Remember the Springtime in the Church: Reality is Demographic Winter!

It's bad news for Catholics from a PEW Survey on Religion in America, the first since 2014.  For every 100 new Catholics entering the Church, 800 leave. This from Eric Sammons at Crisis Magazine:

No other religion has nearly as bad of a join/leave ratio. For every 100 people that become Protestant, 180 leave. That’s bad, but it’s not Catholic bad. Conversely, for every 100 people who leave the religious “nones” (i.e., they join a religion), a full 590 become part of that irreligious cohort. 

Where are the former Catholics going? Of all the former Catholics, 56% become religious “nones” and 32% become Protestant. I think we all know from personal experience that these numbers ring true. What Catholic doesn’t have family members who have become Protestant or have stopped practicing any religion? It’s just part of being an American Catholic these days.

If These Pew Statistics are Accurate, They're Bad News for the Church!

Most U.S. Catholics hope for change in church rule on divorce, Communion

Opinions of many Catholics are decidedly un-Catholic. Our shepherds better start warning the flock. If they don't, those flaunting God won't be the only ones falling into Gehenna! Read Ezekiel 33. "If the watchman sees the sword coming and fails to blow the warning trumpet...I will hold the watchman responsible...even though that person is taken because of his own sin."

The shepherds are called to be watchmen to save the flock from the wolves. If you were their boss giving evaluating their job performance, what would you write?

Pew Survey is Bad News for Catholics

A recent Pew Survey shows Catholics favoring Obama by 15% in the upcoming election. Jeff Mirus at Catholic Culture points out the most shocking result of the poll:

The most damning result of the poll is that Catholics who attend Mass at least weekly favor Mitt Romney by only nine percent (51 to 42). This compares with nearly a 30 point gap the other way for those who attend Mass very rarely or not at all. Why isn’t there a comparable gap against Obama by regularly practicing Catholics? This represents a colossal Catholic failure.

Absolutely! A colossal failure in teaching Catholics the faith. The only reason people sitting in the pew week after week listening to scripture readings and hearing homilies can hold this position is that they have not been taught the faith. Pabulum from the pulpit cannot form correct consciences. Most Catholics believe their feelings and opinions are "conscience" and they can legitimately follow them without sin. Far from the truth!

Conscience is an act of the intellect. It is conscience that should inform and direct feelings and opinions instead of the other way around. Conscience is the "voice of truth" that must be properly formed so it conforms to the natural law and the doctrines of the Church. A sound conscience will feel guilty when guilt is appropriate for evil acts and feel morally upright when decisions are morally sound. A person who feels no guilt over committing an atrocity is a sociopath whose conscience is dead.

There is an excellent booklet put out by Leaflet Missal Company that should be read by every Catholic before the election. It's called A Brief Catechism for Catholic Voters by Fr. Stephen Torraco. I recommend it and urge you to order and read it and share it with your Catholic and Christian friends. Friends don't let friends make decisions that send them headlong down the road to hell without trying to put the brakes on. Pray the rosary for Obama Catholics (an oxymoron) and give them the booklet. That's a recipe for soul-saving.