Catholicism; Rising or Falling even more?

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By the number of the Faithful/Laity, is Catholicism rising or falling even more?
 
I don’t know.

But the more I research my Catholic faith, the more my faith increases. Does that count for anything?
 
Ebbs and Flows based upon many inside/outside influences, but will Always be protected from the Gates of Hell and will endure till the end of time.👍
 
it depends on region. In some places it it growing fast, in others it is declining. here in the United States it varies as well. where I live it is growing so fast the parishes are bursting at the seams. /but in a neighboring state the evangellicals and fundamentilists have a much higher growth rate.

overall it appears according to some reports that the catholic Church is holding about steady in numbers worldwide, or maybe there is small growth.

i am curious about your title, falling even more? has there ever been a time in history (that can be confirmed, knowing how hard this would be) besides maybe the time of the european plagues in 14th century, that the Catholic Church has shrunk in numbers of members worldwide? My understanding is that there is not. Do you have any information on this?
 
Didn’t Pope Benedict XVI make a comment to the effect that by the end of his Pontificate the number of Catholics would be down but also the percentage of “cafeteria Catholics” as well?

I think Pope Benedict XVI might be pleasantly surprised that he will be wrong with that prediction. I would think the number of Catholics will be up and the percentage of “cafeteria Catholics” will be down. He is moving the Church towards more reverence in the liturgies and to some of its more orthodox and reverent traditions. To me, that will attract more people. People don’t want watered down Catholicism.
 
Lampo said:
I think Pope Benedict XVI might be pleasantly surprised that he will be wrong with that prediction. I would think the number of Catholics will be up and the percentage of “cafeteria Catholics” will be down. He is moving the Church towards more reverence in the liturgies and to some of its more orthodox and reverent traditions. To me, that will attract more people. People don’t want watered down Catholicism.
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I agree with you whole-heartedly. It is entirely likely, however, that by insisting that the Church grow more and more Catholic, pious, reverent, and obedient, His Holiness may unintentionally instigate a massive schism. As much as 80% of the Catholics may leave the Church - but these are the cafeteria catholics, the “pro-choice” catholics, the pseudo-catholics. These are the Catholics who only show up on Christmas and Easter and give nothing and wouldn’t know how to make confession if you gave them a book and paid them cash money for the favor. But the remaining 20% will be genuine, loyal, obedient, honest to God Catholics and the Church will be infinitely better off. Then will come a time of renewal in the Church that hasn’t been seen since the days of the Apostles.
 
I know in brasil i just read something about that. catholicism used to be 83% now down to 61% of the country, that is due to mega churches such as universal churches and neoevangelical movements. but i also heard that a lot of them are coming back into the catholic church.
when people are desperate with problems they seek evangelical churches which offers them riches and miracles.
 
i believe the megasects are a flash in the pan, they are a new innovation, and will disappear as fast as they appeared. They are a product of the TV age of preachers with emphasis on entertainment and “amazing” manifstations of supernatural happenings. i believe they serve God’s purpose in showing people how to have a real faith, but as people grow jaded with the entertainment they will realize that the Catholic liturgy is the real thing, and most will move on over.
 
I don’t think the determination of the church rising or falling has much to do with the membership numbers.

That aside, the church will not fail, Jesus has promised that. It might get smaller, it might get bigger, but it will not fail. The only concern should be that the church is faithful to the message it has preached to the world for 2000 years.

Besides which, isn’t there supposed to be a great falling away before the second coming? Numbers shrinking doesn’t necessarily mean bad things.
 
J_C said:
i believe the megasects are a flash in the pan, they are a new innovation, and will disappear as fast as they appeared. They are a product of the TV age of preachers with emphasis on entertainment and “amazing” manifstations of supernatural happenings. i believe they serve God’s purpose in showing people how to have a real faith, but as people grow jaded with the entertainment they will realize that the Catholic liturgy is the real thing, and most will move on over.
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I am not so sure of this. I have nothing to gain or lose re this argument as I am neither RC nor evangelical.

Those megachurches do offer great preaching and great music, which many people like, and LOTS of services, with people like even more. Creches, nurseries, sunday school, teen groups, young adult, singles groups, several in various age levels, women’s groups, men’s groups-- Sat night entertainment, full athletic facilities, aerobics classes, summer camp with transportation and meals–and MEALS, I forgot about those. A home away from home–also counseling for drugs, alcoholism, marriage, post-divorce. Sure, people are ENCOURAGED to tithe, but they get a lot back.

Does the RCC offer this? I read on EpiScope that one woman, a single mon, wanted to accompany her daughter for First Communion, like the other parents were doing, to the railing, but her priest forbade her from doidng so; it was Catholic Family Sunday and he didn’t want her to participate. She left. I personally know a native RC woman whose longtime husband divorced her the year her mother died. She received no support from the local RCC. She joined a local evangelical church where she received conseling, and divorce support group and a singles group in her age range. She is very happy there.

I suspect that very few Catholics want to adore the Blessed Sacrament and watch male priests in stiffly embroidered vestments parade around. They want down-to-earth everyday help and support and that is what these churches, and Protestant churches in general, are giving them.
 
1234 said:
I am not so sure of this. I have nothing to gain or lose re this argument as I am neither RC nor evangelical.

Those megachurches do offer great preaching and great music, which many people like, and LOTS of services, with people like even more. Creches, nurseries, sunday school, teen groups, young adult, singles groups, several in various age levels, women’s groups, men’s groups-- Sat night entertainment, full athletic facilities, aerobics classes, summer camp with transportation and meals–and MEALS, I forgot about those. A home away from home–also counseling for drugs, alcoholism, marriage, post-divorce. Sure, people are ENCOURAGED to tithe, but they get a lot back.

Does the RCC offer this? I read on EpiScope that one woman, a single mon, wanted to accompany her daughter for First Communion, like the other parents were doing, to the railing, but her priest forbade her from doidng so; it was Catholic Family Sunday and he didn’t want her to participate. She left. I personally know a native RC woman whose longtime husband divorced her the year her mother died. She received no support from the local RCC. She joined a local evangelical church where she received conseling, and divorce support group and a singles group in her age range. She is very happy there.

I suspect that very few Catholics want to adore the Blessed Sacrament and watch male priests in stiffly embroidered vestments parade around. They want down-to-earth everyday help and support and that is what these churches, and Protestant churches in general, are giving them.
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NO DOUBT THESE MEGA CHURCHES ARE DOING A LOT FOR PEOPLE. NO ONE IS ALWAYS GOING TO HAVE JUST GOOD TIMES IN THE CHURCH. THE LORD WILL TEST OUR FAITH AND IF JUST A MERE THING HAPPENS AND THAT PERSON IS WILLING TO LEAVE AND FIND ANOTHER CHURCH, THEN THIS PERSON FELL INTO TEMPTATION. THIS PERSON DID NOT KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE FAITH. CHOSE TO FOLLOW HERS OR HIS OWN DESIRES, DID NOT GET HIS OR HER WAYS. SAD, SAD.

13 And he saith to them: Are you ignorant of this parable? and how shall you know all parables? 14 He that soweth, soweth the word. 15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown, and as soon as they have heard, immediately Satan cometh and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. 16 And these likewise are they that are sown on the stony ground: who when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with joy. 17 And they have no root in themselves, but are only for a time: and then when tribulation and persecution ariseth for the word they are presently scandalized. 18 And others there are who are sown among thorns: these are they that hear the word, 19 And the cares of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts after other things entering in choke the word, and it is made fruitless. 20 And these are they who are sown upon the good ground, who hear the word, and receive it, and yield fruit, the one thirty, another sixty, and another a hundred.

MARK 4
 
i’ve been a member of several parishes over the years. I’ve always found that for those who do not involve themselves in parish life, the Chruch can seem cold and perfunctory. it is up to us to involve ourselves, not to sit aroudn and wait for services to arrive at our doorstep. Once i started volunteering I discovered a whole world of dedicated loving people who help others, and each other, it is right under the surface. But for alot of people it is enough to go to Mass and worship our Savior, and that is just fine, too.
 
J_C said:
i’ve been a member of several parishes over the years. I’ve always found that for those who do not involve themselves in parish life, the Chruch can seem cold and perfunctory. it is up to us to involve ourselves, not to sit aroudn and wait for services to arrive at our doorstep. Once i started volunteering I discovered a whole world of dedicated loving people who help others, and each other, it is right under the surface. But for alot of people it is enough to go to Mass and worship our Savior, and that is just fine, too.
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I could not agree more with you. For years I would go to Mass but never involved myself in anything going on in the parish once I made the effect to start and get involved I found that there were a lot more to the parish and the people who seemed very stand offish opened up . All it took was a sign from me that I wanted they evolved… And I seem to recall reading last year that Catholicism was the fastest growing of Christian Churches in the USA. 🤷
 
J_C said:
i’ve been a member of several parishes over the years. I’ve always found that for those who do not involve themselves in parish life, the Chruch can seem cold and perfunctory. it is up to us to involve ourselves, not to sit aroudn and wait for services to arrive at our doorstep. Once i started volunteering I discovered a whole world of dedicated loving people who help others, and each other, it is right under the surface. But for alot of people it is enough to go to Mass and worship our Savior, and that is just fine, too.
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I coiuldn’t agree with this more. You get out of it what you put into it. If you’re just going to go to mass and leave after church then that’s all you’re going to see. If you go and involve yourself, then you will meet and be involved with the other people in the church.

And regarding the megachurches that give you one stop shopping for religion. Attending church is not about entertaining and doing for you. Attending church is about worshipping God and what you can do for Him. You can have the flash, or you can have the truth. Give me the truth.
 
iamACE said:
By the number of the Faithful/Laity, is Catholicism rising or falling even more?
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**If you look at the latest research about Catholicism in the United States, if it weren’t for immigration, the Church would be in the same position as the mainline protestant denominations. Because of immigration, the United States is one-third Catholic Christian.

Most of Catholicism now is centered in the southern hemisphere of the world - South America, Africa, etc. It is barely practiced in Europe or Canada, or places where Communism or Islam reign although this is changing, particularly in China.**
 
peary said:
Most of Catholicism now is centered in the southern hemisphere of the world - South America, Africa, etc. It is barely practiced in Europe or Canada, or places where Communism or Islam reign although this is changing, particularly in China.
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Yep. I notice that most of the Missionaries from our country are sent to China, and when China is evangelized through the Catholic Faith, Protestantism will start its usual duty… 😃
 
This is from the Pew Forum On Religion and Public Life. It appears that Catholicism is shrinking in the USA. If all the illegals are rounded up and sent home, the numbers will be much worse.
While those Americans who are unaffiliated with any particular religion have seen the greatest growth in numbers as a result of changes in affiliation, Catholicism has experienced the greatest net losses as a result of affiliation changes. While nearly one-in-three Americans (31%) were raised in the Catholic faith, today fewer than one-in-four (24%) describe themselves as Catholic. These losses would have been even more pronounced were it not for the offsetting impact of immigration.
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