In six years, the Church in Belgium has lost 1,000 diocesan priests. Last year, there were only ten ordinations.
Newsroom (26/12/2024 09:55, Gaudium Press) This year’s report, published by the Belgian Bishops’ Conference, reveals catastrophic data about its situation, despite highlighting aspects such as the generous dedication of volunteer work in parishes.
Compared to 2016, there has been a sharp decline in the main indicators of the Catholic Church’s presence in Belgium. In fact, in 2016, there were 2,774 diocesan priests; in 2023, only 1,764; a reduction of 36.4%. If this figure is extended to all priests (diocesan and religious), the reduction is 30.9%. There were 10 ordinations in 2023, compared to very low numbers previously.
Sacramental practice (baptisms, communions, religious weddings, confirmations and religious funerals) is in decline. The number of religious baptisms fell from 50,867 in 2016 to 34,826 in 2023, a drop of 31.5%. Religious marriages followed a similar trend, with a reduction of 33.3%. With around 6 million Catholics, fewer than 175,000 regularly attended Sunday Mass in 2022. This represents just 3% of the Catholic population.
What is really striking is the surge in requests to remove names from the baptism register. This figure usually hovers around 1,500 people a year and had already peaked at 5,237 in 2021, when the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith declared that the Catholic Church has no power to bless same-sex unions, a statement considered unpopular by many Belgians.
In 2023, 14,251 requests for “de-baptism” were registered, a considerable increase compared to the 1,270 in 2022: ten times more in just one year.
When Catholics request to be “unbaptized” in Belgium, the request is noted in the margin of the baptismal register of the parish where they were baptized, but the baptismal inscription is not erased.
The Catholic Church teaches that “baptism marks the Christian with an indelible spiritual seal of belonging to Christ. This mark is not erased by any sin, even though sin prevents Baptism from bearing the fruits of salvation“ (Catechism, 1272)”. Although a person can stop practicing the faith, or even renounce it, it is impossible to reverse the effects of baptism.
This has sparked a legal battle with Belgian citizens, who argue that the policy violates their right to privacy and data protection.
The Bishop of Liège attributes this significant increase to the repercussions of the VRT documentary ‘Godvergeten’, which deals with cases of sexual abuse committed within the Catholic Church.” ‘Godvergeten’ itself is a consequence of the situation that developed in Flanders 50 years ago.”
According to the Catholic Church’s report, this explanation may seem plausible, since 98% of the deregistration requests were registered in Flanders and the archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussels.
Although there is no comment in the media about what the Second Vatican Council, which took place exactly 50 years ago, meant, it is clear that there has been a shift in terms of catechesis and formation of Belgian Catholics. This situation has even led three Belgian bishops to criticize the Pope’s statements on abortion and King Baldwin on his recent trip.
One positive fact to note is the slight increase in the number of adult baptisms, which registered 260 in 2023, compared to 225 in 2022.
Compiled by Teresa Joseph
