Decline of the priesthood
According to the Pastoral-Theological Institute of St.Gallen there were 1555 Diocesan priests in Switzerland in 1983, down to 973 in 2005. The number of lay workers has quadrupled in the same period. In 1958, there were 2280 Diocesan priests in Switzerland.
In 1950, there were 2 million Catholics in Switzerland, there are now 3 million as a result of Italian immigration in the 1970s.
But wait a minute, only 25 percent of them practice their religion, so the number of practicing Catholics/ priest has gone down from 877 to 770, if one assumes 100 percent practice- maybe about the same if there was 80 percent practice.
There is a shortage of practicing Catholics, not of priests.
In 1950, there were 2 million Catholics in Switzerland, there are now 3 million as a result of Italian immigration in the 1970s.
But wait a minute, only 25 percent of them practice their religion, so the number of practicing Catholics/ priest has gone down from 877 to 770, if one assumes 100 percent practice- maybe about the same if there was 80 percent practice.
There is a shortage of practicing Catholics, not of priests.
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