What countries are considered Catholic

[stanczyk]

From wikipedia:

Roman Catholic
Jurisdictions which recognize Roman Catholicism as their state or official religion:
Costa Rica[8]
Liechtenstein[9]
Malta[10]
Monaco[11]
Vatican City (Theocracy)
A number of countries, including Andorra, Argentina,[2] Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Italy,[12] Haiti, Honduras, Paraguay,[13] Peru,[14] Poland,[15] Portugal, Slovakia and Spain[16] give a special recognition to Catholicism in their constitution despite not making it the state religion.
All Cantons in Switzerland give official recognition to a church except Geneva and Neuchâtel. Roman Catholicism is recognized as official in several cantons, including Appenzell Innerrhoden, Nidwalden, Schwyz, Uri and others. Switzerland itself has no official religion.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_religion#Roman_Catholic

 

[Rence]

And how do you do that? Usually percentage of Catholics in a country is the number of baptismal certificates the Church issues in that country. Whether these people do attend church or not is anybody’s guess. Its not like there are attendance checkers or punch cards right beside the Holy Water at the entrance.

That’s true. So considering that how does one determine a percentage of Catholics in a country if the only thing to go on is baptismal certificates? if the only thing to go on is baptismal certificates, that includes fallen away Catholics, and those who even have left the faith and practice another religion.

 

[ProVobis]

I would suggest separating the countries with high numbers of nominal countries and those countries with high numbers of practicing Catholics.

I’d be interested in seeing those numbers too. I believe they count attendance in many countries on the first Sunday in October.

 

[HailHolyQueen90]

America was never Catholic, in that it has always been a minority religion there. America is Christian, mostly Protestant and Anglican.

And on a good note, the U.S. has the 4th largest Catholic population in the world!

 

[Leegal]

I was totally surprised that Canada was 44.30% Catholic.

At the approximate time of the stats, 2005, there were about 13 million Catholics in a population of around 32 million. Catholics had about a 4% increase.

Rough numbers only.

 

[Leegal]

What is a Catholic country? One with a majority? A plurality? Religion in the constitution or law? I look forward to the day when no country is by law attached to any religion.

Well, the question was “considered” Catholic.

I would look forward to that day too, but the reality of the situation is that there are those countries, right now, who are in the midst of a dominoe effect revolution – and I fear theocracy is going to be on the rise.

 

[Rence]

Well, the question was “considered” Catholic.

I would look forward to that day too, but the reality of the situation is that there are those countries, right now, who are in the midst of a dominoe effect revolution – and I fear theocracy is going to be on the rise.

I hope I don’t see that in my lifetime

 

[stanczyk]

I would look forward to that day too, but the reality of the situation is that there are those countries, right now, who are in the midst of a dominoe effect revolution – and I fear theocracy is going to be on the rise.

Whatever happened to respect for national sovereignty? Only the population of a sovereign nation should have a say in the law on church and state.

I think there is a problematic attitude that what works for Americans (the the state shall make no law respecting the establishment of a religion) must work for all others. This simply isn’t the case.

 

[LemonAndLime]

The ones that spring to my mind are -

Italy, France, Spain, Ireland, Portugal, Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Poland, El Salvador.

Which ones have I missed out?

Why don’t people use Google anymore?

 

[Leegal]

I hope I don’t see that in my lifetime

Seriously; it will be in your lifetime.

 

[HailHolyQueen90]

Seriously; it will be in your lifetime.

What nations are in ‘danger’ of becoming Catholic theocracies?

 

[martininthefiel]

A bigger concern is what type of country does Obama believe America is??

This comment is completely uncalled for.

This is not a conservative political forum. I have grown tired of people who equate Republican politics with Christianity. You are entitled to your opinion, but it really doesn’t belong here.

 

[Leegal]

Whatever happened to respect for national sovereignty? Only the population of a sovereign nation should have a say in the law on church and state.

You are applying Democratic principles to countries that neither practice democracy and are already theocracies, with more to come.

I always believe in the devil I know rather than the devil I don’t know. You are seeing the beginnings of the devil you did not know. Those revolutions will not be for the better.

First up – Iraq. Bloodbath along the lines of Bosnia. Iraq is already making “nice” with Iran (their old enemy) as we pull down in a few short weeks. The Shites and the Sunnis can’t wait to get their hands on the Kurds (and on each other) – while the government is aligning with Iran – the previous government long suppressed the Shiite Muslims, who were the majority.

So, you have a majority religious faction at the ready for revenge for the repression under Saddam.

Turkey, with its own problems can’t wait to get their hands on the Kurds too.

Then there’s the issue of what to do with the Iranian settlement on the western border. Iran would like them back to execute them. Likely, whomever is in power in Iraq will agree that they are better off killing those 3,500 refugees. Look up Camp Ashraf.

In the meantime, when the MB takes power in Egypt the killings of the Copts will increase. For months now they have been going into the Copt neigborhoods and burning their homes and killing them, while as bad as Mubarek may have been the Copts were largely unmolested and could hold some office. Now they are going to be lucky if they can hold onto their lives. If the MB has anything to say about the future of Egypt you will see a theocracy along some lines.

You are being rational. Factor in the tribal stuff too and you have the recipe for the irrational.

 

[charliedrake]

This comment is completely uncalled for.

This is not a conservative political forum. I have grown tired of people who equate Republican politics with Christianity. You are entitled to your opinion, but it really doesn’t belong here.

I can’t help if you equate coveting thy neighbors wealth or pro choice as righteousness. Politics is part of life.

 

[Leegal]

What nations are in ‘danger’ of becoming Catholic theocracies?

None. I was responding to a statement about the day when no country is attached to a religion, believing that that is not possible. I didn’t say which religion. If you read above, I am more specific.

 

[HailHolyQueen90]

None. Read on.

I did, my apologies.

 

[Leegal]

That’s okay. I was being careful.

 

[mdgspencer]

I would think a Catholic country is one where Catholicism has a pervasive effect on society, culture, the law and other vital aspects of a country. I would not think that a country is Catholic only because the majority of the population is Catholic. What if the majority of the people at Harvard University were Catholics–would that be a Catholic university then?

 

[Leegal]

I would think a Catholic country is one where Catholicism has a pervasive effect on society, culture, the law and other vital aspects of a country. I would not think that a country is Catholic only because the majority of the population is Catholic. What if most of the majority of the people at Harvard University were Catholics–would that be a Catholic university then?

No, I would not consider Harvard to be Catholic.

What about the Phillippines? You have your own Muslim problems, in a country with a significant Spanish/Catholic influence.

 

[mdgspencer]

85% of the people in the Philippines are Catholics. Where I go to church thousands of people are at each mass on Sunday (and many have to watch from outside because the very large church is filled up), and there are a number of Sunday masses in the morning and the afternoon. Abortion is illegal and even divorce is illegal. Catholicism has a pervasive influence on society.
There are Moslems in the southern island of Mindanao where I live with their own languages and social institutions, and they are accepted. But they do not have an effect on the national culture

No, I would not consider Harvard to be Catholic.

What about the Phillippines? You have your own Muslim problems, in a country with a significant Spanish/Catholic influence.