Austrian Catholic Church Membership Continues to Decline

Austrian Catholic Church Membership Continues to Decline

APA/ERWIN SCHERIAU

 

More than 85,000 people in Austria left the Roman Catholic Church in 2023, according to statistics released by Church officials.

This represents a decline of around 1.9%, which is roughly in line with the previous year, and means that overall membership of the Roman Catholic Church in Austria fell from 4,733,085 to 4,638,842. Despite this, income from Church contributions rose slightly, increasing from just under €500 million to €511 million.

According to “Kathpress,” reasons for the departures are thought to include a growing distance from the Church, made worse by the pandemic, as well as ongoing economic difficulties. The agency also noted that it is not just the high number of departures that is driving the decline in membership, but also the ratio of baptisms to deaths, as well as the balance of people moving in and out of the country.

The number of baptisms in 2023 was 39,488, which is around 5,000 fewer than the previous year. The number of weddings also saw a decline, dropping from 9,503 to 8,228.

In 2023, 4,575 people either rejoined or newly joined the Church, also marking a slight decrease compared to previous year. The number of Church funerals that took place in 2023 stood at 50,900, which is a notable drop from 2022 (54,525).

The number of priests serving in Austria in 2023 was 3,320, according to official Church statistics. This, too, represents a slight decline compared to 2022, when the figure stood at 3,403. However, overall, the number of priests, as well as regular Church attendance, has remained relatively stable in recent years.

From 2025, the Catholic Church in Austria will offer its members the option to allocate half of their Church contribution to a specific cause or purpose.

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