[NewJerseyJoe]

>> Over the past 50 years or so, a profound change, other than that effected by Vatican II,

Discovered the cause in the very first sentence yet failed to make the connection.

[piusv]

Bingo.

With Vatican II, the Church hoped to make Catholicism more palatable to the non-Catholics. Unfortunately, with its false ecumenism, religious liberty and changed liturgy just to name a few, Vatican II diluted Catholicism. Over the years, many Catholics saw no real need to remain Catholic.