productive.

 

[Maranatha]

Nohome[/B]
, post:14, topic:77497”]
Looking at my own family, all four siblings including myself are no longer Catholic. So I guess it depends on what you call a Catholic, but based on my own experience 64 million is an inflated number.

Actually, the numbers gathered by the Bishops are on the low end of the ballpark figure. When a statistically valid survey is done for US Catholics, those who call themselves Catholic is in the range of 68-69 Million. here is a link to a story on a recent statistical survey.

christianpost.com/article/20070710/28376_Survey:_Catholics_Adapt_to_Culture_at_Cost_of_Committed_Faith.htm