The “Francis Effect” – we often hear assertions that, in contrast to the oppressive regime of his benighted predecessor, under Francis the Catholic Church has moved into a new era of light and life. On closer inspection, much of ballyhoo emanates from the expectations of the secular media – and the non-practicing Catholic laity – that Francis will abandon elements of Church doctrine and practice unacceptable to the secular establishment. But there are also factual assertions that people are “praying more,” attending church more, etc.
Now I understand Cardinals of Western Europe – with the conspicuous exception of some from Italy – were a key component of the coalition that put Bergoglio into the Papacy. No national hierarchy should have been more overjoyed at his election than Germany’s. Under Pope Benedict, the “German Church” had been resolute in its opposition to the Traditional Mass, correct translation of the Novus Ordo and to a reconciliation with the FSSPX. More recently, it has supported Francis’s initiative to explore changing the Catholic practice(and, really, doctrine)regarding second marriages through a questionnaire demonstrating that the Church “prohibitions” on divorce, contraception, premarital sex, etc., are disregarded by almost everyone in Germany. Voices calling for relaxing the Church’s positions on abortion, homosexualtiy and clerical celibacy are given prominent place in ecclesiastical venues. But this Church does keep detailed statistics. And here is the first report for 2013:
There are 24,170,754 “registered” Catholics in Germany; in 2012 there were 24,340,028
Parishes decreased to 11,085 from 11,222 in 2012
178,805 officially left the Catholic Church (2012: 118,335).
2.6 Million Catholics attend mass as opposed to 2.9 million in 2012 and 3 million in 2011
(10.3 % of registered Catholics attend mass)
Baptisms: 164,664 (2012: 167,505)
First communion: 191,169 (2012: 202,088)
Confirmations: 167,255 (2012: 175,967)
(Church)Weddings: 43,728 (2012: 47,161)
Burials: 252,344 (2012: 247,502)
Official (adult)entry into the Catholic church: 3,062 (2012: 3,091)
Official Return to the Catholic Church: 6,980 (2012: 7,185)
Number of priests: 14.490 (2012: 14,636)(of these only 9,222 are in “active pastoral service.”)
According to Cardinal Marx of Munich, “obviously the second half of 2013 had led to a loss of trust and credibility for the Church.” But there is no need to worry! The culprits for the “painful statistics” are Bishop Tebartz-van Elst and “continuing radical change in society.” One thing is sure both in Germany and the US: the Roman Catholic hierarchy and its (conciliar) policies are never at fault.
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