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.

Who are the "Quiet Men" of the "Evil Empire?"

Ronald Reagan, RIP

Two headlines captured my attention this morning?

Russia Now Proclaims a "Belief in God to be Fundamental," while the US Embraces Paganism

Losing our Religion: America becoming 'pagan' as Christianity cedes to culture

It got me thinking about the "evil empire" Ronald Reagan described back in the 1980s.

Who represents the "evil empire" today? Does one nation fit Ronald Reagan's description of the "evil empire" or does it reside in the minds and hearts of those who "breathe together" the spirit of Lucifer. Who listens to and advances his siren song, "You can be like unto God?" 

Have you ever listened to Ronald Reagan's "evil empire" speech? Here's an excerpt with a video clip below it. In his day, the evil empire was the Soviet Union. Today, we need to look elsewhere:

Sunday Meditation: Beauty, Our Invitation from God to Know Him

Changing colors in Maine

The other night we were sitting around a fire with some camping neighbors at St. Andrews on the bay (of Fundy) in New Brunswick. Overhead the moonless sky allowed a dazzling display of stars and the Milky Way. Breathtaking! On our drive through Maine the trees were changing from green to brilliant hues of gold, scarlet, and orange. We would go from a stretch of evergreens with only an occasional dash of color, follow a curve in the road to be met by a hillside of deciduous cousins dressed in fall finery. The sun was shining and the bright blue Mary sky provided the perfect background to set off their beauty.