There IS a difference b/t being an official member of the church (with your name in the church’s computer database), and being an official member who is also a regular, pledging attendee. The problem is that many of these churches rarely purge those rolls, so oftentimes the numbers are in fact wildly inaccurate. This is true not only in Catholicism, but in several of the Protestant denoms as well.
>>The problem is that many of these churches rarely purge those rolls<<
Catholic churches have a great incentive to do this.
The Bishop of a diocese takes a tax for his pet projects. The parishes pay an amount equal to an amount per parishioner.
We just had a purge. We have a mailing list for “all” people. If we have an address on you, you’re on the mailing list. However, the number of parishioners registered with the Diocese is ONLY those who are active members. That way we are only taxed on active parishioners.
Oh, and I got mailings from the Presbyterian church that I attended for years, eventhough I personally spoke with the Pastor and told him why I left.