Catholics Still Leaving in Droves?

[Fidelis]

It has happened often in the vast history of the Church that the numbers of the faithful have dwindled in the face of heresy and unfaithfulness. Recall that the Arian heresy, which lasted from the 4th to the 7th century, at one time claimed up to two-thirds of all bishops before finally dying out, and the Church finally regained it’s orthodoxy and numbers. Similarly, when droves of people followed ther political leaders into Protestantism after the “Reformation,” the Blessed Virgin Mary, as Our Lady of Guadelupe, came to the Americas and preciptated the conversion of millions, effectively replacing in number the apostates that had been led astray.

I just know my church had to add on because we had so many new families.

I can’t presume to speak for your particular ecclesial non-Catholic faith community, but secular and Protestant publications that I’ve read point out the growing number of Protestants (especially evangelicals) that are headed for the huge mega-churches where style triumphs over substance and show over content, giving people feel-good easy-believism. As this trend continues, smaller ecclesial non-Catholic faith communities are dying out along with the historic Reformation-era bodies (though of course more denominations are always popping up – seven a week by some tallies). I personally see this trend as one of the death-knells for serious Evangelical Protestantism.

Meanwhile the Catholic Church rolls on and on, just as Jesus said it would (Matthew 16:18)…

 

[santaro75]

Per Georgetown University…US Catholic Population in:

1960 - 45.6 million
1975 - 48.7 million
1985 - 52.3 million
1995 - 57.4 million
2000 - 59.9 million
2005 - 64.8 million

Does not sound to me like Catholics are leaving the Church in droves… hmmm.

good numbers. but the us population has nearly doubled since the sixties!

can anyone produce similar stats for protestant christians?

 

[santaro75]

I can’t presume to speak for your particular ecclesial non-Catholic faith community, but secular and Protestant publications that I’ve read point out the growing number of Protestants (especially evangelicals) that are headed for the huge mega-churches where style triumphs over substance and show over content, giving people feel-good easy-believism. As this trend continues, smaller ecclesial non-Catholic faith communities are dying out along with the historic Reformation-era bodies (though of course more denominations are always popping up – seven a week by some tallies). I personally see this trend as one of the death-knells for serious Evangelical Protestantism.

Meanwhile the Catholic Church rolls on and on, just as Jesus said it would (Matthew 16:18)…

Great post!

 

[Kendy]

I can speak for our Parish in Kansas; I am on the RCIA team. We have over 90 catechumen in this year’s class. Almost without exception, they are converts from other Fundamentalist/evangelical Christian denominations.

Our Parish is bursting at-the-seams with over 1500 FAMILIES…and as we get teased about the large size of our Catholic families, this translates into a large number of parishioners.

We don’t seem to be loosing folks…just gaining them for Christ!

Wow! My parish had about five last year and they were so impressed with themselves.

 

[a_cermak]

I would imagine that the ratio of “inactivity” would be the same between your church and ours. The relative numbers are still up for the Catholic Church.

Glass houses and stones?

I didn’t mean to criticize, sorry if I struck a nerve. I used to be Catholic and mean no disrespect, I only meant that if you want to revitalize your Church, it would behoove you more to pay attention to the inactives than it would be to win back the ones you’ve lost. I honestly believe that. And that is what I’ve seen at work, the Catholics are all inactive Catholics.

 

[M_Oliver]

You know it is amazing. I’m reading posts of members who profess to belong to the TWO most prominent “churches” on the planet and not a single person quotes a single Scripture to try and expalin why they both are bleeding like a stuck pig.

May I take this opportunity to SUM it up. First God CALLS His creation. These many called tend to flock towards RITUAL based “churches” …catholic and protestant.

Second. God starts to drag{draw}the called closer to Christ. When this happens they tend to head for the bible based evangelical style because they are tired of the same old CARNAL MINDED RITUALS week after week and desire to know more about the Word.

Third. God shows them that even though they are more into the Word they are **STILL being lied to and fleeced of their money **in the form of the FALSE TEACHING that tithing 10% of your income is Scripturally based.

Fourth. **God allows **them to see and understand such profound Scripture’s as…

Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues; (Revelation 18:4)

Who is “her”. Do you get it? “Her” is ALL of your “churches”. Once this happens God, yes GOD {not some stupid mortal man who claims to be the successor of Christ} opens your mind to the Scriptures and you BEGIN to see things you NEVER in a million years would have believed.

From here on out you battle the beast. And I mean day after day after day after day. It gets really old but God allows you to understand that it is necessary to one day join His family.

It is the best thing that could ever happen to any of us.

 

[Mr.Ex_Nihilo]

You know it is amazing. I’m reading posts of members who profess to belong to the TWO most prominent “churches” on the planet and not a single person quotes a single Scripture to try and expalin why they both are bleeding like a stuck pig.

May I take this opportunity to SUM it up…

First God…

Second…

Third…

Fourth…

And you realize what the fifth part is, right?

 

[Mannyfit75]

You know it is amazing. I’m reading posts of members who profess to belong to the TWO most prominent “churches” on the planet and not a single person quotes a single Scripture to try and expalin why they both are bleeding like a stuck pig.

May I take this opportunity to SUM it up. First God CALLS His creation. These many called tend to flock towards RITUAL based “churches” …catholic and protestant.

Second. God starts to drag{draw}the called closer to Christ. When this happens they tend to head for the bible based evangelical style because they are tired of the same old CARNAL MINDED RITUALS week after week and desire to know more about the Word.

Third. God shows them that even though they are more into the Word they are **STILL being lied to and fleeced of their money **in the form of the FALSE TEACHING that tithing 10% of your income is Scripturally based.

Fourth. **God allows **them to see and understand such profound Scripture’s as…

Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues; (Revelation 18:4)

Who is “her”. Do you get it? “Her” is ALL of your “churches”. Once this happens God, yes GOD {not some stupid mortal man who claims to be the successor of Christ} opens your mind to the Scriptures and you BEGIN to see things you NEVER in a million years would have believed.

From here on out you battle the beast. And I mean day after day after day after day. It gets really old but God allows you to understand that it is necessary to one day join His family.

It is the best thing that could ever happen to any of us.

Oh am I hearing what I’m hearing? Are you assuming that the Catholic Church is the whore of Babylon in Rev? An old argument that is not new to Catholicism.

Is this what you believe?

If this is what you believe. You are making false assumption of the Catholic Church, and your words in these are lacking charity. I hope this is not what you assumed because claims that the Catholic Church as the whore of Babylon is very Anti-Catholic and Un-true. I would be careful of making pass judgement of the Church that Jesus founded.

Note the Catholic Church is often address as “her” by the Popes, priest, bishop because the Catholic Church is the bride of Christ.

 

[reneeville]

Here are some national stats…
adherents.com/rel_USA.html#Pew_branches

Here are some international numbers…

geocities.com/richleebruce/churchstat.html

Does anyone know the current state of the Catholic Church in America with respect to Catholics leaving to join Protestant or Bible Christian churches?

Has there been any improvement on this front in, say, the last 10 years?

Hard numbers would be appreciated, if there are any available.

 

[M_Oliver]

Oh am I hearing what I’m hearing? Are you assuming that the Catholic Church is the whore of Babylon in Rev? An old argument that is not new to Catholicism.

Is this what you believe?

If this is what you believe. You are making false assumption of the Catholic Church, and your words in these are lacking charity. I hope this is not what you assumed because claims that the Catholic Church as the whore of Babylon is very Anti-Catholic and Un-true. I would be careful of making pass judgement of the Church that Jesus founded.

Note the Catholic Church is often address as “her” by the Popes, priest, bishop because the Catholic Church is the bride of Christ.

No manny, that is not what I am saying. Are you ready for a serious dose of the truth? I am saying that ALL OF YOU are the whore. All of you…

evangelical, sda, mormon, protestant, catholic, jw etc.

Every single one of you has a SERIOUS amount of false teaching. Very false teaching. There is no false teaching when you are in Christ. Would you argue otherwise? Would Christ lie to his people? Would He tell them to pray to dead people for example? Not for eons and eons would He command that. Yet members familiar to you do just that.

Did Christ EVER teach that God the Father intended to TORTURE His creation in an everlasting fire for being “sinners”? No, He did not, but the pagan translators that you quote Scripture from sure did. You have not a clue as to what you are talking about.

Do souls go through a journey or steps after they die and before they go to “heaven”? Welcome to the world of pagan Egypt! Trace your beliefs manny. Did Christ teach such nonsense? Then WHY do YOU believe it? Think about it and don’t give me your brainwashed predictable responses for once. Just once.

 

[Sabda]

Third. God shows them that even though they are more into the Word they are **STILL being lied to and fleeced of their money **in the form of the FALSE TEACHING that tithing 10% of your income is Scripturally based.

Ummm, the Catholic Church does not require its parishoners to give 10% of our income. We are called to almsgive. Give from the heart what ever we feel that we can. If you don’t give no one is going to come knocking on your door demanding that you give. It’s strictly volunteer. I have no clue were you got the idea that we are forced to give 10% of our income?

 

[Sabda]

Every single one of you has a SERIOUS amount of false teaching. Very false teaching. There is no false teaching when you are in Christ. Would you argue otherwise? Would Christ lie to his people? Would He tell them to pray to dead people for example? Not for eons and eons would He command that. Yet members familiar to you do just that.

So God is God of the dead? Funny, I always understood that he was the God of the living.

 

[M_Oliver]

Ummm, the Catholic Church does not require its parishoners to give 10% of our income. We are called to almsgive. Give from the heart what ever we feel that we can. If you don’t give no one is going to come knocking on your door demanding that you give. It’s strictly volunteer. I have no clue were you got the idea that we are forced to give 10% of our income?

Did I say that anyone would come knocking on your door if you didn’t. No. That means one thing. You are lieing about what I said. Does your “church” allow liars? If it does it isn’t true. If you do you aren’t even close.

So why do I know catholics that strive to tithe yet you say it is not required? Because you guys are so inconsistent from town to town that it is embarrassing. One more proof that Christ is not guiding your church. No two members believe the same thing.

 

[M_Oliver]

So God is God of the dead? Funny, I always understood that he was the God of the living.

Are you lieing about what I posted or are you just confused?

 

[Mannyfit75]

No manny, that is not what I am saying. Are you ready for a serious dose of the truth? I am saying that ALL OF YOU are the whore. All of you…

evangelical, sda, mormon, protestant, catholic, jw etc.

Your remarks are indeed bias and I read these claims before from Jack Chick, a well know Anti-Catholic.

If you say I am a whore of Babylon you might as well call St. Ignatius, St. Polycarp, St. Peter, St. Clement, St. Paul, St. Ireneous, and everyone else who had kept the 2,000 yrs tradition of Jesus Christ teachings.

I refuse to deny Jesus Christ is present in the Eucharist, and rather die in martyrdom than follow a lie that you proclaimed.

Every single one of you has a SERIOUS amount of false teaching. Very false teaching. There is no false teaching when you are in Christ. Would you argue otherwise? Would Christ lie to his people? Would He tell them to pray to dead people for example? Not for eons and eons would He command that. Yet members familiar to you do just that.

You’re research that Catholic came from Pagan tradition is what I consider and other Catholics believe as “FALSE HISTORY” none of it is back up. Most historians will tell you that Christianity had its beginning with Catholicism. In fact, the Catholic Church is one of the oldest institution of in this world.

The Catholic Church is the historical Church that Jesus founded on the day of Penecost. Second, I’m not brain-washed. I think you not speaking with charity in this thread. I’m truly disappointed in your way of thinking.

 

[Tiny_Montgomery]

Did I say that anyone would come knocking on your door if you didn’t. No. That means one thing. You are lieing about what I said.

He neither lied nor misrepresented your point. He just used an illustration with the remark about knocking on doors – to illustrate his point that giving in the Catholic Church is strictly voluntary. Which is in fact the case.

So why do I know catholics that strive to tithe yet you say it is not required?

Individuals Catholics are perfectly free to tithe, if they wish, but it’s no requirement of membership in the Catholic Church, that’s for sure. And if you think it is, you’re mistaken.

 

[Sabda]

Wow, how sad.

You don’t know me from Eve yet your calling me a liar? All I did was post what YOU yourself said. These are your quotes.

**FALSE TEACHING that tithing 10% of your income is Scripturally based.

Would He tell them to pray to dead people for example**

Those are your words not mine. I have been to several parishes in my area and NOT ONE requires tithing.

Are those who die to life on this earth not alive in heaven with God? So then are they truly dead? Jesus said that God was God of the living not the dead. Does that only include those who are living here on earth?

 

[JKirkLVNV]

If that be so why in the land of the Buffalo Bills has the parish closed all bur three Catholic Elamentary School and several High Schools in a donemitly Catholic county, Why in a little city south of here closed two of their three churches. Aren’t you catholic having babies any more.

allischalmers

Population shift from the 80’s and 90’s. The South and West boomed and the North and Northeast suffered because people moved away from there to where the jobs were located (for a time, the North and NE were refered to as the “Rustbelt”). When I was growing up, in Texas, there were few Catholics in my little town in North Texas (I was raised Southern Baptist). But now, they’ve moved south with the jobs and you can’t swing a Cat without smacking a Catholic. The parents had distinctly non-Texas accents, but their kids twang like the native born! I’m serious, it was a huge boom. It’s one of the reasons that the Diocese of Galveston Houston was elevated to an archdiocese recently (Texas now has two archdiocese, the other being San Antonio).

 

[Tiny_Montgomery]

Furthermore, M_Oliver, you are derailing this thread with your off-topic remarks.

Please demonstrate some common courtesy and take your off-topic material elsewhere – to a new thread, for example.

Thanks.

T

 

[Dale_M]

It would seem that the percentage of the U.S. population that is Catholic has stayed roughly constant for the past 40 years, with perhaps some leakage.

Hispanic immigration has been in the news quite a bit. Since a large proportion of Hispanics are Catholic I wonder if increased immigration hasn’t helped keep the Church from losing ground in the U.S.?