Catholicism’s Latin American Problem

Catholic World Report ^ | December 8, 2014 | Samuel Gregg

[NYer]

Thus I aspire to proclaim the gospel not where Christ has already been named, so that I do not build on another's foundation, but as it is written: "Those who have never been told of him shall see, and those who have never heard of him shall understand."
Romans 15:20-21

Ping!

[Jeff Chandler]

the Church is in the business of proclaiming the Truth

Indeed.

[Mariner]

"In the end, of course, Catholicism is not a numbers game. Nor is the Church’s business one of gaining “market share” of a given population.

I don't believe that. I DO believe that numbers game is at least a contributor to the Church undermining the Rule of Law in the USA...the Bastion of Liberty that saved the Church from utter destruction on at least two occasions I can think of.

[livius]

The problem is that the Church became a social services organization in Latin America, while the people wanted a religion. The only thing that has kept the Faith alive in Latin America has been the popular devotions, and of course the Vatican II bishops and clergy were very opposed to them.

Catholics either dropped away altogether, or went to one of the many Pentecostal or Evangelical churches that sprang up everywhere, mostly funded by US money. One of the big secrets of these churches, which boast of their “success,” is that they have a terrible retention rate, meaning that the “converts” stay only until the emotional high has worn off or perhaps only as long as the particular pastor they liked is there, and then they drift off, either to secularism...or to Islam.

The Muslims made great strides in Chiapas, for example, which had a radical leftwing Catholic bishop who drove away the faithful, who then became Pentecostals and then ended up becoming a windfall for the Islamic recruiters who are all through Latin America. This is because Islam offers them certainty and a law by which to live, no matter how distorted both of them may be, which is something the Church used to offer people until it became passe in the opinion of Vatican II and its clergy. People need it.

[Arthur McGowan]

The problems of the Church in Latin America are due to the fact that THE POPES appointed hundreds of Communist bishops over a span of fifty years. Basically the same reason the Church is collapsing in North America. And the worst thing any Pope has done to the Church in the last thousand years (or maybe two thousand), Mass in the vernacular. Much worse than the Novus Ordo. It was the vernacular, not the Novus Ordo itself, that unleashed the egomaniacal improvisers to give us Clown Masses, Disco Masses, Leather Masses, Polka Masses, Tango Masses, etc., etc., as well as the run-of-mill weekday Mass where Father just changes all the stuff he doesn’t like.

[Arkansas Toothpick]

No, Latin Americans want RELATIONSHIP with Jesus. They don’t need rules and regulations to tell them “how” to live. The entire point of this article was to demonstrate that Evangelicals have “walked the walk” a little more than the average Latin American Roman Catholic. For you to wave them off as a flash in the pan is shortsighted. Christians all over the world want authentic faith that results in connection with their Heavenly Father.

[Alex Murphy]

It’s hardly surprising that the election of Latin America’s Pope Francis has focused more attention on Latin American Catholicism since the debates about liberation theology which shook global Christianity in the 1970s and 1980s. The sad irony, however, is that this renewed attention is highlighting something long known to many Catholics but which non-Catholics are now becoming more cognizant: that Latin America’s identity as a “Catholic continent” is fading and has been doing so for some time. By that I don’t mean that most Latin Americans no longer identify as Catholic. That’s still the case. Indeed, in many countries south of the Rio Grande, it remains overwhelming true. But what’s clear is that Catholicism’s ability to shape Latin America’s religious context is in decline....

....the survey also states that Evangelicals are generally more committed to a life of prayer, regular worship, and other church-based activities than even church-going Catholics.

May God bring this kind of problem to every country!

[daniel1212]

.the survey also states that Evangelicals are generally more committed to a life of prayer, regular worship, and other church-based activities than even church-going Catholics. May God bring this kind of problem to every country!

But they are the ones relegated to being "deficient in grace," mainly the Catholic RP, which they think they obtain spiritual life from, while few truly have been born again, and realized its profound changes in heart and life.

[daniel1212]

One reason we can have some confidence that the Pew survey presents a relatively accurate picture of Catholic Latin America is that the results track very closely with another less-noticed survey of religion in America, released in April this year by the Latinobarómetro Corporation,

That has been my observation on a larger scope. While certain RCs assert media bias as the reason for dismissing stats that are negative about their church, i have found overall consistency among a wide number of researchers over many years.

[daniel1212]

One of the big secrets of these churches, which boast of their “success,” is that they have a terrible retention rate, meaning that the “converts” stay only until the emotional high has worn off or perhaps only as long as the particular pastor they liked is there, and then they drift off, either to secularism...or to Islam.

Prove it. Actually least likely to covert to Islam are evangelicals, as they usually are so because found Christ, being born again, and are no longer as those who were raised in institutionalized religion, which carcass Islam has historically fed off of. As evangelicals tend to be the most committed, by God's grace, and the most committed are less likely to convert than the typical RC.

68% of those raised Roman Catholic still are Catholic (higher than the retention rates of individual Protestant denoms, but less than Jews at 76%). 15% are now Protestant (9% evangelical); 14% are unaffiliated. Pew forum, Faith in Flux (April 27, 2009) http://pewforum.org/uploadedfiles/Topics/Religious_Affiliation/fullreport.pdf

80% of adults who were raised Protestant are still Protestant, but (analysis shows) 25% no longer self-identify with the Protestant denomination in which they were raised. ^

Those who have left Catholicism outnumber those who have joined the Catholic Church by nearly a four-to-one margin. 10.1% have left the Catholic Church after having been raised Catholic, while only 2.6% of adults have become Catholic after having been raised in a different faith.^

Over 75% of those who left Catholicism attended Mass at least once a week as children, versus 86% having done so who remain Catholics today.^

Regarding reasons for leaving Catholicism, less than 30% of former Catholics agreed that the clergy sexual abuse scandal played a role in their departure. ^

Over 75% of those who left Catholicism attended Mass at least once a week as children, versus 86% having done so who remain Catholics today.^ Regarding reasons for leaving Catholicism, less than 30% of former Catholics agreed that the clergy sexual abuse scandal played a role in their departure. ^ 71% of converts from Catholicism to Protestant faith said that their spiritual needs were not being met in Catholicism, with 78% of Evangelical Protestants in particular concurring, versus 43% of those now unaffiliated. ^

55% of evangelical converts from Catholicism cited dissatisfaction with Catholic teachings about the Bible was a reason for leaving Catholicism, with 46% saying the Catholic Church did not view the Bible literally enough. Only 23% (20% now evangelical) were unhappy about Catholicism's teachings on abortion/homosexuality (versus 46% of those now unaffiliated); 23% also expressed disagreement with teaching on divorce/remarriage; 16% (12% now evangelical) were dissatisfied with teachings on birth control, 70% said they found a religion the liked more in Protestantism. - http://www.peacebyjesus.com/RC-Stats_vs._Evang.html#DEMOGRAPHICS

in most of the countries surveyed, at least a third of current Protestants were raised in the Catholic Church, and half or more say they were baptized as Catholics. For example, nearly three-quarters of current Protestants in Colombia were raised Catholic, and 84% say they were baptized as Catholics.

The survey asked former Catholics who have converted to Protestantism about the reasons they did so. Of the eight possible explanations offered on the survey, the most frequently cited was that they were seeking a more personal connection with God

Even though the Catholic Church opposes abortion and same-sex marriage, Catholics in Latin America tend to be less conservative than Protestants on these kinds of social issues. On average, Catholics are less morally opposed to abortion, homosexuality, artificial means of birth control, sex outside of marriage, divorce and drinking alcohol than are Protestants. ...

Even though Catholics are more likely than Protestants to say charity work is most important, higher percentages of Protestants report that they, personally, have joined with members of their church or others in their community to help the poor and needy. - http://www.pewforum.org/2014/11/13/religion-in-latin-america/

Although the exact number of Latino Muslims is difficult to determine, estimates range from 25,000 to 60,000. This includes second- or third-generation Hispanic Americans as well as recent immigrants.

While some Latinos were reared Muslim, many have converted from Catholicism. Latinos convert to Islam for a variety of reasons, including disenchantment with the practices of Catholicism and the church establishment. These Latinos are lured by Islam's simplicity and the Muslim's independence of a mediating clergy in his or her relationship with God. According to Juan Galvan, vice president of the Latino American Dawah Organization, "Most Hispanic converts were Catholic. - http://www.wrmea.org/2003-june/latino-muslims-a-growing-presence-in-america.html

USA:

The growth in the Hispanic Muslim population is especially prevalent in New York, Florida, California, and Texas, where Hispanic communities are largest. In Orlando, the area's largest mosque, which serves some 700 worshipers each week, is located in a mostly Hispanic neighborhood ..

The two groups tend to be family-oriented, religious, and historically conservative politically, Dr. Bagby says. Many who convert are second- and third-generation Hispanic Americans. http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0928/p03s02-ussc.html

[metmom]

"In the end, of course, Catholicism is not a numbers game. Nor is the Church’s business one of gaining “market share” of a given population.

Well, that's clearly news to SOME FRoman Catholics.

I guess that word needs to get out more.

[metmom]

One thing I heard from a friend who had been overseas on a short term missions trip within the last couple months, is that the local Evangelicals told him that the reason the Catholic church is collapsing and Evangelicalism is on the rise, is that the abusive priest issue is way worse there than it is in the US and the people are flat out sick of it, and sick of the RCC doing nothing about it, and voting with their feet.

[ebb tide]

>>....the survey also states that Evangelicals are generally more committed to a life of prayer, regular worship, and other church-based activities than even church-going Catholics.<<

The muslims are generally more committed to a life of prayer and regular worship to their false god, than evangelicals.

What’s your point?

[Gamecock]

Gee. I guess Muslims are more pious than Roman Catholics?

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“That said, the survey also states that Evangelicals are generally more committed to a life of prayer, regular worship, and other church-based activities than even church-going Catholics. “

I find this to be evident here in Pennsylvania also.

I rejoice that any believers take their relationship with Him seriously enough to live it out - regardless of affiliation.

[Elsie]

Those interested in reviving Catholicism’s saliency in everyday life in Latin America should consider how they can make Christ front-and-center of their social outreach

Sorry; but that would entail demoting the Roman Mary.

Unless 3 different kids in Portugal receive a text message; I highly doubt this will happen.

[Elsie]

the Church is in the business of proclaiming the Truth

And then some...

[Biggirl]

Plus HUNGER for the WORD of God is also another factor as well.

[Biggirl]

You forget that the very first disciple of Jesus was His mother, Mary, when she said YES to become His mother.