Looks to me like the Catholic population is growing.
Catholic population (The Official Catholic Directory)
1965 - 45.6m
1975 - 48.7m
1985 - 52.3m
1995 - 57.4m
2000 - 59.9m
2005 - 64.8m
2013 - 66.8m
And a large percentage of those leaving do so because the other churches approve serial adultery (i.e., divorce and remarriage.)
The local non denom Pentecostal mega church is over 50% former Catholics. And more than half of them are there because of divorce and remarriage.
Most of this increase due to hispanic immigration ( both legal and illegal) no doubt.
Sure the Catholic population is growing because the Latin America countries are 99% Catholic and they reproduce like rabbits. All the while infiltrating into this country.
This article is from a RC publication... as for Rome growing ..they count ALL baptized babies as RC whether they ever see the inside of a Roman church again... my guess is that you city is like mine ..empty Roman churches cutting services and combining churches
Considering our population has doubled since 1965 I don’t see that as an effective argument.
Those who rejoice at the Catholics leaving the Church are devil worshippers, whether they admit it or not, whether they know it or not, whether they cover themselves with Jesus’ name or not!