The majority of Catholics in Ireland do not attend Mass regularly and significant numbers do not believe in key tenets of the church’s teaching, according to an Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll.
The poll results, which come as Ireland hosts the 50th Eucharistic Congress of the Catholic Church this week, show belief in the church is strongest in rural areas but falls off significantly in urban areas.
Despite the fallout from clerical sex abuse scandals, a significant proportion of the country ”“ including non-Catholics ”“ believe the church has had a broadly positive influence on Ireland.
I am always intrigued at how the press determines if someone is Catholic.
I don’t register Democrat. I don’t believe in most of the Party’s platform. I consistently vote Republican. My understanding of the role of government aligns more with Republicans. I have some agreement with Dems on social issues.
But my grandfather ran for Congress on the Democratic ticket and my mother was a staunch Democrat. So I think from now on i will self identify as a Democrat.
I would imagine that those who self-identify as a Catholic in Ireland do so because they were baptized as infants in the Roman Catholic Church.
Paula, do think that those who weren’t baptised Catholic are self-reporting as Catholics?
At least their bishops believe in the teachings of the church, unlike TEC
Charles, yes I think they would claim being Catholic by virtue of their baptism or even having set foot in Church once a year. And as soon as my cat has kittens in the oven I’ll have a nice batch of biscuits.
But Paula, if you eliminated those RC who do not agree entirely with the Church’s teaching (especially here in the US), they would be one of the smallest denominations in the world.
This reminded of an episode from the “All in the Family” TV show.
Edith was chiding her husband Archie about his anti-Catholic
attitudes. She pointed out that one of Archie’s friends was a
Catholic, to which Archie responded :
“Yeah, but he’s a good Catholic – he doesn’t believe anything
the Church teaches !
#3, you really believe that? The RCC hierarchy has its share of dissident clergy and bishops and a long history of persecuting saints and giving passes to the rich, trendy, and/or powerful in many instances. None of these human organizations has it entirely right, which is why there`s so bloody many of them. And also why many disillusioned souls hop from one church to another, looking for the perfect church.
#5, yes very true, but it would make the lines at the pancake breakfasts much shorter.
Oh come ON, Canon Harmon!!!!
Next you will be telling us that not all who claim to be Anglicans believe in the teachings of their church (or in some cases, in anything all!)