Spain sees a marked decline in spiritual practices and vocations to the clergy state, according to the study “Demography of the Catholic Church at the threshold of the 3rd millennium” prepared by the Spanish Centre for Study, Training and Social Analysis (CEFAS).
"The Catholic Church in Spain faces a sharp decline in the number of vocations, spiritual practices and sacraments, while playing an crucial function in education, social welfare and culture," the study concludes.
In fresh decades, the number of Catholics in Spain has decreased markedly. According to the Sociological investigation Centre (CIS) data of April this year, 55.5% of Spaniards are now declared Catholic, but only 18.7 percent are practicing Catholics. In the last half century, the number of faithful has fallen by about 40 points percent.
According to a study that discussed Spanish media on Tuesday, presently only 18 percent of the marriages concluded are spiritual marriages. The first time the number of civilian vows exceeded spiritual in 2008, and the authors of the improvement of specified a fast pace of change explain, among others, the mass influx of non-Catholic people into Spain.
The number of baptized children besides falls: while the sacrament received 72% of all newborn children before the 4th of the century, in 2023 more than 152,000 were baptized, or 47.6%. The first Holy Communion in 2023 was attended by just over 35% of children, i.e. by more than 10 percent points little than in 2017.
W Spain besides lacks priests, and the number of fresh vocations to priestly state drops. According to the data, in 2023 there were almost 15.3 1000 active clergymen, 40% little than in 1971. The average age of priests has besides increased.
In the academic year 2023-24 only 143 seminarians were accepted throughout the country and 79 fresh priests were ordained. In 1965 there were over 8,000 elder seminarians, present there are only 950 of them, as quoted in the Catalan paper "La Vanguardia".
In another Tuesday article, the paper reported that due to the deficiency of vocations moving since the end of the 16th century, the seminary in Barcelona would close its gates and that 28 seminarians who prepared for the priesthood there would be transferred.
Despite the decline in spiritual practices and vocations in Spain, The Catholic Church inactive plays an crucial social role, including in charitable and educational activities, according to the quoted report. Over 1.5 million students are taught in 2.5 1000 Catholic schools, and 148,000 students are educated in 17 Catholic universities.
Source: PAP 
