Catholic decline stabilizing in Brazil

Yahoo News ^ | May 3, 2007 | TALES AZZONI

[NYer]

A steep decline in the number of Brazilian Catholics may be stabilizing after decades of losses, according to a survey released just days before Pope Benedict XVI's arrival in the world's largest Roman Catholic country.

The percentage of Catholics stayed about the same from 2000 to 2003, reversing a trend in which millions of Brazilians abandoned the faith, according to an analysis of government statistics released Wednesday by the Getulio Vargas Foundation.

Brazilians claiming to be Catholic dropped to 73.9 percent in 2000, from 88.9 percent in 1980, census figures show. The South American country has a population of 187 million.

While in 2003, the number fell only a fraction to 73.8 percent, said the foundation, an academic institution that also conducts surveys.

The study's coordinator, Marcelo Neri, said the number may be stabilizing due to the country's improved economy, adding people may be more likely to change religions during hard times.

But Silvia Fernandes, a sociologist with Rio de Janeiro's Federal Rural University, said it will be impossible to verify the foundation's numbers until the results of Brazil's 2010 census are available.

"We have had the same trend for the past 40 years," Fernandes said. "It's unlikely we would see such a sudden change."

The pope arrives in Brazil next Wednesday.

[NYer]

Brazilian evangelical followers pray inside the Renascer em Cristo church in Sao Paulo May 2, 2007. The church was filled with about 4 thousands worshipers. Conversions from Catholicism to Protestantism are increasingly common all over Brazil, where a boom in evangelical Protestantism is steadily chipping away at the supremacy of the Roman Catholic Church. The trend, which is playing out all across Latin America, poses a major challenge for Pope Benedict, who arrives in Brazil on May 9 for a five-day visit largely aimed at blunting the decline of Catholicism in this continent-sized nation. Picture taken May 2, 2007. To match feature BRAZIL-POPE/RELIGION REUTERS/Caetano Barreira (BRAZIL)

[NYer]

Workers build the the stage where Pope Benedict will give Mass in front of the cathedral at the Aparecida sanctuary, 160 km (97 miles) from Sao Paulo, May 3, 2007. Pope Benedict will visit Aparecida during his trip to Brazil next week. REUTERS/Paulo Whitaker (BRAZIL)

A view of the stage under construction where Pope Benedict will give Mass in front of the cathedral at the Aparecida sanctuary, 160 km (97 miles) from Sao Paulo, May 3, 2007. Pope Benedict will visit Aparecida during his trip to Brazil next week. REUTERS/Paulo Whitaker (BRAZIL)

[adiaireton8]

I'm very skeptical of the notion that it has been the state of the economy that was making people "change religions".

-A8

[ELS]

change religions

Going from Christianity to Christianity - typical AP reporter.

[oblomov]

Maybe they should have Hillary Clinton come there to speak. That’ll bring ‘em back to the pews. </sarc>

[Salvation]

These people will come back (as I stated on the other thread) when they realize that the Protestant religions do NOT have access to the Sacraments — especially the Holy Eucharist.

[dangus]

>> Conversions from Catholicism to Protestantism are increasingly common all over Brazil, where a boom in evangelical Protestantism is steadily chipping away at the supremacy of the Roman Catholic Church. <<

Not according to this article!

[Iscool]

These people will come back (as I stated on the other thread) when they realize that the Protestant religions do NOT have access to the Sacraments — especially the Holy Eucharist.

Surely they already know this...And it's likely the reason they left your church to begin with...

The Kingdom of God, the real church, the Spiritual church is within you...It's not in any sacrements...Millions of Holy Spirit filled Christians know this...