Gus goes over some more recent Catholic statistics recently published by the Pew Research Group, including the rise of Hispanic Catholic population at parishes across the United States. He also goes over some of the percentages of Catholics and the role their faith places in their lives, including how 48% of Catholics say religion is important in their lives, but only 28% go to Sunday mass regularly. Gus talks about how that’s a major disconnect. He also talks about an interesting set of numbers based on the recent Pew Research surveys, which show that, among white/Caucasian Catholics, the population of regular mass attendees is getting older while, among Hispanic/Latinos, the numbers of young mass attendees is growing. It’s a very hopeful sign. Gus asks listeners what the Church can do better to attract more young white, black and other non-Latino Catholics to mass.
Also, Dr. Matthew Bunson of EWTN calls in to talk about some news items of Catholic interest, but first he talks about his recent trip to Singapore and his observations of the complex relationship between the Catholic Church and the Chinese government. They also talk about a group of cloistered Carmelite nuns in Arlington, Texas who have filed a lawsuit against the Diocese of Fort Worth and asked for a restraining order against Bishop Michael Olson. They are defying the Vatican’s decree of who governs the monastery, which stated it was the diocese. The dispute began last Spring when the bishop launched an investigation of the prioress, Mother Superior Teresa Agnes Gerlach, admitted to sexual conduct occurring between her and a priest. Lastly, Gus and Dr. Bunson go over a few Supreme Court cases that could impact religious liberty.
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