Germany: 162,000 Catholics left Church, 537 parishes closed in 2016
162,093 Catholics left the Church in Germany during 2016—down from 181,925 in 2015, according to statistics released by the bishops’ conference on July 21. 28.5% of Germans are Catholic, and the Catholic population stands at 23,582,000, down from 27,533,000 in 1996. 537 parishes closed in 2016. Over the past twoContinue Reading