Evidence of Catholic decline mounts

A survey published last week by the Washington DC-based Pew Research Center provides new evidence of the decline of Roman Catholicism in Latin America.

Most dramatic is the finding that most of Central America is now only “half Catholic” (50 per cent for El Salvador and Nicaragua), with Honduras “less than half Catholic” (46 per cent). Pope Francis’ homeland Argentina just scrapes into the “predominantly Catholic” category with 71 per cent, whereas Brazil (61 per cent) is on its way to becoming only “half Catholic”.

Uruguay, the least Catholic country in the region (42 per cent), has a secularist tradition going back to 1861. Overall, more than 425 million Latin Americans identify as Catholic, or 69 per cent of the continent’s population and almost 40 per cent of the world’s Catholics. Protestants account for around 19 per cent of Latin Americans, or 117 million people.

Pew asked former Catholics their reasons for changing allegiance. First, with an 81 per cent response, was the desire for a personal relationship with God. Sixty-nine per cent highlighted the style of worship as a factor.