What is happening to the Catholic Church in the USA (America, churches)
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What is happening to the Catholic Church in the USA? I have read an article in the USA Today that is titled, Holy uproar in Cleveland: and the article goes on to say that protesters picketed in front of St. John's Cathedral in Cleveland on Wednesday to demonstrate against the closing of 50 parishes across eight northeastern Ohio counties by the Roman Catholic diocese. This is not a good thing for the Roman Catholic Church and how many more parishes are being closed across this country? If one of the largest Christian denominations in this country is closing parishes, what does that say about the other Christian denominations, are they having the same problems? Are people turning away from the church in that large a number and what of the future of the Roman Catholic Church in this country or even Christianity, are they losing members in that great a number?
I know this may sound strange coming from a person who is a nonbeliever in Christianity, however I believe there needs to be a balance and just because I don't believe in Christianity doesn't mean that other people don't and if these different Christian denominations are closing their churches where are their members going to go to worship their God and get the social support that they need?
This is a serious and legitimate question. Imagine if you will, all the small towns across the United States that have only one or two churches and all of a sudden both of them have to close because they don't have enough members to support them, where will these members go?
It would be interesting to hear your thoughts on this, but please be respectful in your responses,Thank You.
There's one major factor which is helping the loss of membership and that is the growing population of hispanics who have a very high percentage of Catholics. It's probably going to be a matter of location. I lived near a big Catholic church in the Phoenix area and that place was packed and had all sorts of other activities besides services on Sunday. Cars would have to park several blocks away because the large parking lot at the church would fill up.
I think one of the reasons for the decline may be due to younger people who may be drawn to various other religions that don't seem so rigid and formal. Obviously the sexual scandals have tarnished the reputation of the church and probably is another reason that people have turned away from it.
Catholicism and Christianity in general is on the wane, in America.
During my teens in the nineties, I presented a thesis in my demographics project that Europe will go Islamic by the middle of the 21st century or around the 70s. Wherever Europe goes, America will follow suit in a matter of 4 or 5 decades. Islam is the fastest growing religion in the US and of course, Europe.
Political correctness and anti-christian popular media is also a reason.
The elephant probably hiding in the room is the child abuse scandal. Many churches went bankrupt in the multi-million dollar settlements and they had to borrow from others and it put the biggest dent on the treasury of American Catholicism and Rome simply does not have enough money.
Last I heard that Rome itself is getting under-funded and the Vatican chapels and Basilicas need countless renovation projects to preserve the age old heritage of Christendom. There simply aren't enough faithful donors.
The future of Christianity is in South America, Africa and Asia. The West will probably go Islamic with an agnostic mini-majority.
As in any major city the urban parishes were founded by strong ethnic immigrants late 1800's & early 1900's. The last 30 years as seen a mass exodus of people fleeing further and further away. Small rural parishes have expanded while large ornate city parishes dwindled. with a shortage of priest and older structures costly to maintain, sadly an closing epidemic has transformed. Times and demographics always change.
As in any major city the urban parishes were founded by stron ethnic immigrants late 1800's & early 1900's. The last 30 years as seen a mass exodus of people fleeing further and further away. Small rural parishes have expanded while large ornate city parishes dwindled. with a shortage of priest and older structures costly to maintain, sadly an closing epidemic has transformed. Times and demographics always change.
Wherever Europe goes, America will follow suit in a matter of 4 or 5 decades. Islam is the fastest growing religion in the US and of course, Europe.
I really don't agree with that because the reason that Islam is growing so much in Europe is simply because there is so much immigration from Muslim nations. It's not like white Christians are converting to Islam. Very few are doing that and I've never met anyone in my life who has. The population of white Christians in Europe is also not growing very much. Italy, where the Catholic religion is based, has a problem with too many elderly people and not enough young people. They're just not having big families anymore and it's changed the demographics.
America doesn't have a large population of Muslims and there isn't a huge increase in immigration from Muslim nations so I can't conceive of any way in which America could become a nation with a Muslim majority. Also, I tried to find some information about the fastest growing religion in America and got conflicting information. Only 0.5% of America is now Muslim and I've read that Wiccan is actually the fastest growing religion and that people not being affiliated with a religion is also growing very quickly.
Reading through these posts it seems as though everybody's got some pretty good opinions as to what's happening with the Catholic Church in the USA but at the same time I'm wondering if also the present situation of our economy is also having something to do with some of the decline in the churches, I mean it takes a lot of money to support some of these larger buildings that the Roman Catholic Church seems to have in this country and elsewhere throughout the world and with the way the economics are going not only in this country but throughout the rest of the world, I would imagine it is putting quite a strain on them to continue supporting these large buildings and with the decline in their congregations and not bringing in that much money, their future doesn't look very hopeful, not at the present rate that they're going now.
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