Is Catholicism Dying?

[Bravo_6]

If there is but one man left that carries the Catholic faith,that would be the Catholic Church.There are many contributing factors to these statistics.One thing I feel is paramount in Catholicism to regain lost ground has been left by the way side - authenticity;passing on what we have received.

If but one saint and one martyr were to be resurrected and wandered from one catholic church to another,they would certainly be at a loss for words?This is not what they know,this is not what they died for,would be their sentiments…

It is apparent(these days),that there is an air of nonconformity in the “universal” teachings,which now seems filled with ambiguities,non-contradictory-state-of-mind and as a result confusion in the phalanx.

Think hard?..obviously,something has been compromised in order for these undesirables to breach the long standings of the Church,clergy,liturgy,etc,as for many years there was order and university rather than pluraversrity and multiversity?What has changed?What has been compromised?

The fruit our first parents were offered,is offered today in a different form.This equivocal fruit that is being offered today is the undoing of many Catholics including the Hierarchy.This fruit known as LIBERTY!Freedom in itself is not an absolute,or an absolute value.

Using catholic common-sense,it is hard to defend what cannot be defended.You can put forth an argument in defence of Post Vatican II,but this only highlights the introduction of sophism when the authentic catholic teaching is stacked up against you.

“**y their fruits you shall know them” - interesting quote?

JMJ**

 

[Contra_Mundum_1]

[However, the Catholic Church will survive all of this-just as it survived the fall of Rome, the Islamization of the Mid East and North Africa and the Islamic (Turkish) invasion of Eastern Europe in the 1600’s, and Communism under the Soviet Union in the 20th Century.
Compared to these events, the Secularist movement and the current regimes’ anti-Catholic predjudice are just passing fads.

Thank you for this reminder. It is easy to get so caught up in current problems and not to see the bigger picture. And the bigger picture is that the church has been around a very long time and according to Jesus hell will not prevail. There is always some kind of a crisis going on, but that is never the end of the church.
[/quote]

 

[cmscms]

How do you all feel about this? Is this just in my head, or are we Roman Catholics becoming scarce?

I live in Canada and yes I agree to number of Catholics appear to be declining. What breaks my heart more is out of the ones that attend, it seems like only 1-2 % actually really believe in the teachings.

I met a man who taught a class in church (not sure if it was RCIA or the marriage prep) and he openly admited to having used contraceptives (I meant him when his wife was passed child bearing age). And he had no regrets he kept saying ‘I had 3 kids and there was just no more room in my house’. Another man (who attends a Catholic church everyone sunday and was forever crying on my shoulder it was no fair that now that he is married he can’t become a priest) started to laugh at me when he saw the shocked look on my face when the first guy had no guilt about using contraceptives and I tried to tell him that it was wrong.

So… if this is what is in the church… I think the first concern is straightening out the Catholics that are left. Then we will be more prepared to recruit new ones

CM

 

[iloveangels]

Keep in mind that you maaaay know more Catholics than you think. Devout ones even. We’re kinda notorious for not wearing it blatantly on our sleeve.

Naaaaaaw!!!

 

[iloveangels]

Catholicism at least in my area, is going through a period of cleaning, regrouping and catch up. Some churches are closing but God is also breathing new life into many churches as well. I think we are living in a time where revival is in the air. The churches which are open to the holy spirit will survive, the others that don’t won’t. One of the major reasons why Catholicism has been dying is because it hasn’t been able to teach the young generation why they need God. Furthermore, because for many decades when major problems arose such as with the cases of sexual abuse with the priests and other religious, instead of the church having the accused arrested, and doing jail time, they simply sent the people to another place where they did it again. People have gotten scared, and angry at the church therefore they have left. The church has had to deal with these cases, and is now becoming more accountable for its actions. It’s costing it millions of dollars, but I’m sure that if someone broke the law in this way today, the church would get the local authorities involved.

Furthermore, unless someone attended Catholic school, faith education basically ends once they are confirmed. The exception being if the church has a good sunday school and youth program. Therefore we have a bunch of adults whose Catholic education ended when they were 12 which is a problem because I have worked with these kids. Most don’t care about their faith at that age. Education need to be continued throughout the teen and young adult years. The Evangelical churches are teaching us that if we want our young people to remain, we must continue our faith education programs until people’s early 30’s. The New Evangelization is helping, there are other programs that are coming up which will also help to bring people back.

I don’t think the church is necessarily dying, I think it’s beginning a new era where it has greater accountability, its focus on evangelization has changed from an outward to an inward focus meaning, it needs to educate its existing people before it looks outward. It is also facing more spiritual battles and it’s needing to embrace the technology in order to win back souls for christ. I think it is interesting that God is sending many Catholic converts to bring new life to the church. For example look at what Scott Hahn has done for the Catholic church. He has inspired cradle Catholics to become active Christians. The church needs God following Christians who are willing to step up and bring people home. I also believe, the church needs to teach people that Catholicism isn’t just about religion, attending mass, etc, but having an active relationship with Christ.

I think we need to pray for the church and have some gumption to realize, if the church can survive 2000 years of persecution and turmoil, it can certainly survive our times as well.

This is a good post. Yes, we’re taking losses, but we are going to survive. It’s not going to look like it looked before, but it doesn’t have to look worse in every way. Good post.

 

[CaptFun]

I live in the U.S. It seems like out of all of the people I know, only 20% or so believe in Christ. Out of those 20% only 5% are Roman Catholic. The rest are from other Christian denominations but used to be Roman Catholic a few years ago. The other 80% are atheist. < You may have stumbled into the Notre Dame faculty lounge!

This is very sad. Also, the media doesn’t help showing all the negative aspects of the Church, such as pedophile priests and more. There was a report last night about a priest stealing valuable things from a store, and caught on surveillance camera. < Remember that the media likes to report “man bites dog” over “dog bites man” so the “news” is not so mainstream but a bit “isn’t this wierd?” for popular effect. Be not afraid.

How do you all feel about this? Is this just in my head, or are we Roman Catholics becoming scarce?

You know jsaldar, sometimes in the Bible God trims the branches. With Israel and Judea this happened many times. It could be happening now in some places. In others we see
Anglican clergy joining the Church after 500 years of separation, conversions in Africa and some very devout movements even where the Church is (numerically) supposed to be declining.

As to your immediate surroundings, you can put yourself in a place where devout Catholics are all around. You might have to search, find your community niche and join.

And on the bright side … what a mission field you have to witness to!

 

[InLight247]

Catholicism is not dying. And as a Catholic, if you don’t want it die in you, then learn more about it and help spread the good news. Many churches are providing this educational program. catholicismseries.com/

 

[mangy_dog]

Listen, you cannot blame the media. I’m a member of the media and it’s our job to report whatever news happens, whether it happens in the Catholic church or in other churches. No editor says to us: “Oh, it’s the Catholic church…let’s get them!”.
The hard truth is…if these priests that you mention, above, did not get into these situations, *there would be no newspaper stories about them. *
If they are caught on a surveillance camera stealing, that is their own doing.
If they are innocent, then that will be reported as well.
The media doesn’t care either way, it just needs to fill space and air time and follows what happens. There is no conspiracy. There is no persecution. I promise you. We just report what happens and what is most dramatic.

The only useful piece of information I’ve read here is: " the media doesn’t care either way"

 

[Contra_Mundum_1]

The only useful piece of information I’ve read here is: " the media doesn’t care either way"

 

[mangy_dog]

Pray for me…I think I’ve grown cynical of the secular world.

 

[Contra_Mundum_1]

Pray for me…I think I’ve grown cynical of the secular world.

Same with me my friend. I don’t even watch the news or read the papers anymore. I believe that when something important happens other people will tell me. I’ts been working well so far and I’ve been sleeping better, but some think my attitude is flippant and that I should wake up to reality. Funny.

 

[mangy_dog]

Same with me my friend. I don’t even watch the news or read the papers anymore. I believe that when something important happens other people will tell me. I’ts been working well so far and I’ve been sleeping better, but some think my attitude is flippant and that I should wake up to reality. Funny.

The secular world’s use of the term “reality” is like a kickstand on a horse. To them reality is what happens when the camera is rolling.

When the Warning, Miracle and Chastisement come…that will be the rude awakening for all. God helps us "till then.

Thanks for listening. God bless you.

 

[PatriceA]

Same with me my friend. I don’t even watch the news or read the papers anymore. I believe that when something important happens other people will tell me. I’ts been working well so far and I’ve been sleeping better, but some think my attitude is flippant and that I should wake up to reality. Funny.

Count me in as well. I take most of the stuff reported in the media with a grain of salt. I don’t think the attitude is flippant at all, more that I’ve gotten off the hamster wheel of the media circus. You can’t convince me that every media source doesn’t have some angle they are trying to sell.

Oh and to answer the OP’s question, no I do not think Catholicism is dying. Not even close.

 

[mangy_dog]

This is so true,

I have found that a little competition tends to bring out some of the truth in news reporting.

I have seen a trend from news agencies like BBC and RT towards the portrayal of the more americanized CNN and it’s affliates as unreliable-partisan reporting. Often times the international picture of events gets better and clearer coverage from BBC and RT than the homegrown spinners.

I take everything in the media with a grain…a sack of salt!!.

 

[Contra_Mundum_1]

I have seen a trend from news agencies like BBC and RT towards the portrayal of the more americanized CNN and it’s affliates as unreliable-partisan reporting. Often times the international picture of events gets better and clearer coverage from BBC and RT than the homegrown spinners.

The BBC still have this reputation abroad but personally, I don’t trust them at all. Whenever they report something I wonder what the agenda is behind it and what I should be worried about. That was while I was still watching the news that is

 

[mangy_dog]

Anyway, back to the subject,

I don’t think it’s dying as much as I think its detaching from a reverent-devout-tradional attitude.

I believe that the devout and reverent catholic-obedient to the Pope american is slowly falling into a remnant mode…more contemplative and prayerful. Nurtured by the Sacraments and doing the basic Catholic things really, really well.

On the other hand you have the “public catholic” that shops around for what is compatible with his or her conception of catholicism. Something that won’t interfere with my “lifestyle” a la Gates or Coumo or Pelosi.

It’s a slow simmering of a process that could suddenly reach a boiling-over which will polarize catholicism in America.

I pray that I am wrong but, I can’t help seeing that it quacks like a duck and walks like a duck.

 

[mangy_dog]

The BBC still have this reputation abroad but personally, I don’t trust them at all. Whenever they report something I wonder what the agenda is behind it and what I should be worried about. That was while I was still watching the news that is

I know, nowadays I’m using Catholic Prophecy, Scripture and the Church Magisterium as the litmus test for anything I see or hear.

 

[Bitternolonger]

No, Catholicism is not dying because it is not of man, but of God. We are the body of Christ. We are in a new period of “enlightenment” and “Humanism”. For many, many years we have tolerated secularism to the point that our own religious liberty is now in danger. Our devotion to God and trust in God can be frightening to those who don’t know that God is love.

But the world will leave people wanting and it is the truth of the Word and the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist that will draw people back to the church and draw converts such as myself to the church. Our job is to be unabashed about our faith to demonstrate the love of Christ in our words and actions and to embrace the mocking and persecution that Jesus told us would come with being a disciple.

 

[mangy_dog]

Catholicism as a church will never die for the simple fact that:

The Catholic church is the one, true church that Christ intended to exist after His ascension into heaven and of which He left Peter as it’s first Pope…264 popes later to Pope Benedict XVI. And the gates of hell have not and will not prevail against her.

Will she be eclipsed and some of her children apostatize? yes, perhaps but, she will rise again as her Saviour did and she will be more beautiful than ever before.

 

[J_Peterson]

I don’t believe it’s going anywhere but I do think the Church needs to refocus. This emphasis on morality is only going to drive people away. Morality won’t bring you to God but
God will bring you to morality. One of the key points of Christianity is that you can’t make yourself good, it can only be done through God’s grace. I believe this and the Church teaches it. So how can telling people that what they are doing is wrong bring them to God if they don’t have God’s grace to see that what they are doing is wrong? Lead people to God first, let God lead them to morality. I see this happening in my own life. The more you let God in, the more he starts to shape you into the person that He created you to be.

People are too educated to fall for the idea that if your a bad boy God will get mad and send you to hell. Like Karl Rahner said, the Christian of the future will be a mystic or he won’t exist at all (or something along those lines). Let people discover God without a bunch of old gossips telling them they are immoral.