In France, 5% of population attends Mass, but over 50% identifies as Catholic
January 12, 2017
Just 5% of the French population attends Mass on a regular weekly basis, but 53% of the country’s people still identify themselves as Catholics, according to an extensive new survey undertaken by Bayard Presse.
The survey concluded that 23% of the French population can be categorized as “involved” Catholics. That term includes all those who report an attachment to the Church, whether or not they are actively practicing the faith.
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Posted by: virgy5944 -
Jan. 24, 2017 9:16 PM ET USA
As hospital chaplain many religions are experiencing the same thing. People identify with a certain religion but are not a member of any specific church.
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Posted by: unum -
Jan. 13, 2017 7:42 AM ET USA
I suspect the U.S. has a similar ratio of those who "identify" as Catholics vs. those who attend Mass on a regular weekly basis. It is interesting that I never see references to the clergy asking the laity "Why?". Is it that the clergy just don't care why Catholics don't regularly attend Mass? Or, is it that the clergy don't consider those who don't attend Mass as Catholics? One would think the clergy would be concerned about the number of "lost sheep"!
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Posted by: [email protected] -
Jan. 13, 2017 12:05 AM ET USA
Maybe they ought to be asking those who identify as Catholic why they don't attend Mass. France is not the only one that has the problem.
