Thanks for more illuminating and depressing figures. The number of baptisms is barely half the number of births, which, allowing for the non-Catholic families in Austria, suggests that some people don't even bother baptising their children to keep Grandma off their backs. But that sort of Grandma, raised before Vatican II, is now quietly sliding into eternity.
Like in Germany, those formally leaving the Church mostly have not practiced the faith their whole adult life, if at all. Most profoundly, what Austria is losing is people who do not practice the faith but paid the Church Tax in order to finance the patrimony of cathedrals, abbeys, and choirs as well as schools, archives and social welfare institutions.
Bonus points for the interactive figures.
Brendan is awesome with the data crunching and visuals.
Luke really knows how to dig at the heart of a story.
Put them together = 🔥 🔥 🔥
The new springtime of Vatican II continues apace.
Wow - the Bishops Conference confirms that the box balance works… impressive.
“The bishops’ conference said the decline in Catholic numbers was due to an unfavorable ratio between baptisms and deaths, as well as “church exits.””
Bonus points. Who said, this week:
"If you were going to choose a quiz bowl team from the College of Cardinals, Christoph Schonborn would be your first draft pick."
I would be curious to see how these numbers compare to when Cardinal Schönborn became the archbishop of Vienna in 1995. Or auxiliary Bishop in 1991.
Thanks for more illuminating and depressing figures. The number of baptisms is barely half the number of births, which, allowing for the non-Catholic families in Austria, suggests that some people don't even bother baptising their children to keep Grandma off their backs. But that sort of Grandma, raised before Vatican II, is now quietly sliding into eternity.
Like in Germany, those formally leaving the Church mostly have not practiced the faith their whole adult life, if at all. Most profoundly, what Austria is losing is people who do not practice the faith but paid the Church Tax in order to finance the patrimony of cathedrals, abbeys, and choirs as well as schools, archives and social welfare institutions.