[Graph on page 11]

(For fully formatted text, see publication)

DISAPPEARING FLOCK

(Percent of regular Mass attenders in Italy)

1956 69%

1977 28%

How Many Catholics Are Still Practicing?

Meanwhile, what about the Catholic flock? Some Catholics are afraid that many may be becoming Catholics in name only, and they have cited the following figures in Italian publications: Attendance at Mass has dropped by more than half in France and Italy in the last 15-20 years. In Italy, where it is estimated that 99 percent of the population is nominally Catholic, less than one third of them attend Mass regularly!