Do You Know How Bad the Dechristianization of Europe Really Is?

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europa is in absolute free fall into atheism

i hope the western hemisphere can be saved by the grace of Jesus

i am not optimistic
 
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I don’t see why this is shocking. Unless you are a hermit who only goes out to mass it’s pretty obvious that the majority of the population don’t attend church or practice a faith.
 
Speaking as a german citizen:
Yes, secular culture is growing. Being religious is seen as unprofessional or old fashioned, If not silly in many, but not all environments. I had a great Prof at university who decorated her desk with images of Mary and prays before meal, at public events, too. She is sometimes seen as a bit weird, people make fun of her, even catholics (!). Some people think it is rude to show personal faith at university, but she was always respectful. If she had been only half the great historian she is, her faith would have broke her neck, career regarding.
A great problem are, in my eyes, the protestant and catholic state church ( I miss the correct english term right now, sorry, I hope you know what I try to say). When I remember the sunday class, we drawed churches and had some unmotivated talks, but no deep catechesis- I was a curious child and this made me feel alone with my faith even at age 6. Churches see that in the west, they loose more and more people, but the reaction is trying even harder to look modern and stylish and not focusing on the core. A theme is tricky? They skip it and make a cake. Look, I am not one of those “trad TLM” people, I don’t care about the form, but I care about the lack of passion in the parishes. Lay people included. Speaking for them, it was maybe not different in former times. In Bavaria, going to Mass is meeting the local political Scene, now and then.
I think it starts at the families who raise priests and lay people. It’s harder now, yes, but we need to leave our comfort zone.
 
Well, it seems that in Rome, there should be more than just 12% of the population going to Sunday mass.
 
JamalChristophr said:
Maybe we should do what the Mormons do. That would be interesting.
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What Mormons do, is have lots of children. That supports their growth. Practicing Catholics up until a few decades ago had more children than persons who seldom or never go to church. Our birth rate has dropped considerably in the US very recently, and I suspect had dropped a little earlier in Europe.

In the US there are still pockets of growth for Catholics and evangelicals. This includes home schoolers, people committed to prolife, supporters of traditional Catholic education…where else? Other than religious orders, you won’t find strong Catholic, Protestant, or Orthodox communities without a strong birth rate.

Families having children is a huge sign of faith in God’s providence, Hope that God will be watching over us long term. It is not just providing more persons to sit in pews, it is an ongoing process of conversion.

How are Eastern Orthodox Christians doing in Europe? Where are traditional or evangelical Protestant Christians flourishing in Europe? How can we expand those places?

In the past Baptist or Pentecostal denominations targeted Europe. I had concerns at the time, as I did not want to see them “converting” practicing Catholics, but I had hopes they might at least lead some non Christians into some level of Christian faith. Are they still active?
 
commenter said:
How are Eastern Orthodox Christians doing in Europe? Where are traditional or evangelical Protestant Christians flourishing in Europe? How can we expand those places?
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In western germany, orthodox parishes start to interact well with each other and non-orthodox churches- they are no longer only for greek or russian Immigrants. However, the language barrier is huge, but not as huge as the good will of the priests to translate. They made a positive impact on me, but we talk of really small parishes. In eastern germany, it’s even more secular. But the russian diaspora made a good job with being open to strangers.
Evangelical churches grow, unfortunately those fundamental ones, everywhere where people are lonely- this is often the Case.
 
JamalChristophr said:
They go out on mission going door to door in some place. Two persons at a time and they witness to people. (just brain storming)
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Speaking as a person from the UK, I don’t think that would work. Often, Jehovas Witnesses do this and they are regarded as a nuisance at best and almost predatory at worst (e.g they can be seen to target the vulnerable such as the elderly).

As an agnostic, I do consider the UK a fairly secular country, and I think most attitudes towards religion are apathetic. I don’t really see it changing - there’s no real desire for change.
 
Maybe people need to be reminded of Germany’s Christian history and what great saints lived there… starting with St. Boniface all the way to Bl. Sister Emmerich who had the stigmata
 
If the Mormon door to door thing is successful, it is not due to God.
 
yeah. I think things like documented miracles can do much to affect people’s belief.
 
Christianity is in a free fall in Europe. I don’t think it will turn around unless there is divine intervention.

Living in The Netherlands, the only I hope see is from women. In particular single young women who seem to be coming out of the woodwork, attending mass by themselves or with friends. I don’t know how many of them are tourists, but the numbers are evident.

Please pray for them.
 
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There were great Christian writers from the Netherlands… Tomas Kempis and Erasmus… it is unfortunate that the politics between Spain and Netherlands caused the latter to embrace Luther’s Protestantism and that material wealth has now turned the Dutch away from God… ’ And because wickedness is multiplied, most men’s love will grow cold. But he who endures to the end will be saved.’ Matt 24:12
 
In answer to the exam question - yes I do know. My UK parish has been merged with another, so our priest has two churches and a school (some priests have 4 or 5 churches and a couple of schools). The church I attend is teetering between a maintenance and a graveyard parish and our new parish priest has said that unless something changes, the church will close in a few years. We have a number of problems, the tiny few who think the own the church, too few lay people helping, uncatechized generations and a church that is less than a quarter full on a Sunday.

Praying that God will breath life into our dry bones and that the Holy Spirit will en-kindle our hearts.
 
Is it true that in the UK, after the Anglican Church authorized female ordination, that large numbers of Anglicans are leaving that Church to become Catholics?
 
If I recall correctly a few did, but the majority stayed. We have a former Protestant church in our diocese who are more Catholic than the rest of us - Latin masses etc.
 
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