No one will be intrested in little old NZ but I thought the figures made intresting reading from the latest census figures just released.

A massive 30% of all NZders stated they had "no religion". I would never picked it as this high, incredible. The journalist jokingly attributes the rise in loss of faith to the "decline of the All Black deity". Sadly there could well be a hint of truth in it(Im not joking when the national rugby team is going well the country is much happier ).

Of the major Christian relgions respondants identified themselves as

Anglicans 17% but down 8% from 5 years ago

Catholics 14% but UP 2.6% from 5 years ago

Presbyterians 11% but down 11% from 5 years ago

Yah Be not Afraid were on the way up!!!!!!!!!

Anyway no need to comment out of politeness I just have no one to discuss religion with here in NZ so I bug you guys ;)

God Bless

-- Kiwi (csisherwood@hotmail.com), November 03, 2002

Answers

I have a question Kiwi. Is New Zealand taking many Catholic refugees or workers from other countries. Here in the United States where I live Catholicism is growing because of foreign immigration. Those church bodies you mentioned are also dying. They have few kid and there is no new blood to keep them growing. One day they will disappear. Unfortunately, Kiwi many Catholic young people are becoming atheists or nonbelievers. I poll my students, the majority of them Catlolic every year. More and more no longer know in what the church of their fathers believes. In Mexico where I came from, it went from 95% catholic 20 years ago to 87% now. Mormons, Jehova's Witnesses, Apostolics, are taking over besides the religois indifference.

-- Elpidio Gonzalez (egonzalez@srla.org), November 04, 2002.

Hi Elpidio Im going to rant and rave nonsense excuse me....

I guess Latin America doesnt know how lucky it is! Ive read the new age evangelist movement has made some ground number wise in South America. A mere blip my good man, have faith the people are responding to the call re world youth day and while evangelist charasmatic Catholic stuff isnt my cup of tea Im understand it has a huge youth folowing. Pope John Paull II seems paticualry keen on it and sees it as the furture. Im not so sure about this but what do I know.

As for NZ Catholic immigrants, no very few, most of our new immigrants are not from Catholic countries .

The church here is growing despite all the anti Catholic stuff we see in the media(believe me NZ is just as bad as US). I believe it is the moderate loving nature of Catholics here in NZ as an example to others. We are sensible common sense people with strong morals and faith (NZ Catholics!) who are not fundamentalists in any way.

We like a beer and a laugh as much as anyone else, basically were not weridos or fanatics BUT unlike Protestants we actually stand for something. There is certainty and there is strength in our traditions that no one else has. Its so great to be a Catholic, it fills my heart with joy, love and (whoops) a bit of pride! Catholics rock ;)

God Bless

-- Kiwi (csisherwood@hotmail.com), November 04, 2002.

gee kiwi, I'm not a Protestant myself but I always thought they stood for Jesus Christ. Silly me.

-- Oliver Fischer (spicenut@excite.com), November 04, 2002.

Thanks Courtenay for the information. I am always interested in the growth or decline of Catholicism, no matter what country. As a believer in the Church Jesus instituted, I realize the importance of all Christians coming to the full faith.

-- Glenn (Glenn@noemail.com), November 04, 2002.

yeah sorry Olly I didnt mean it like that. I mean that having a church started by Christ and having 2000 years of consistent and non contridictory teachings is something special. In the eyes of more and more NZders at least they would choose this over churches who like you say acknowledge Christ but make the rules up to please the most number of people in the street. Some demoniations even support abortion...the Anglican Church in NZ has women Bishops and will change its mind over an issue as easily as a bit of rubbish blowing in the wind. Clearly you can choose this or you can be a Catholic. More and more Kiwis are seeing the truth. God Bless.

-- Kiwi (csisherwood@hotmail.com), November 04, 2002.

I've come to see our good Kiwi as an indispensible cog in the Church's machine down under. If only we could find some way of making him reproduce, like the mushrooms. It might be astounding to see. God bless you, Ish.

Thanks for the private correspondence. Stay away from zanies, Mate!

-- eugene c. chavez (chavezec@pacbell.net), November 04, 2002.

Kiwi,

May St. Francis Xavier(also known-Apostle to the far East) and is one of the Patron Saints for New Zealand pray for you, and all the Catholics in New Zealand, and help bring Mom and Dad back to the Holy Mass.

May Our Lady, help of Christians whose feastday is May 24 in the Holy Church pray for all the Catholics In New Zealand and especially your younger sister, and bring her home to the Church. This feastday was instituted by Pope Pius VII.

God bless you and your family.

David

-- David (David@excite.com), November 05, 2002.

Opppps. St Francis Xaviers feastday is celebrated on December 3rd in the Holy Catholic Church.

-- David (David@excite.com), November 05, 2002.