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Catholic decline stabilizing in Brazil
Yahoo News ^ | May 3, 2007 | TALES AZZONI

Posted on 05/04/2007 6:26:43 AM PDT by 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.


TOPICS: Catholic; Current Events; Ministry/Outreach; Religion & Culture
KEYWORDS: brazil; evangelical; pope

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)
1 posted on 05/04/2007 6:26:45 AM PDT by NYer
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To: Lady In Blue; Salvation; narses; SMEDLEYBUTLER; redhead; Notwithstanding; nickcarraway; Romulus; ...

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)

2 posted on 05/04/2007 6:28:40 AM PDT by NYer ("Where the bishop is present, there is the Catholic Church" - Ignatius of Antioch)
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To: NYer
I'm very skeptical of the notion that it has been the state of the economy that was making people "change religions".

-A8

3 posted on 05/04/2007 6:35:02 AM PDT by adiaireton8 ("There is no greater evil one can suffer than to hate reasonable discourse." - Plato, Phaedo 89d)
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To: NYer
change religions

Going from Christianity to Christianity - typical AP reporter.

4 posted on 05/04/2007 6:55:56 AM PDT by ELS (Vivat Benedictus XVI!)
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To: NYer

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


5 posted on 05/04/2007 7:00:03 AM PDT by oblomov
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To: NYer

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.


6 posted on 05/04/2007 7:17:06 AM PDT by Salvation (" With God all things are possible. ")
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To: NYer

>> 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!


7 posted on 05/04/2007 11:18:43 AM PDT by dangus
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To: 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.

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...

8 posted on 05/04/2007 4:28:39 PM PDT by Iscool (OK, I'm Back...Now what were your other two wishes???)
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