New study reveals Catholics hold highest retention rate - but no one is converting

New statistics reveal need to convert others to Catholicism

A new study revealed Welsh and English Catholics hold the highest retention rate of any denomination but maintain the lowest conversion rates.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - The report, titled the "Contemporary Catholicism in England and Wales," was issued by the Catholic Research Forum initiated by the Benedict XVI Centre at St. Mary's University and stated Catholicism remained steady between 1983 and 2014.

While 3.8 million English and Welsh adults identify as Catholic, 6.2 million shared they were raised Catholic.

If 6.2 million were raised Catholic, why are there only 3.8 million today?

Part of the reason, the study found, was the conversion to different religions or decisions to drop religion entirely.

Dr. Stephen Bullivent, the Benedict XVI Centre's director told the Catholic Herald: "However depressing our retention stats are, they're actually the strongest of the main denominations. To put it a bit crudely, it's a 'losing game' for everyone, but we're doing something less catastrophic than others."

Though Bullivent failed to elaborate, one can only assume he meant the Catholic Church in Wales and England is doing less catastrophically than other religions, such as the Anglicans, who have seen a decline in believers by 44.5 percent between 1983 and 2014.

Interestingly, of those who identified as Catholic, only 27.5 percent attend church services at least once a week, while 39.2 percent never or "practically never" attend.

Meanwhile, 56 percent of "Cradle Catholics" - people who were raised Catholic regardless of whether they still identify as Catholic - say they never or "practically never" attend church.

In a closer look, nearly one-quarter of the "weekly-or-more" Mass attendees were women over 65-years-old.

The point of the study wasn't merely to provide statistics for Catholicism in England and Wales - it was to provoke interest, thought, and discussion."

Commentary was left to a minimum and the study authors admit deeper investigation would yield "possible causes of, and possible responses to, some of the facts and trends identified" in the study.

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