Posted on 06/30/2024 10:50:47 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
In 2023, a substantial number of individuals, totaling 402,694, decided to formally dissociate themselves from the Catholic Church in Germany, a significant figure though slightly less than the record set in 2022.
The German Bishops’ Conference, which came out with these statistics, said while these numbers are high, they reflect a slight decrease from the 522,821 departures recorded the previous year, indicating that this was the second-highest departure rate to date, according to National Catholic Reporter.
In Germany, church membership has financial implications due to the church tax system, which is a part of the broader tax structure. Members who formally exit the church no longer need to pay this tax, providing a financial incentive for deregistration. Exceptions to this requirement include low earners, the unemployed, retirees, students and others.
Despite the slight decrease in departures, the overall membership of the country’s Catholic Church stood at roughly 20.35 million by the end of 2023, according to the German Bishops’ Conference.
The backdrop to these departures includes a longstanding crisis stemming from scandals related to abuse by clergy members, NCR noted. In recent years, many have turned away from the Catholic Church as these issues have persisted.
In an effort to address these concerns, the bishops and a prominent lay organization launched a three-year reform initiative known as the “Synodal Path.” The process, marked by deep divides between progressive and conservative elements within the Catholic Church, culminated last year with calls for the church to sanction blessings for same-sex unions despite overt opposition from the Vatican.
Further tensions have surfaced in a subsequent reform process initiated this year following Vatican pressures to halt previous reform votes.
“The figures are alarming. They show that the church is in a wide-ranging crisis,” Limburg Bishop Georg Bätzing, the head of the Bishops’ Conference, was quoted as saying. “Reforms alone will not solve the church crisis, but the crisis will get worse without reforms. And so changes are necessary.”
But The issue of declining church membership is not isolated to the Catholic Church in Germany.
The Protestant Church also reported substantial departures, with around 380,000 members leaving in the past year, mirroring levels seen in 2022 and reflecting challenges facing religious institutions in Germany.
Meanwhile, in the United States, the Catholic Church’s situation presents a contrast in certain areas. While the Northeast sees ongoing declines in church enrollment, areas like South Florida are witnessing growth, largely driven by an increasing Hispanic population, according to an October 2023 piece published on Substack by Pastor Ryan Burge.
Research by Burge noted that from 2008 to 2022, only six states — Vermont, Idaho, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Arizona and Tennessee — saw increases in the proportion of residents identifying as Roman Catholic. In contrast, states such as Hawaii and Connecticut experienced significant declines in Catholic identification.
Furthermore, attendance at weekly Mass showed varied trends across the U.S., with states like Alaska and Hawaii seeing increases, while others like Wyoming and Rhode Island having seen sharp declines.
Germany funds the Catholic Church with taxpayer money.
Who needs parishioners.
Germany continues payments to churches a century after deciding to stop
What a racket.
I went to Easter Mass at a Catholic Church a couple of miles north of Seattle. I’d say the congregation was about 70% immigrant - mostly Hispanic, but also African. Most of the white people were 50 years and older.
“I would think anyone frequenting this website would be smart enough to have figured that out be now.”
Count me in, see tagline!
You can’t take communion somewhere else?
“I like Kamala too. She speaks in interesting riddles...and she has a great laugh.”
This is the BIG PROBLEM that the Dems now have. If Harris was qualified to be VP, then by default she is qualified to be President, since she could need to take over in a literal heartbeat. If they now claim otherwise, then they must have some other problem with her - perhaps her skin color, or perhaps they don’t want to see a woman in power? It must be something like that, and if the Republicans had HALF A BRAIN they would be pointing out the above. Plus if the Dems determine that Biden does not have the mental condition to be president in Jan 2025, how can they claim that he is mentally fit now?
p.s., at least the Democrats were smart enough to take out Agnew before going after Nixon. Here, I guess, not so easy.
The falling away during the latter days continues.
Yes, but you would no longer be in communion with the Catholic Church.
Well, that’s not important.I’d much rather be in communion with God. There was no Catholic Church when Jesus was on earth.
He’ll be gone soon and I’ll return as long as there’s not another like him.
On one hand, I have no problem with that. On the other hand, knowing that those 402,694 will mostly check atheist, or muslim as their new religion is disturbing.
Same for the Protestants.
A careful reading of the Acts of the Apostles could bring you to a different conclusion—that Jesus founded the Catholic Church. Particularly Chapter 1.
Yeah, well a MORE careful reading of that led me to a different conclusion. A particular denomination doesn’t determine ones salvation. The belief in the blood of Jesus covering our sins does that. We were promised a “helper” which is the Holy Spirit to help us keep Gods laws in our hearts and minds. Also Jesus kept the Sabbath so He wouldn’t be founding a Rome based church that disregards His Laws. I could go but you get the gist.
"Where should we go, Lord? You have the words of eternal life."
The “church tax” has been in place for many, many years.
Oh, Muslims are tax exempt.
Every single German Catholic that I know has given Vater Staat and the church the one finger salute and left the church.
Darth Vater Staat. %#@! the nanny state.
So hoping Archbishop Vigano becomes pope.
THAT would be a Divine miracle!!
YEP!!!👍
It’s actually pretty sad.... 🤦♀️
Three things going on (I live in Germany so I can vouch for them):
1. All of these abuse cases are mounting up, and public TV carries up front on the 8 PM nightly news. Negativity has reached a epic level.
2. Financial incompetence from the Limburg Bishop from a decade ago....is still openly discussed.
3. Just a growing number of Catholics in Germany disagree with the Pope...in general.
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