The Trend Continues

By “Awake!” correspondent in Costa Rica

DURING the 1960’s a definite religious trend became obvious. The New York Times Encyclopedic Almanac 1970, pages 441 and 442, noted: “Not only in the United States but all over the world, there is a steady departure from the religious life and the priesthood. . . . the exodus from rectory, monastery, and convent continues: in 1968 perhaps as many as 2,700 U.S. Catholic priests left the active ministry and 9,000 nuns their convents.”

Vatican sources reveal that in the Western world seminary students have decreased by 20,000 in just three years. Even in the strongholds of Roman Catholicism the trend is apparent. Observed the New York Times, April 21, 1968: “Everywhere in Catholic Latin America, the church is in a state of crisis. Splits have developed in nearly every country.”

What about in Costa Rica, where the overwhelming majority of the population is Catholic? According to the head of the Central Seminary, Costa Rica should have one priest for every 1,000 to 2,000 Catholics. There is, however, only one priest for every 4,000 Catholics, or just half the desired number. And what are the prospects for increasing the number?

They are not good. There is in Costa Rica a steady decrease in the number of seminary students and in the ordination of priests. For example, in 1966 there were 15 priests ordained; in 1967 just 10; in 1968 only 4; in 1969, 6; and in 1970 just 5. Also, enrollments in the Central Seminary have dwindled. In 1968 there were 21; in 1969 only 12, and in 1970 the same number.

Why the Decline

There are a number of reasons for the decline. But basically the reason is loss of confidence in the Church. People see the corruption, the confusion over doctrine and policy, even rebellion among church leaders, and so grow disgusted.

Of the few Costa Rican youths who take the Church seriously enough to enter a seminary, many drop out after seeing, as one young Catholic put it, “the way things really are.” After studying in a seminary for four years, he said he was disillusioned and discouraged by the immorality of the priests.

Many Costa Ricans have also become disgusted by the Church’s emphasis on money. A number of Catholics interviewed recently called their Church ‘a business.’ Church raffles, carnivals and bingo are common, and nuns go from door to door asking for contributions. Also, it is not unusual to see amusement rides for children and gambling equipment set up on Church property.

Many persons feel that even the religious services are designed to make money. If a Mass is said or a marriage performed, money is collected. In fact, when the priest of a prominent church in the capital, San José, is paid to say Mass at a certain hour, he often schedules another Mass for the same hour in order to collect double money. Of course, he does not tell his ‘customers’ that the Mass is to be said for two different parties.

Thus it occurred that one day he scheduled a Mass for the dead and a wedding for the same hour, two religious services that are completely incompatible! As one might imagine, the result was confusion. The parties involved were angry and disgusted. And when the priest was phoned and asked why he scheduled things as he did, he hung up.​—La Nación, (San José), October 14, 1970.

But perhaps the greatest confusion and division among both clergy and laity is caused by the conflicting views within the Church regarding sex. For example, traditionally Catholics have been taught that the original sin was the first sexual experience between Adam and Eve. But now the view by progressive or liberal Catholics is quite different. Sex is no longer considered a sin, but as something wholesome. And if that is so, many are asking, why does the Church forbid its priests to marry?

A related issue is birth control. Many priests and laymen do not fully support the Pope’s decision on this, and yet do not want to say flatly that he is wrong. Thus a priest’s talk on the subject “Sex and Religion” at one of San José’s high schools resulted in an interesting discussion period.

The question was asked the priest, “What is the position of the church toward contraceptives?”

The priest answered by quoting the encyclical in which the Pope prohibited artificial contraception for Catholics. However, he said that this encyclical was not to be taken too rigidly. ‘It is a matter left to the conscience of the individual,’ he explained.

But a doctor in the audience asked how the priest’s answer could be harmonized with the Catholic Church’s teaching that the Pope is infallible when he speaks in an official way. The doctor then quoted Matthew 23:4, which tells about the Pharisees’ binding up ‘heavy loads on men’s shoulders,’ and asked, “Are not you Church leaders sinning as modern Pharisees, Father?”

At this the public present, almost 100 percent Catholic, broke out in applause.

No longer are many Catholics accepting what their Church teaches, as The New York Times Encyclopedic Almanac 1970, page 441, notes: “On celibacy and on other issues, in short, a question of Church reform has mushroomed almost overnight into a question of belief​—or perhaps more precisely unbelief—​in traditional Roman Catholic positions.”

The Results

As the confusion and dissension within the Church deepens, so does the moral decay. In Costa Rica marital infidelity is on the increase. People are putting iron bars over their windows and leaving someone at home at all times to prevent robbery. Even while they are in churches people are warned to hang onto their purses.

Also, young people in their anger and disgust have turned to violence against church buildings and priests. In Escazú the church last summer was vandalized. A few nights later, on August 9, 1970, a gang tried to assassinate a priest. At a lonely spot in the road they threw huge stones down on his car. And in April of 1971, some fifty youths seized control of a church for three days as “a denouncement against the oppression of the church,” as they stated it.

It is obvious that Catholic people are upset by what they see going on in their Church. But how do you think God feels? He, too, is disgusted with the religious systems that have not served Him, and so soon now the Bible shows he will bring about their destruction.​—Rev. 18:4.