Mexico still Catholic, but number of atheists on the rise

Mexico City, Mexico, Mar 26, 2008 / 05:47 pm MT (CNA).-

Mexico’s National Institute of Statistics, Geography and Information Technology said this week that while most Mexicans remain Catholic, the fastest growing group in the country is atheists.

In a recent report, the Institute said the number of atheists grows annually by 5.2%, while the number of Catholics grows by 1.7%.

Mexicans “are increasingly more involved in the new religious movements that are gaining ground in the ambit of the faith, mainly in rural zones, poor urban areas and indigenous communities,” the report indicates.  “These faithful are characterized by two things: high rates of illiteracy and low income.”

A recent study by the Mexican Institute for Christian Social Doctrine asserted that among Catholics, “there is really no commitment to the faith they preach” and most have become nominal believers who attend baptisms and marriage but not Sunday Mass.

The study indicated that on Sunday an average of 200 people are in attendance at each Mass at the more than 9,000 parishes and chapels in Mexico.