We might well ask this question when we consider the declining numbers of people attending churches around the world. Since the 1960’s church attendance has dropped in many countries. The momentous leap forward in Catholics’ understanding of their faith, resulting from the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, was followed shortly by the disappointment of the encyclical Humanae Vitae,
leading Catholics to leave their churches in significant numbers. More widely than the Catholic Church, the scandals of the sexual abuse of minors and vulnerable adults, and the misuse of church finances, have led many people to regard their church as a human and fallible institution. In addition, since lockdowns and social distancing were imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, many churches report that the number of their attendees has not returned to pre-pandemic levels.
It is not necessary to repeat the statistics here. But suffice it to say that Pope Benedict XVI once said Africa is the “spiritual lung” of the world. People continue to fill the churches, and in some places, new churches are being built to accommodate the growing number of Christians. In addition, there are more people per capita entering various forms of Christian ministry in Africa than elsewhere. Without wishing to be complacent, perhaps the churches
on our continent are doing something right.
However, it is important not to confuse church attendance with faith in God. There are many people who claim to be “spiritual but not religious,” who have an ongoing relationship with God, but do not attend religious services to have this relationship nourished within a faith community. During the pandemic, people have found other ways to keep their faith alive. While these explanations might
not convince everyone, it remains true that church attendance does not seem to meet everyone’s needs.
Rather than lamenting dropping numbers, more proactive churches and parishes explore new styles of ministry, new ways to help people to feel a desire to participate in the life of their community, alternative approaches to sharing Christian fellowship, and ways to make liturgy and sacraments more ‘meaningful’ to the lives of their
members.
Am I still finding regular nourishment in the church I attend? How is God keeping my faith alive and active? How can I help others to grow in their faith?
Reflections by Peter Knox SJ
