Overall Data analysis: The Catholic church is currently showing a large decline in mass attendance and completion of the seven sacraments among those baptized. Only 70% of Catholics in the past decade have said that their marriage was sanctioned by the church. To increase the marriage rate within the church, the church may have to allow easier annulments, because it seems that the trend is to "bypass [the authority of] the church."
Data Analysis: In simple terms, the church attendance is dropping. Over the past 50 years, studies have shown that Catholic Mass Attendance has declined. A poll conducted in 1958 by Gallup reported that 74% of American Catholics attended mass. A Notre Dame study in 1994 showed that attendance had dropped too 26.6%. In a study conduced by James Lothian showed that in 1965, 65% of Catholics attended mass; and in 2000 it had dropped to 25%. The Gallup Poll Organization has concluded that mass attendance has been in a decline since a high point between 1957 and 1958. Many accounts have suggested, like from the New City Catholic Church, that Mass has become "boring" due to the fact that the church does not essentially adapt to the fast-paced culture change in recent years. Also, the current economic situation in the United States has kept many people away from church and at jobs.
An advertisement for the New City Catholic Church, who hopes to make a change in the practices of regular Sunday mass.
This graph supports the data that going into more modern time where money is a very important part of society the church attendance is decreasing at a steady but speedy pace.
The table shows the decline of Catholics going to the church services on Sundays .This graph proves that the modern times have change what means more to the people of today then back then.
Decline In Priesthood:
Austin Reed
Data Analysis: Over the past quarter century the number of priests entering priesthood has dramatically dropped, and is still going into a decline. The worldwide number of priests in 1978 was 420,971, a reasonable amount. A recent tally was done in 2004 by the Vatican and the number noticeably decreased by 3.5 percent, bringing the total down to 405,891 priests. The decrease in Europe over this time was 20 percent, while Austrailia had a 14 percent loss. On a smaller scale, at St. Joseph's seminary in Yonkers the enrollment of priests was at several hundred, an all time high in 1950. Over the past half centery the number decreased to 22, an all time low. Ironically, the banner hanging in the front corridor of the church says "Through faith we grow." The decline in priesthood depicts the exact opposite of this banner. The decline in priesthood in America has had a much more dramatic decline in the past quarter century. The number of total priests dropped by a shameful 49 percent. This has been the largest decline in priesthood that any christian country has faced. If the decline continues, then christianity will not have mass anymore within a century.
A video on the decrease in priesthood in Poland
Chart from Gallup indicating the rise and fall of the number of Seminarians since 1950.
Decline in Baptism:
Nick Wolny
Data Analysis: In recent years Americans have slowly began to shift away from the sacraments, including Baptism. Decline in Baptisms is universal in all Christian denominations. Some Denominations have Baptized less than 10 people in a year. Since less people are marrying within the Church, less couples are focused on the Sacraments, thus not exposing their offspring to them. Another study has been shown to find that interracial marriages have a negative impact on Baptisms. The Archdiocese of Washington says that an increase in immigration, however has a positive effect on baptisms.
Graph showing the number of Marriages in relation to the number of Infant Baptisms
Conclusion Questions:
Austin Reed
Being a catholic and participating in the religion has changed a tremendous amount since the catholic religion became an official religion in the fifteenth century. When the religion first originated it was generated around making Christianity the top priority in your life. Now, in the twenty-first century being a Christian is just the religion you can "claim" you are, not at all a way of life. The decline rate of important aspects of religion has been monstrous in the past century. For starters, the decline in priesthood has taken a major impact on the religion. There has been a 3.5 percent decrease worldwide in only the past quarter century. To top that, America has established a 49 percent decrease in the past quarter century. Another huge deficit has been mass attendance. Since 1958 the mass attendance dropped from 79 percent attendance to 25 percent attendance. This decline rate has been occurring because church has become "boring" to the new American "fast-paced" culture. Also, since the economic decrease has taking affect, most catholic Americans focus primarily on their jobs rather than religion.
Many aspects of American Society have impacted the Catholic Church, one of them being marriage. The average percent of Catholics who get married in a catholic church is 70 percent. This is due to the lack of completion of the seven sacraments throughout a catholic's life from the moment they are baptized. This has made the church seem "unimportant" when getting married. Another problem that's impacting the church is economic troubles. Catholicism used to be the number one priority in a Catholics life, and due to economic troubles a person’s job became more essential. This takes away from mass attendance as well because work in modern today is more important than mass.
There's a lot that an individual can do to make church an essential part of their life. They can go to CCD classes to make their first communion, while also participating in confirmation class to make their confirmation. Completion of these sacraments can result in a higher percentage of catholic marriages in the church. Also, an individual can always schedule at least one hour out of their week to go to church on a Sunday. Most Americans don't realize that it's a sin to skip mass for a week if you are aware you are doing so in the process (guilty of purposely avoiding mass). This easy fix would bring church attendance to a steady increase once again. A vital reason why most Americans don't participate in mass is because it is "boring." A solution to this is to add song from our modern culture into church, modern films, and activities that involve exercise. This would make church very interesting and "up to date," which would result in an increase in attendance.
5. "Statistical Decline of the Catholic Church since Vatican II..." Our Lady of the Roses. Our Lady of the Roses, 2010. Web. 2 Jan. 2011. <http://www.tldm.org/news6/statistics.htm>.
Trends in the Catholic Church
Decline in Marriage:
Jack McCoyOverall Data analysis: The Catholic church is currently showing a large decline in mass attendance and completion of the seven sacraments among those baptized. Only 70% of Catholics in the past decade have said that their marriage was sanctioned by the church. To increase the marriage rate within the church, the church may have to allow easier annulments, because it seems that the trend is to "bypass [the authority of] the church."
Jack McCoy Research
Austin Reed IRA
Bailey Lessard IRA
Jack McCoy IRA Link
Tyler Giles' IRA
Declining Role of Marriage in Childbirth
Jack McCoyDecline in Mass Attendance:
Tyler Giles and Bailey LessardData Analysis: In simple terms, the church attendance is dropping. Over the past 50 years, studies have shown that Catholic Mass Attendance has declined. A poll conducted in 1958 by Gallup reported that 74% of American Catholics attended mass. A Notre Dame study in 1994 showed that attendance had dropped too 26.6%. In a study conduced by James Lothian showed that in 1965, 65% of Catholics attended mass; and in 2000 it had dropped to 25%. The Gallup Poll Organization has concluded that mass attendance has been in a decline since a high point between 1957 and 1958. Many accounts have suggested, like from the New City Catholic Church, that Mass has become "boring" due to the fact that the church does not essentially adapt to the fast-paced culture change in recent years. Also, the current economic situation in the United States has kept many people away from church and at jobs.
An advertisement for the New City Catholic Church, who hopes to make a change in the practices of regular Sunday mass.
This graph supports the data that going into more modern time where money is a very important part of society the church attendance is decreasing at a steady but speedy pace.
The table shows the decline of Catholics going to the church services on Sundays .This graph proves that the modern times have change what means more to the people of today then back then.
Decline In Priesthood:
Austin ReedData Analysis: Over the past quarter century the number of priests entering priesthood has dramatically dropped, and is still going into a decline. The worldwide number of priests in 1978 was 420,971, a reasonable amount. A recent tally was done in 2004 by the Vatican and the number noticeably decreased by 3.5 percent, bringing the total down to 405,891 priests. The decrease in Europe over this time was 20 percent, while Austrailia had a 14 percent loss. On a smaller scale, at St. Joseph's seminary in Yonkers the enrollment of priests was at several hundred, an all time high in 1950. Over the past half centery the number decreased to 22, an all time low. Ironically, the banner hanging in the front corridor of the church says "Through faith we grow." The decline in priesthood depicts the exact opposite of this banner. The decline in priesthood in America has had a much more dramatic decline in the past quarter century. The number of total priests dropped by a shameful 49 percent. This has been the largest decline in priesthood that any christian country has faced. If the decline continues, then christianity will not have mass anymore within a century.
A video on the decrease in priesthood in Poland
Chart from Gallup indicating the rise and fall of the number of Seminarians since 1950.
Decline in Baptism:
Nick WolnyData Analysis: In recent years Americans have slowly began to shift away from the sacraments, including Baptism. Decline in Baptisms is universal in all Christian denominations. Some Denominations have Baptized less than 10 people in a year. Since less people are marrying within the Church, less couples are focused on the Sacraments, thus not exposing their offspring to them. Another study has been shown to find that interracial marriages have a negative impact on Baptisms. The Archdiocese of Washington says that an increase in immigration, however has a positive effect on baptisms.
Graph showing the number of Marriages in relation to the number of Infant Baptisms
Conclusion Questions:
Austin ReedBeing a catholic and participating in the religion has changed a tremendous amount since the catholic religion became an official religion in the fifteenth century. When the religion first originated it was generated around making Christianity the top priority in your life. Now, in the twenty-first century being a Christian is just the religion you can "claim" you are, not at all a way of life. The decline rate of important aspects of religion has been monstrous in the past century. For starters, the decline in priesthood has taken a major impact on the religion. There has been a 3.5 percent decrease worldwide in only the past quarter century. To top that, America has established a 49 percent decrease in the past quarter century. Another huge deficit has been mass attendance. Since 1958 the mass attendance dropped from 79 percent attendance to 25 percent attendance. This decline rate has been occurring because church has become "boring" to the new American "fast-paced" culture. Also, since the economic decrease has taking affect, most catholic Americans focus primarily on their jobs rather than religion.
Many aspects of American Society have impacted the Catholic Church, one of them being marriage. The average percent of Catholics who get married in a catholic church is 70 percent. This is due to the lack of completion of the seven sacraments throughout a catholic's life from the moment they are baptized. This has made the church seem "unimportant" when getting married. Another problem that's impacting the church is economic troubles. Catholicism used to be the number one priority in a Catholics life, and due to economic troubles a person’s job became more essential. This takes away from mass attendance as well because work in modern today is more important than mass.
There's a lot that an individual can do to make church an essential part of their life. They can go to CCD classes to make their first communion, while also participating in confirmation class to make their confirmation. Completion of these sacraments can result in a higher percentage of catholic marriages in the church. Also, an individual can always schedule at least one hour out of their week to go to church on a Sunday. Most Americans don't realize that it's a sin to skip mass for a week if you are aware you are doing so in the process (guilty of purposely avoiding mass). This easy fix would bring church attendance to a steady increase once again. A vital reason why most Americans don't participate in mass is because it is "boring." A solution to this is to add song from our modern culture into church, modern films, and activities that involve exercise. This would make church very interesting and "up to date," which would result in an increase in attendance.
Sources:
1. Grossman, Cathy L. "Rite of Baptism Trickles Away." USA Today. USA Today, 12 Apr. 2006. Web. 6 Jan. 2011. <http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2006-04-12-baptism-trend_x.htm>.
2. Pope, Charles. "A Downturn Described And a Way Back Prescribed – On the Shocking Decline in the Number of Marriages." Archdiocese of Washington. Archdiocese of Washington. Web. 6 Jan. 2011. <http://blog.adw.org/2010/10/a-downturn-described-and-a-way-back-prescribed-on-the-shocking-decline-in-the-numbers-of-marriages/>.
3. Smietana, Bob. "Southern Baptists Buck Trend, Post Most Baptisms in 4 Years." USA Today. USA Today, 20 May 2010. Web. 6 Jan. 11. <http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2010-05-20-southern-baptist_N.htm>.
4. Saad, L. "Churchgoing Among U.S. Catholics Slides to Tie Protestants." Gallup. Gallup, 9 Apr. 2009. Web. Jan.-Feb. 2011. <http://www.gallup.com/poll/117382/church-going-among-catholics-slides-tie-protestants.aspx>.
5. "Statistical Decline of the Catholic Church since Vatican II..." Our Lady of the Roses. Our Lady of the Roses, 2010. Web. 2 Jan. 2011. <http://www.tldm.org/news6/statistics.htm>.
6. Lothian, James R. "Liturgical Changes Really Have Altered Beliefs." The Bradsma Review. The Bradsma Review, Jan.-Feb. 2008. Web. 2 Jan. 2011. http://jamesrlothian.com/media/LiturgicalChanges_editorial.pdf.
7. Mcdonald, Henry. "Psychological Vetting of Would-be Priests Exacerbates Decline." Guardian.co.uk. 11 Sept. 2008. Web. 6 Jan. 2011. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/sep/11/catholicism.ireland.
8. Gonzolez, David. "Facing Decline, an Effort to Market the Priesthood." Nytimes.com. 15 Apr. 2008. Web. 6 Jan. 2011. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/15/us/nationalspecial2/15seminarians.html?_r=1#.
9. Vatican City. "Catholic Priesthood in Decline." Theage.com.au. 1 May 2006. Web. 6 Jan. 2011. http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/catholic-priesthood-in-decline/2006/05/01/1146335644310.html.
10. Ziegler, Jeff. "Priestly Vocations in America: Recent Trends." Catholicworldreport.com. 5 Dec. 2007. Web. 6 Jan. 2011. http://www.catholicworldreport.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=51:zieglerdec2007&catid=34:cwr2007&Itemid=61.