UNITED STATES
Fox News
Associated Press
NEW YORK – Pope Francis will arrive Sept. 22 in the United States to find a Catholic church playing a prominent role in American life, with a vast network of charities and an infusion of energy from a fast-growing Latino population. At the same time, the church is struggling to find its footing a few months after gay marriage became legal and as more people leave organized religion behind.
Here are some key things to know about the Roman Catholic Church in the United States:
BIG NUMBERS: The Catholic Church is by far the largest denomination in the U.S., with more than 68 million parishioners. By comparison, the next-biggest faith group, the Southern Baptist Convention, counts 15.5 million members. About one-quarter of Americans identify as Catholic.
LATINO BOOM: Through immigration and high birth rates, Latinos now make up 38 percent of the U.S. church. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles, the nation’s largest diocese, is about 70 percent Latino; the Archdiocese of Atlanta is 44 percent. Yet, Latinos aren’t sticking with the church the way they once did. More are leaving for evangelical Protestant groups or dropping organized religion altogether.
EX-CATHOLICS: Despite the church’s large size, it has been posting significant losses. In a recent poll by the Pew Research Center, 9 percent of Americans said they were raised Catholic but were no longer part of the faith in any way. Another group, often dubbed “cultural Catholics,” identify with the faith but almost never step foot in a church. Since 1977, weekly Mass attendance has dropped from 41 percent to 24 percent of adult Catholics. Bishops have taken to running campaigns, such as the Archdiocese of Washington’s “The Light Is On For You,” to persuade Catholics to take part in the sacrament of confession.
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