Church responds to new UK census figures on religion
(Vatican Radio) The Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales has responded
to the latest UK Census figures on religious believers. The 2011 findings showed
that the number of people in the UK identifying themselves as Christian stands at
59 %. This compares to 72% in 2001. Responding to these figures, a spokesman
for the Catholic Bishops Conference said:
“The overall decrease in the number
of self-identifying Christians is consistent with recent social attitude and social
value surveys. While this is a challenge, the fact that six out of 10 people in England
and Wales self-identify as Christians is not discouraging. Christianity is no longer
a Religion of culture, but a Religion of decision and commitment. People are making
a positive choice in self-identifying as Christians.
“While precise figures
are difficult to determine, polling shows that the Catholic population has remained
consistent at 9% of the total population for many years. Ipsos Mori research for Cafod
in 2008 pointed to there being 5 million Catholics in England and Wales and around
one million attend mass on a weekly basis.
“Catholics play a full part in
the country’s social and cultural mix, serving the common good. In the words of Pope
Benedict XVI at Westminster Cathedral during his visit in 2010 “How much we need,
in the Church and in society, witnesses of the beauty of holiness, witnesses of the
splendour of truth, witnesses of the joy and freedom born of a relationship with Jesus
Christ.”