Survey: Catholic Infant Baptisms Decline

[_Abyssinia]

A new study shows that infant baptisms in the Catholic Church have been declining year by year along with the birth rate in the U.S.

The numbers “are generally moving in step with the overall fertility rate, which has also been falling, more so since the recession in 2008,” said researchers from Georgetown University’s Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate on Aug. 24.

Results show that although the numbers of those entering the Catholic Church are almost high enough to keep up with the number of Catholics who pass away each year, this may not always be the case if current trends continue.

The survey noted that in each of the past three years, the number of people entering the faith of any age has dropped below 1 million. Since 1947, the annual number of new U.S. Catholics has only come in at less than 1 million at one other time, and that was during the period from 1973 to 1979.

But infant baptisms are not the only area showing lower numbers. Less children, teens and adults are becoming Catholic as well.

Read more: ncregister.com/daily-news/survey-catholic-infant-baptisms-decline/#ixzz1W9XfyCU7

 

[ANNE_2]

Much of this is due to the lack of catechesis in the US.
Even many Seminarians (now Priests) have not been taught properly.

The Pope (and Magisterium) have propogated the "Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition".
Too bad that reading (and re-reading) it is not more widely encouraged in many Dioceses.
Adults (everyone over age 15) need this catechesis in today’s society of Relativism and Secularism.

We should all encourage our Catholic friends to read the CCC.
Give it as gifts. - There is nothing better than to support our family and friends in getting to Heaven. Eternity is more important than anything.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

Everyone registered to World Youth Day received the YouCat as part of their package. My son started reading his in Madrid and has almost read the entire thing. It is an abrrevieted version of the Catechism, but isn’t watered-down. We plan to give copies to graduating seniors in our youth group.

 

[jmcrae]

Everyone registered to World Youth Day received the YouCat as part of their package. My son started reading his in Madrid and has almost read the entire thing. It is an abrrevieted version of the Catechism, but isn’t watered-down. We plan to give copies to graduating seniors in our youth group.

Unfortunately, ours were all in Spanish - they ran out of the English editions before we got to Madrid. (We came straight from Days in the Diocese, and I thought we were in plenty of time.)

 

[Mrs_Sally]

Unfortunately, ours were all in Spanish - they ran out of the English editions before we got to Madrid. (We came straight from Days in the Diocese, and I thought we were in plenty of time.)

We arrived Monday night. Our group was shorted on the number of backpacks we received, but what we did get were all in English.

 

[Phemie]

Unfortunately, there are many ‘Catholics’, my kids included, who have decided to give up Church. It makes me very sad see all my kids cohabiting and to know that my grandson will not be baptized.

My friend is in a similar boat. Four girls, all cohabiting. One saw no difference between having her first baptized Catholic and the second Anglican (“I made you happy with the first one, now I’m making his mother happy.”) Kids will rarely see the inside of a church, Catholic or Anglican. Another wonders why her mother stays Catholic since the Anglican Church is so “much more her”. And so it goes, even when we had them at Mass every Sunday and did our best to make sure they were catechized and received all the sacraments and although we both volunteered as readers and catechists.

You do have to wonder what the future of the Church is going to be.

 

[ANNE_2]

Unfortunately, there are many ‘Catholics’, my kids included, who have decided to give up Church. It makes me very sad see all my kids cohabiting and to know that my grandson will not be baptized.
My friend is in a similar boat. Four girls, all cohabiting. One saw no difference between having her first baptized Catholic and the second Anglican (“I made you happy with the first one, now I’m making his mother happy.”) Kids will rarely see the inside of a church, Catholic or Anglican. Another wonders why her mother stays Catholic since the Anglican Church is so “much more her”. And so it goes, even when we had them at Mass every Sunday and did our best to make sure they were catechized and received all the sacraments and although we both volunteered as readers and catechists.
You do have to wonder what the future of the Church is going to be.

Don’t give up.

Give each of your children’s families a gift of the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition” as a reference for their home llibrary (bookshelf).
Tell them it is so they will know the truth of what the Catholic Church teaches** if **they should ever become interested in anything about the Catholic Church.

They may not read it for years, or even in your lifetime. But someone will benefit eventually.

Another gift is to give each of your children, their spouses, and your grandchildren (at an appropriate age) a copy of their own Catholic “Bible” as a remembrance from you and your husband.

Then just sit back and pray for them all everyday - which I’m sure you already do.
When you get discouraged remember St. Monica and her wayward son - St. Augustine.

Since this is not inexpensive, you may have to spread these gifts out over time depending on your circumstances.

My grandchildren (under age 16 down to 12) are all going to get “YouCats” for Easter from us.
(They are not all Catholic - yet )