Dutch bishops miss belief in God among Catholics
Western Europe
The knowledge about the content of the Christian faith is very little in the Netherlands among Roman Catholics. Sometimes, it is lacking altogether. That is the message that Dutch bishops will tell Pope Francis during their visit to the Vatican in November.
They notice that many Catholics would rather speak about their faith in terms of norms and values than speak about their belief in God.
Structures that supported the Catholic faith in the past, such as schools, clubs and associations, have almost disappeared from Dutch society.
The Dutch bishops notice that faith has become more and more a private issue for people. They conclude that also Roman Catholic believers find their own forms of relationships more important than the church's doctrine on marriage. Accepting divorce, same-sex marriage, euthanasia, and abortion has become increasingly common among believers. The clergymen argue that parishes should do more to stimulate the awareness of the character of the Christian way of life. "Acts of piety and devotion to Mary should remain important", the bishops write.
In the Netherlands, about 20.8 per cent of the population belongs to the Roman Catholic Church. Yet, the number of believers is steadily declining. The bishops state that a group of people has not returned to church after the Covid pandemic.
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