Is the Church dying?

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I think yesterday was proof that the Church is still very much alive and still under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
 
Schatzl said:
I’m no doubting the Faith itself, but I heard on the news that the Church is fading in Europe and America. This really worries me. I know that Jesus said that nothing will conquer the Church, but what if the Church died in America and Europe. I know that the Vatican will always be in Rome, but France is starting to lose its Catholic heritage, same with Denmark. Is the Church winding down? I realize that it’s growing in Africa and the Church has a large presence in South and Latin America. But it still worries that the Church is fading in many parts of the world. Is anyone else worried about this? Or am I just paranoid? 🤷
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Well, the Church is now in places where it never existed at the start like in South America and some parts of Asia.

The Church’s death is not connected to the number of followers. The Church may have very few members but that is all that matters. The Church will always be there for those want to find Christ. The problem with Europe and North America is that they want to find Christ in other different religions, mix and mash religions together, go after material things, or make Jesus in to who THEY want him to be.
 
RocketRM said:
Another great article challenging the notion that the Church is dying:

fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2013/03/12/michael-den-tandt-catholicisms-mainstream-is-not-in-canada/

It’s Canadian. For those who don’t know, Canadian news is generally militantly anti-Catholic. This was a very compelling article on the growth and shift of the Church.
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I am actually from Canada and this part caught my eye
Moreover, there is statistical evidence to suggest that, even in Canada, the grassroots pressure on the Vatican to liberalize is overstated, for the simple reason that the most vocal liberal reformers are often no longer churchgoers.
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I think the problem missed is that while the laity are certainly open and even hungry at times for orthodoxy, there are still those in the hierarchy who are steeped in liberal ideas. In the City I live (I don’t want to mention the name for that will identify people) there is only one Priest I know who even dares to speak of the importance of the Church. The rest are almost closet Protestants who always IN EVERY SINGLE HOMILY say that believe in Christ and you are in heaven. They sometimes state that there are no social issues and sin can be wiped out with charity if needed.

The fact that there are folks like Fr. Ronald Rollheiser around does not help either.
 
kkollwitz said:
I believe the Church is on the cusp of a surprising rebirth, and one that will be primarily lay-driven.

I can’t imagine a better time to be Catholic, and make a meaningful contribution.
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I believe that the permanent diaconate will have a role to play…

It has been less than 50 years since the permanent diaconate has been revived after one thousand years of disuse. The permanent deacon is clergy, yet at the same time is fully engaged in the secular world.

The permanent deacon is a “Visible sign of the Church at work in the world.” Their role should not be discounted.

-Tim-
 
The Church? Absolutely not!

Western society? Absolutely!

What does the future hold? We’ll wait and see, but face it with the same faith we’ve shared for 2,000 years.
 
The Church was facing far greater dire straits during the Diocletian persecutions than it is now.

If there was anything that would have “killed” the Church it would have happened either during feudalism or the renaissance.

The idea that the Church is “dying” is absurd and is an assertion made from the bubble of modern journalism, which is a dying institution.
 
without said:
as religiosity shrinks the old building are sold off:

nytimes.com/2014/03/16/us/denominations-downsizing-and-selling-assets-in-more-secular-era.html?_r=0

but don’t worry as the husks will be recycled:

io9.com/beautiful-churches-that-have-been-converted-into-secula-583156045
adaptivereuse.info/portfolio/the-church-brew-works/
online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303618904579170033112644624
cnn.com/2013/12/09/living/aj-irpt-remodeled-churches/
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Oh man, you got us! We’re ruined! Thank God that we have enlightened atheists to show us the way. They’ve never tried to do that before. Unless you count from Ancient Greece and on…

:rolleyes:
 
I think the Church will first return to the fork in the road and continue with tradition. The traditional Church is moving ahead in leaps and bounds with surprisingly young families attending the celebrations of latin mass. The standard picture that it is only the aged attend has proven false. Catholics will start rebuilding the Institution of Family damaged through secular influences and false teachings of men’s religions. Further in the future the Church will become more unified, smaller and unbending in ritual. There will be no longer any human concessions of V.II but still draw thousands. As the final days draw closer, it’s doors will open to invite the last who suddenly realize they had been duped by their man made religions.
 
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