{"id":79369,"date":"2026-06-10T06:50:27","date_gmt":"2026-06-10T10:50:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/study-shows-catholic-population-declining-across-america\/"},"modified":"2026-06-10T06:50:27","modified_gmt":"2026-06-10T10:50:27","slug":"study-shows-catholic-population-declining-across-america","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/study-shows-catholic-population-declining-across-america\/","title":{"rendered":"Study Shows Catholic Population Declining Across America"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/news-1781088627217.png?resize=1920%2C1080&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-79368\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/news-1781088627217.png?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/news-1781088627217.png?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/news-1781088627217.png?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/news-1781088627217.png?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/news-1781088627217.png?resize=1536%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n<p>Fresh research from the Pew Research Center sheds light on the religious landscape for a faith community that represents almost 25 percent of Americans. The analysis reveals that Catholic membership across the United States is experiencing a downward trend, with more individuals abandoning the Catholic Church in favor of Protestant congregations rather than the reverse pattern. Among Americans who do choose to embrace the Catholic religion, marriage to a Catholic spouse emerges as the primary motivation for their conversion.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>New research from the Pew Research Center reveals a downward trend in Catholic membership nationwide. The study indicates more Americans are switching from Catholicism to Protestant churches than vice versa, with marriage being the primary driver for those who do convert to the Catholic faith.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":79368,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[835],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-79369","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-religious"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/news-1781088627217.png?fit=1920%2C1080&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pbtNqq-kE9","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":61948,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/new-study-maps-global-religious-divide-between-catholic-and-protestant-faith\/","url_meta":{"origin":79369,"position":0},"title":"New Study Maps Global Religious Divide Between Catholic and Protestant Faith","author":"Admin","date":"May 5, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Research reveals how Catholic and Protestant Christianity are distributed across different continents. The study shows Latin America remains predominantly Catholic while Africa leans Protestant, and overall trends indicate people leaving Catholic churches for Protestant denominations.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Religious&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Religious","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/religious\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1777978279012.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1777978279012.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1777978279012.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1777978279012.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1777978279012.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":57981,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/study-shows-catholics-switching-to-protestant-churches-worldwide\/","url_meta":{"origin":79369,"position":1},"title":"Study Shows Catholics Switching to Protestant Churches Worldwide","author":"Admin","date":"April 27, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"A new Pew Research Center study reveals global trends in religious affiliation changes. The research shows Catholic membership declining while Protestant denominations experience growth through religious switching.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Religious&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Religious","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/religious\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/news-1777291793953.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/news-1777291793953.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/news-1777291793953.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/news-1777291793953.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/news-1777291793953.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":74824,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/research-shows-religious-congregations-hear-different-social-topics-in-sermons\/","url_meta":{"origin":79369,"position":2},"title":"Research Shows Religious Congregations Hear Different Social Topics in Sermons","author":"Admin","date":"June 1, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"New research from the Pew Research Center reveals differences in what social issues are discussed during worship services across religious denominations. The study found that White Evangelical Protestant churchgoers are most likely to hear sermons addressing abortion and homosexuality, while Catholic parishioners more often hear about abortion and immigration topics.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Religious&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Religious","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/religious\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/news-1780312027334.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/news-1780312027334.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/news-1780312027334.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/news-1780312027334.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/news-1780312027334.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":41641,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/new-survey-faith-communities-show-surprising-acceptance-of-gambling\/","url_meta":{"origin":79369,"position":3},"title":"New Survey: Faith Communities Show Surprising Acceptance of Gambling","author":"Admin","date":"March 24, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"A recent Pew Research Center study challenges assumptions about religious opposition to betting. The survey found that most Americans across different faith traditions don't view gambling as morally problematic.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Religious&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Religious","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/religious\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/news-1774350400949.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/news-1774350400949.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/news-1774350400949.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/news-1774350400949.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/news-1774350400949.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":25579,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/study-shows-educational-differences-across-religious-groups-in-america\/","url_meta":{"origin":79369,"position":4},"title":"Study Shows Educational Differences Across Religious Groups in America","author":"Admin","date":"February 23, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"New research from Pew reveals significant variations in college education levels among different faith communities. Hindu Americans lead with the highest percentage of college graduates, while Protestant denominations show lower completion rates.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Religious&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Religious","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/religious\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/news-1771856245211.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/news-1771856245211.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/news-1771856245211.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/news-1771856245211.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/news-1771856245211.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":47745,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/new-study-shows-christian-stations-dominate-religious-radio-landscape\/","url_meta":{"origin":79369,"position":5},"title":"New Study Shows Christian Stations Dominate Religious Radio Landscape","author":"Admin","date":"April 6, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"A comprehensive new study from the Pew Research Center examines religious radio broadcasting across America. The research reveals that Christian programming makes up nearly three-quarters of all religious radio content nationwide.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Religious&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Religious","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/religious\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/news-1775473595081.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/news-1775473595081.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/news-1775473595081.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/news-1775473595081.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/news-1775473595081.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79369","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=79369"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79369\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/79368"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=79369"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=79369"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=79369"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}