Most former Catholics left Church when young, detailed new survey says

Below is an interesting article from CNA about yesterday's Pew report on Catholics in the US. With the increased focus on Catechism at all levels, especially adult catechism, we can only hope and pray that those 'whose spiritual needs were not met' will understand and be able to experience the real spirituality and richness the Catholic Church offers:

Washington D.C., Apr 27, 2009 / 06:33 pm (CNA).- A new survey provides detailed information about the one in ten American adults who are former Catholics, showing that most left the faith before the age of 24. Those who became Protestant most often said their spiritual needs were not being met, while those who became unaffiliated most often said they just gradually drifted away.

The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, which conducted the survey, released the results on Monday in a report titled “Faith in Flux: Religious Conversion Statistics and Changes in Religious Affiliation in the U.S.” The survey, a follow-up to the U.S. Religious Landscape Survey published in February 2008, polled all Americans who had left their childhood religion. The survey used 973 follow-up interviews and claims a margin of error among the entire U.S. population of plus or minus five percentage points.

The survey also distinguished between those Catholics who were now Protestant and those who were now unaffiliated. It claims a margin of error of plus or minus 6.5 percentage points for the first group and plus or minus 7 percentage points for the latter group.

Why Catholics Leave the Church

Catholicism tends to retain childhood members at a rate of 68 percent, which the Pew Forum says is “far greater” than the retention rate of the unaffiliated and is comparable with or better than the retention rates of other religious groups. Former Catholics compose 10.1 percent of the overall U.S. population, while converts to Catholicism make up 2.6 percent.

Of all those raised Catholic, 15 percent have become Protestant, with nine percent now belonging to evangelical denominations and five percent belonging to mainline Protestant denominations. About 14 percent of those raised Catholic are now unaffiliated.

Almost half of Catholics who are now unaffiliated left Catholicism before the age of eighteen, while one-third who are now Protestant did the same. Most in this group said it was their own decision rather than their parent’s decision, the Pew Forum says.

The survey also found few differences in religious commitment between former Catholics and those who have remained Catholic concerning their participation in youth groups or religious education classes.

Regular worship, however, was correlated with continued faith.

Reasons for Leaving

The Pew Forum survey asked respondents to name their own reasons why they left their faith.

About half cited religious and moral beliefs. About 21 percent of the unaffiliated professed non-belief in Catholicism or any religion, 11 percent cited moral or social teachings, and another seven percent cited disbelief in God or a loss of faith as their motive. Eighteen percent of Protestants named a biblical or scriptural reason as a cause.

The survey then asked people to respond to a specific list of issues which they believe made them leave the faith of their upbringing.

Among Protestants who were raised Catholic, 71 percent said that their spiritual needs were not being met. Another 70 percent said they found a religion they liked more, while 54 percent said they just gradually drifted away. About half said they stopped believing in Catholic teachings, while 43 percent professed unhappiness with teachings about the Bible and 32 percent professed dissatisfaction with the atmosphere at worship services.

About 71 percent of unaffiliated former Catholics said they just drifted away from the religion, while about two-thirds said they stopped believing in the religion’s teachings. About 56 percent said they were unhappy with teachings on “abortion/homosexuality,” but the Pew Forum survey did not distinguish between the two issues. Another 48 percent professed unhappiness with Catholic teaching on birth control, while 43 percent said their spiritual needs were not being met. About 39 percent said they were unhappy with the way Catholicism treated women.

Fewer than three in ten former Catholics said the clerical sexual abuse scandal factored into their decision to abandon Catholicism, the Pew Forum reports, with Protestants slightly less likely than the unaffiliated to say so.

“While the ranks of the unaffiliated have grown the most due to changes in religious affiliation, the Catholic Church has lost the most members in the same process,” the Pew Forum survey report said. “Many former Catholics who are now unaffiliated, however, remain open to the possibility that they could some day find a religion that suits them; one-third say they just have not found the right religion yet.”

Archbishop of Washington Donald W. Wuerl, past chairman of the bishops’ Committee on Catechesis and next chairman of the Committee on Doctrine, said the report highlights the importance of Mass attendance among children and teenagers.

“Adolescence is a critical time in religious development and, as the poll shows, what happens in the teen years has a long-lasting affect. We have to help young people and their parents appreciate the importance of going to weekly Mass so teenagers know Jesus is there for them now and always.“

He also noted that only about two to three percent of former Catholic respondents named clerical sexual abuse as a factor when asked generic questions about why they left.

“Catholics can separate the sins and human failings of individuals from the substance of the faith,” he said. “Sexual abuse of a child is a terrible sin and crime, but most Catholic people, because of good personal experience with their priests in their parishes, recognize sex abuse by clergy as the aberration it is.”

Participants in ‘pseudo-ordination’ excommunicated, Cardinal Rigali announces

A Womenpriest's "ordination" ceremony on the St. Lawrence Seaway in 2005

Philadelphia, Pa., Apr 28, 2009 / 03:42 am (CNA).- Saying it was “most unfortunate” that the “invalid ceremony” took place within his archdiocese, Archbishop of Philadelphia Cardinal Justin Rigali has said that those who participated in a “pseudo-Ordination” of two women on Sunday have been automatically excommunicated by their act.

Cardinal Rigali said those who presented themselves for supposed ordination as well as those who “falsely claim” to ordain them have been excommunicated. On Sunday a self-professed bishop from South Africa named Patricia Fresen and a female bishop from Maryland led a ceremony in a Christian chapel inside Congregation Mishkan Shalom, a Reconstructionist Jewish synagogue in Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

The cardinal explained Catholic teaching in a statement, saying the ceremony is “in violation of the constant teaching of the Church, based on Scripture and Sacred Tradition.”

“Both clearly indicate that Jesus called only men to follow Him as Apostles, and the Church has always regarded his choice in this matter as normative for all time. Therefore, she has always followed Jesus' example by choosing only men for the ministry of Holy Orders.”

Saying the teaching on ordination had been confirmed by the Catholic Church as “definitive and irreformable,” he said the Church is “not authorized by Christ to confer Holy Orders upon women, and cannot do so, no matter how ardent a person’s desire may be.”

“All Catholic men and women bring different yet equally valuable gifts to the Church. The Church is strongest when the gifts given by Christ to all her members are celebrated and respected,” he continued. Cardinal Rigali then quoted Pope John Paul II’s 1994 Apostolic Letter Ordinatio Sacerdotalis, which said the role of women in the life of the Church remains “absolutely necessary and irreplaceable.”

“God's gifts, however, are never given to individuals merely for their own fulfillment, but for the unfolding of his plan of salvation in the Church for the benefit of the whole community of the faithful, and no one's true personal dignity in the Church can be fostered in opposition to the will of Christ Himself.

“Consequently, such a pseudo-ordination ceremony denigrates the truth entrusted to the Church by Christ Himself, and demonstrates a complete misunderstanding of the respect and dignity accorded to women by Christ and His Church.”

Roman Catholic Womenpriests, the group that attempted to carry out the “ordinations,” is planning three more ceremonies next month.

Georgetown students react to White House request to cover Jesus' name

Really? Another dissapointment via the CNA today:

President Barack Obama

Washington D.C., Apr 16, 2009 / 05:15 pm (CNA).- Georgetown University’s decision to comply with a White House request to cover up the “IHS” monogram representing Jesus' name at President Obama’s speech on Wednesday is drawing fire from the Cardinal Newman Society and Georgetown students, who are charging the university with “sacrificing” its “Catholic and Jesuit identity.”

Reports surfaced today from attendees at President Obama's speech on the economy that the White House asked Georgetown University to cover up several emblems, including an IHS monogram above the president's head during his speech at the Jesuit university.

Although President Obama focused his speech on his administration’s plans to spur economic growth, some in attendance noticed that the IHS monogram—an early 3rd century abbreviation for the name of Jesus—was covered up for the speech.

CNA attempted to confirm the report with Georgetown officials, but no one available for comment before press time.

However, Julie Green Bataille, associate vice president for communications at the university, told CNSNews.com that the covering up of Jesus' name was prompted by “logistical arrangements for yesterday’s event.” According to Bataille, “Georgetown honored the White House staff’s request to cover all of the Georgetown University signage and symbols behind Gaston Hall stage.”

She said the “signage and symbols” were covered up because “the pipe and drape wasn’t high enough by itself to fully cover the IHS and cross” and that it seemed more “respectful to have them covered” so that viewers wouldn’t see them “out of context.”

Patrick Reilly, the President of the Cardinal Newman Society, reacted to the report by telling CNA that Georgetown’s decision is another “outrageous example of a Catholic university sacrificing principle for prestige.”

He wondered what the White House will request next month at Notre Dame’s commencement and said, “Christians simply cannot hide our faith in a drawer to satisfy an American president who shows no respect for Catholic identity or values.”

Georgetown students were also outraged by the University’s actions.

Paul Courtney, a Catholic Georgetown student and President of the Georgetown College Republicans, was an attendee at the Wednesday speech. He called the move “disheartening” and “sad” that the University would sacrifice its “Catholic and Jesuit identity” by covering the monogram.

Photos from the Easter Vigil at St Lukes

We had a large number of people enter the Church this Easter - 23 in all which is an amazing thing for a small parish like St. Luke's. Here are some photos from the Easter Vigil Mass last week, my favorite mass of the year:





23 people with sponsors crowd the altar for the rite of confirmation!




Deacon Ken Levin leads those entering the Church in a procession prior to baptisms Below, Father Richard Gagnon leads the blessing of the Pashcal candle outside the Church as everyone gathers around. Nothing fancy at St Lukes - we love our tin-foil covered BBQ pit!



Our 3 Deacons and Father Richard Gagnon lead the beginning of the Easter Vigil at sunset outside the Church






Candlelight vigil during mass, Father Richard with Angie Ryan, newly baptized

‘Orthodox’ Catholics more hopeful about future of Church, poll finds

Interesting news article from CNA this morning: It surprised me that Catholics who identified themselves as 'Orthodox' were more hopeful about the future of the church. Orthodox usually means more traditional - more likely to take the teaching of the Catholic Church as a whole and try to apply it to your life. Here in the south, we are blessed with large numbers of people entering the church largely because it is more traditional and orhtodox.

I always remind myself that the 'Church does not exist to serve my needs as I voice them - it exists to preach the Gospels, keep intact the teaching of Christ, feed the hungry, free the oppressed and help the needy."

In my experience, people who cast themselves as 'progressives' are busy trying to change the Church so it fits their wants. By doing this, I can see where it would be easy to loose sight of what is really important and I'd bet this is why 'orthodox' Catholics are more hopeful!

From CNA this morning:

Syracuse, N.Y., Apr 15, 2009 / 08:32 am (CNA).- A new poll shows that American Catholics are generally optimistic about the future of their Church, with self-described “Orthodox” Catholics tending to be more hopeful and more churchgoing than self-described “Progressive” Catholics. The results come from the Spring 2009 Le Moyne-Zogby Contemporary Catholic Trends (CCT) survey, which polled 3,812 randomly sampled members of the Zogby Interactive Panel between Feb. 23 and 25. Respondents included 767 Catholics, who described themselves in a variety of ways.

Twenty percent of Catholic respondents described themselves as Progressive, while 11 percent chose Orthodox as a descriptor. Seven percent said they were Evangelical, four percent said they were Fundamentalist, and three percent said they were Born-Again.

According to Zogby, “Progressive” Catholic respondents were the most likely to be pessimistic, with 36 percent being somewhat pessimistic and four percent being very pessimistic about the future of the Church.

Among the “Orthodox” Catholics, six percent were somewhat pessimistic, while only one percent was very pessimistic.

Dr. Matthew Loveland, principal investigator of the CCT project, commented on the poll results in an April 9 Zogby press release:

"These numbers remind us that news headlines are only part of the Catholic religious experience. When asked to reflect on the Church, I expect that most people think of their personal religious lives, not the national headlines. Religion is experienced, most vividly, in the parish and the family. In fact, 76% of respondents said that family connections are an important aspect of their faith. So, to me, these numbers suggest that most Catholics are satisfied with their personal religious lives."

Planned Parenthood Happy About Increase in Abortions

Washington D.C., Apr 15, 2009 / 03:51 am (CNA).- The Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) has over $1 billion in assets and claims an increase of 15,560 abortions in 2007, its annual report for 2007-2008 reveals. Praising the “new direction” of the United States, the largest abortion provider in the U.S. says it will play a “unique role” in shaping the Obama administration’s health agenda.

The letter introducing the report, signed by Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards and Elena Marks, PPFA chairwoman, professes “enormous optimism” about “the new direction of our country and new opportunities to make lasting change in the lives of women and families, here and around the globe.” “Planned Parenthood is the leading sexual and reproductive health care advocate and provider, with 93 years under our belt,” the letter continues, adding “And in the near future, we will play a unique role in helping to shape the health agenda for the new administration.”

According to the PPFA report, in 2006 Planned Parenthood clinics performed 289,750 abortions and in 2007 performed 305,310 such killing procedures, CNSNews.com says.

Tom McClusky, vice president of the Family Research Council Action, told CNSNews.com the numbers reflect a continual increase in the number of abortions performed by Planned Parenthood. Since 1977, not counting referrals to other clinics, the organization’s abortion clinics have accounted for 4.8 million abortions.

The Planned Parenthood report claims a 100 percent increase in the number of adoption referrals in 2007. In 2006 the organization made 2,410 adoption referrals while it made 4,912 in 2007.

McClusky said this increase was an exception, as very low numbers of referrals had been reported in previous years. None were reported in 2005.

According to the PPFA report, abortion accounts for three percent of services provided by Planned Parenthood. Contraceptives make up 36 percent of the organization’s services.

However, the report does not provide details on how Planned Parenthood spends the more than $300 million it receives from federal funding. Federal law prohibits federal dollars being used for abortions.

In addition to government funding, Planned Parenthood also earned more than $374 million from its clinics and $186 million in “contributions and bequests.”

The organization’s worldwide clinics earned $6.9 million. It claimed to have reached 935,000 individuals in 20 developing countries and also claimed to have supported their “vital work” with more than $2.5 million in grants in 2008.

President Barack Obama’s rescindment of the Mexico City Policy, which barred federal funding for organizations which promote or perform abortions overseas, could help fund Planned Parenthood’s international efforts.

Please pray for those considering an abortion and pray for the unborn.

Yesterday marked the fourth anniversary of the passing of Pope John Paul II. Credeted with ushering in a new dawn for the Catholic Church which is in the words of his predecessor, Pope Benedict, "always young and forever born."

This is a wonderful Thank You video about PJP that sums up his key teachings:

Pray for the Cross

Another shocking story from CNA:


San Diego, Calif., Apr 3, 2009 / 04:50 am (CNA).- Arguing that removing the memorial would cause “real, irreparable harm” to war heroes and their families, the Thomas More Law Center has filed a brief opposing a legal challenge to the constitutionality of California’s historic Mt. Soledad cross which honors veterans of the U.S. armed forces.

Over 2,100 plaques honoring individuals or groups of veterans are displayed near the Mt. Soledad cross, which is the centerpiece of the veterans’ memorial. Some of the plaques display Stars of David in honor of Jewish veterans. A large American flag flies at the memorial’s base.

In 2004 the cross was scheduled to be taken down following an agreement between the City of San Diego and an atheist who sought to remove the memorial. The Law Center then began its legal defense of the cross, prevailing in state and federal courts. It successfully petitioned the federal government to transfer the property from city to federal property, rendering powerless the district court’s order to remove the cross.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) then filed a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the cross and the propriety of the property transfer. That suit was dismissed by a federal district court judge in July 2008. The ACLU is appealing the ruling to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, where federal government lawyers will defend the constitutionality of the cross. According to a press release from the Law Center, it has filed an amicus curiae brief in the memorial’s defense.

Robert Muise, the Thomas More Law Center attorney and former Marine officer who authored the brief, said the amicus brief demonstrates that tearing down the cross will cause “real, irreparable harm to our war heroes and their grieving families, as compared with the contrived ‘harm’ the ACLU will ‘feel’ because the memorial cross remains.”

Iraqi Christians have ‘great hope’ in ‘tragic’ situation

Iraqi Christians have ‘great hope’ in ‘tragic’ situation, Kirkuk archbishop says

Kirkuk, Iraq, Apr 2, 2009 / 12:01 am (CNA).- Chaldean Catholic Archbishop of Kirkuk Louis Sako, lamenting the number of Iraqi Christians who have been murdered or driven into exile by persecution, has said that the Christian community possesses “great hope” amid the “tragedy” of its circumstances. A total of 750 Christians have been murdered in the past five years, including Archbishop of Mosul Paulos Faraj Rahho, Archbishop Sako told a press conference convened by the charities Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), Pro Oriente and Christian Solidarity International.

"Some 200,000 Christians have left the country. This is a tragedy for us," he said, appealing for support to help the Christian community to help its members remain in Iraq or return to their country. Christians themselves are concerned about the proposed withdrawal of U.S. troops, he said, naming the lack of security in the country to be its gravest problem. The Iraqi army and police were not yet strong enough to take over, the archbishop reported. “Under Saddam's regime we had security but no freedom. Today we have freedom, but the problem is security,” he said, according to ACN. Archbishop Sako called on the international community to help both Christian refugees and those Christians who remain in Iraq.

The story above should serve as a wake up call. We make much in our church of the early Christian martyrs who died for our faith. Persecution of Christians is common throughout the first 4 centuries of Christianity.

What people easily loose site of is that there have been far more Christian martyrs in the last 100 years than there were in the first 400 years after Christ. From the Ottoman empire's persecution of Christians in what is now Turkey, to the Nazis who exterminated large numbers of Catholics (many priests and sisters), to the persecution of Christians in the far east in Laos, China and Vietnam to the persecution of Catholics in Mexico, hundreds of Christians have died for the faith.

That 750 Christians have perished in Iraq in recent times is a sad testament to how privileged we are in our country. That they have the grace to find hope in the future is a lesson to us all.

Great Comments of SlumDog Millionaire

Great Video review on the recent movie, Slumdog Millionaire:



The Cooperation with Grace - God's grace gives us what we need.

Our freedom is drawn by God - wonderful things happen when we realize that God is intimately involved in our lives and open ourselves to his love.

Watch the commentary and rent the movie - you won't be disappointed!

Pro-Abortion Law Dean Selected for Head of ND law School

Another disappointing story from the American Papist:

Exclusive: New Notre DameD Law Dean contributed to Obama/pro-abortion Catholic politicians

Notre Dame is really on a roll, isn't it? It appears that the upper administration has made yet another questionable decision.

Yesterday they announced their new Law School dean:

"The chancellor and dean of the Hastings College of the Law at the University of California has been named as the new Joseph A. Matson Dean of the University of Notre Dame Law School. Nell Newton will assume her new responsibilities on July 1. She succeeds Patricia O'Hara, who is stepping down after 10 years as dean."

And who does the new dean of Notre Dame Law support when it comes to political candidates?

[source: Huffington Post.]

That's right, she donated the maximum amount to Barack Obama for his presidential run. And she gave money to Jackie Speier who is a pro-abortion Catholic politician. And she gave money to John Kerry was was a pro-abortion Catholic nominee for President.

... and this is the type of scholar that Notre Dame chose to lead its Catholic Law School?

An informed reader contributes:

"The law school at Notre Dame has made great strides in recent years, recruiting a respectable number of folks that are drawn to Catholic orthodoxy ... The law school has been trying to fill the deanship for some time. There were hopes for an outstanding transitional figure, who could foster both academic rigor and Catholic orthodoxy at Notre Dame. Yesterday, ND announced its new law school dean, Nell Jessup Newton. She may be a gifted administrator, but there are far superior scholars on the current ND faculty ... So much for hope and change."

So much for Catholic identity and witness, too.

Record Numbers of Adults Convert to Catholicism

From the CNA today: "Tens of thousands of new Catholics are expected to join the Catholic Church in the U.S. in 2009, with many doing so at the Easter Vigil liturgies on April 11. Converts to Catholicism are known as catechumens if they have never been baptized and as candidates if they have received baptism in another Christian community and now seek full communion with the Catholic Church.

The Archdiocese of Atlanta, where Catholics have traditionally been a minority, estimates that 513 catechumens and 2,195 candidates will enter the Catholic Church in 2009, about 1,800 doing so at Easter. The figures do not include infant baptisms.

Father Theodore Book, director of the Office of Divine Worship for the Atlanta Archdiocese, said the archdiocese has been “blessed with an authentic dynamism” during recent years. He cited the archdiocese’s annual Eucharistic Congress, saying it draws nearly 30,000 participants.

“One of the many blessings that we have received from the Lord is the large number of individuals entering the Church,” he said.

The Archdiocese of Seattle will reportedly welcome 736 catechumens and 506 candidates, while the Diocese of San Diego will baptize 305 and receive into communion 920 other baptized Christians.

The mostly rural Diocese of Birmingham, Alabama reportedly will have 445 new converts. The diocese’s Cathedral of St. Paul could not hold them and their families for the Rite of Election, which had to be held in three separate ceremonies. "

Here in Nashville we also have large numbers of new Catholics and RCIA programs are increasing in candidates. The numbers of adults entering the Church in 2009 is expected to increase from 87,363 adults in 2008.

We have 5 adults at our small, rural parish in Smyrna, TN. The Catholic Church in the Southeast is bursting at the seams. Birmingham and Nashville have record numbers of converts and full classes of seminarians. Both dioceses are struggling to build new churches and in addition to standing room only at most masses, there are now waiting lists for Catholic schools.

Amen to that!

Update:

As many as 150,000 new or returning Catholics are expected to join the Catholic Church in 2009 in the United States with many making the move at forthcoming Easter liturgies across the country.

In some cases the numbers show the growth and vitality of the Catholic Church in places where it has traditionally been a small minority, the USCCB says.