LONDON — Weekly church attendance in the Irish Republic — which stood at the extraordinarily high level of 91 percent of the population as recently as 1973 — dropped to 48 percent in 2001, according to a survey reported in the Irish Times.
Surveys since 1973 have shown a steady decline to 85 percent in 1986, 79 percent in 1991, 66 percent in 1996, 60 percent in 1998 and 57 percent in 1999. And the rate is set to sink lower.
While 58 percent of those ages 50 to 64 said they went to mass at least once a week in the latest survey, only 27 percent of those between ages 25 and 34 did.
Share with others: