Catholic Church in England and Wales, Scotland Statistics Released

New figures reveal trends and challenges facing the Church

Decline in Mass attendance, increase in conversions among key findings

The Catholic Church in England and Wales has released a new set of pastoral statistics that provide a snapshot of the current state of the Church. The figures show a number of trends, including a decline in Mass attendance, an increase in conversions, and a growing number of people identifying as Catholic.

The most striking finding is the decline in Mass attendance. In 2022, only 38% of Catholics in England and Wales attended Mass on a regular basis. This is down from 42% in 2018. The decline is particularly pronounced among young people, with only 22% of Catholics aged 18-24 attending Mass regularly.

Despite the decline in Mass attendance, there has been an increase in the number of people converting to Catholicism. In 2022, over 10,000 people were received into the Church in England and Wales. This is up from 8,500 in 2018. The increase in conversions is thought to be due to a number of factors, including the growing popularity of the Catholic faith among young people and the increasing number of people from other countries moving to England and Wales.

The new statistics also show that the number of people identifying as Catholic is growing. In 2022, 5.5 million people in England and Wales identified themselves as Catholic. This is up from 5.2 million in 2018. The growth in the number of Catholics is thought to be due to a number of factors, including the increase in conversions and the growing number of people from other countries moving to England and Wales.

The new statistics provide a valuable insight into the current state of the Catholic Church in England and Wales. The figures show that the Church is facing a number of challenges, including the decline in Mass attendance. However, the statistics also show that there are a number of positive trends, including the increase in conversions and the growing number of people identifying as Catholic.