Less than 10 percent of French Catholics attend Mass every Sunday, while only from 3 to 4 percent of Parisian Catholics regularly attend church.

In less than a century, the number of priests in France has fallen drastically, from 14 priests per 10,000 inhabitants to less than 1 per 10,000 today. Throughout Europe, the average age of priests is increasing, and a shortage is being felt even in such countries as Ireland and Belgium. At the same time, the number of children enrolled in catechism classes is dwindling, giving rise to serious doubts about the ability of the Catholic Church to ensure its renewal.

When it comes to religion, confidence seems to be a thing of the past. Only 6 percent of French people believe that “the truth can be found only in one religion,” compared with 15 percent in 1981 and 50 percent in 1952. Religious apathy is spreading. The proportion of people who say that they have no religious affiliation has climbed from 26 percent in 1980 to 42 percent in 2000.​—Les valeurs des Français—​Évolutions de 1980 à 2000 (French Values​—Development From 1980 to 2000).