The Catholic Church in Belgium has reported a 3.6% increase in average Sunday Mass attendance for 2024, marking the first notable rise in years, though Church officials caution it may be too early to declare a lasting reversal of decades of decline.
Newsroom (May 27, 2025, 10:23, Gaudium Press) According to newly released statistics from the Belgian Bishops’ Conference, an average of 173,335 worshippers attended weekly Mass in 2024, up from 167,360 in 2023. The growth appears concentrated in urban parishes with dynamic communities, though overall attendance remains far below pre-pandemic levels, when more than 200,000 regularly attended.
Possible Factors Behind the Increase
While the bishops did not directly attribute the uptick to Pope Francis’ September 2024 visit, the annual Mass count took place shortly after his trip, which garnered significant media attention. Another contributing factor may be a surge in adult baptisms, which have nearly doubled since 2014, from 186 to 362 in 2024, with projections of 536 this year—a 48% increase.
Declines in Other Sacraments
Despite the modest rise in Mass attendance, other key indicators continue to decline:
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Child baptisms dropped 14.5% (29,769 in 2024 vs. 34,826 in 2023)
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First Communions fell 9.8% (30,523 vs. 33,853)
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Confirmations decreased 7.2% (27,458 vs. 29,580)
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Catholic weddings declined 6.6% (4,896 vs. 5,241)
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Catholic funerals dipped 4.5% (35,515 vs. 37,207)
The slowing rate of decline in some areas—such as child baptisms, which fell 20% the previous year—suggests stabilization, though demographic challenges persist. Belgium’s fertility rate (1.4) remains below replacement level, though immigration, including from Catholic-majority countries, may be offsetting some losses.
“Debaptism” Requests and Ongoing Scandals
The report did not include 2024 figures for formal defections from the Church, but 2023 saw a record 14,251 requests—a surge linked to the September 2023 airing of “Godforsaken,” a documentary series on clerical abuse that sparked national outrage. The Vatican has reaffirmed that while defections can be noted in parish records, baptismal registries cannot be altered, as sacraments leave an “indelible spiritual mark.”
Pilgrimages Show Resilience
While not included in this week’s data, Belgium’s Marian shrines—Banneux, Beauraing, Oostakker, and Scherpenheuvel—have seen post-pandemic rebounds, with Scherpenheuvel attracting 800,000 pilgrims in 2023, up from 600,000 in 2022.
A Cautious Outlook
Church leaders emphasized that one year of growth does not signify a trend, particularly given Belgium’s secularization pressures. However, the rise in adult conversions and urban engagement offers glimmers of hope for a Church navigating complex societal shifts.
– Raju Hasmukh With data from the Belgian Bishops’ Conference and Cathobel.be
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