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Decline Of the Catholic Church in Western Europe 1

Impact of the Decline of the Catholic Churchs influence in Western Europe


Troy W. Collazo

Global Studies and World Languages


Decline Of the Catholic Church in Western Europe 2

Table Of Contents

Abstract 3

Introduction 4

Limitations 7

Literature review 7

Body 11

Conclusion 20

References 24

Appendix A& B 26-29


Decline Of the Catholic Church in Western Europe 3

Abstract

The Roman Catholic Church, which once formed a second Pax Romana, has lost significant
impact in its old dominion, Western Europe. The political dimensions, economic shifts, and
cultural changes of this shift are undeniable, but there is few consensus on just what is to be
attributed to this oft-celebrated fall. This paper defines western Europe in the same vein of the
European UNION: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,Croatia, Cyprus, croatia, czech republic, denmark,
estonia, finland, france, germany, greece, hungary, ireland, italy, latvia, lithuania, luxembourg,
malta, the netherlands, poland, portugal, romania, slovakia, slovenia, spain, sweden, and the
United Kingdom.

Introduction
Ever since Theodosius 1 made Roman Catholicism the official religion of the

Roman Empire in 380 A.D, The Roman Catholic Church has been the major source of

stability, order, and culture in western europe. The monasteries of the Catholic Church

preserved the knowledge of the Greco-roman world and led to the creation of the modern

university system and libraries, preventing the middle ages from being true dark ages.

Through the creation of the hospital network in Europe, and guided by its view of social

justice, health care was expanded in europe pass only familial obligations, with a

preferential option for the poor. The church is documented as being one of the first

institutions to recognize human rights, issuing edicts against western european powers
Decline Of the Catholic Church in Western Europe 4

known for inhumane treatment of the indigenous in their territories, and issued

encyclicals aimed at providing humane labor conditions for workers following the

industrial revolution.

However, The Roman Church has also had its share of controversy. Around the

late middle ages, a series of abuses by certain princes of the church and the frightful

inquisitions spawning across southern Europe,were being documented and exchanged

widely throughout the laity, via the advent of the printing press and the democratization

of knowledge, leading to a distrust of the clergy and the institution of the church as a

moral edifice. This was further complicated by the spread of requiring donations for st

Peters basilica for indulgences, a religious practice of catholics freeing them from

temporary internment for sin, which acted as a catalyst for the protestant reformers to

spread their ideas to throughout Europe. Many newly protestant nations, mostly

concentrated in the northwest of europe, issued anti-catholic laws mirroring pre-

constantinian Rome.This led to the first major weakening of the Churchs power in

western Europe since the Arian heresy. This weakening was further enhanced by the

enlightenment, which increased religious skepticism and led to anti catholic laws in

historically Catholic Nations, such as France and Italy, who felt the Churchs global

influence was far to antithetical to their leaders nationalist aims. The 20th century,

beginning with Otto Von Bismarck's purging kulturkampf, initiated an increasing

tendency to tout secularism over the influence of the Catholic Church, leading the church
Decline Of the Catholic Church in Western Europe 5

to offer the secular world olive branches, by supporting and influencing global

institutions, such as the U.N and the E.U, and convening the Second Vatican Council,

which expanded its teachings on human dignity, and the relation of the church to the

state. Into the twenty-first century, the Boston Globe's coverage of the sex abuse Scandal

in 2004 led to a further weakening of the Churchs influence, and led to a popular opinion

of the church as nefarious.

While this paper focuses on the Western European Region, the effects of this phenomenon
is worldwide. Western Europe, as an economic and cultural powerhouse is dwindling, and the
aftershocks of its collapse will send waves through the many channels and gateways that Western
Europe plays a huge part in. Due to Hegemony and Globalism, western Europe has been the
litmus test for other civilizations, as its vast impact has created uniform landscapes across the
globe, including the phenomenon of the catholic churchs waning influence. As Europe is farther
along in its progression, the effects of this change are likely to be mirrored in other nations and
regions.

Limitations
First, The researcher is not an expert in sociology nor western european history, and as
he has not yet finished high school, he lacks a degree analogous to these areas of study. He
Decline Of the Catholic Church in Western Europe 6

supplements this by consulting expert researchers and advisors to educate him on the topics at
hand.
Second, The researcher is a pious Catholic, but he has kept his bias out of the paper by
consulting multiple sources. The paper utilizes governmental, Catholic, and liberal sources in
order to reflect the diverse insights on this topic, while limiting the spin each source puts on the
piece.

Finally, due to the uniqueness of the topic question and the relatively short time period in which
the phenomenon at hand is in question, the sources were limited, however this small setback was
overcome via multipolar investigation and research

Literary Review
The sociological community has recognized the ceding influence of the Roman

Catholic Church as an institution in western Europe. However the effects of this

paradigm shift are still unclear even to global experts. The historical

implementation of catholic teaching, the economics of europe, and the current

political climate of western europe must be assessed in order to fully understand

the consequences of the Churchs lost impact.

The historical implementation of catholic teaching

The Catholic Church, in its teachings on family structure and the nature of

marriage, has advocated the nuclear family as the basic social unit for society
Decline Of the Catholic Church in Western Europe 7

(John Paul II, 1992). As such, Catholic nations in western Europe have historically

had laws aimed at restricting the weakening of this unit by illegalizing or

restricting divorce and same sex marriage. The Catholic Church has a unique

bioethical value system which strongly condemns abortion and famously

contraception (Paul VI, 1968). Just as with same sex marriage and divorce,

Catholic Countries have historically implemented these church teachings into civil

law. The Catholic Church, having lost most of its grand temporal power with the

reunification of Italy in the mid to late 19th century(Metcalf, 2003), has had these

teachings implemented into law through the use of concordats, agreements

between the state and the Holy See. Despite the emphasis on the ideal of laicite

being appealed to more in modern european politics, the amount of concordats

have actually increased from before the Second Vatican Council, the major council

which issued a wide range of reforms into the catholic church (Teicher, 2012).

The Economics of Europe

Human Geography and economists teach us that the vitality of a society is locate in

natality, mortality, the replacement ratio, gender ratio, and dependency ratio
Decline Of the Catholic Church in Western Europe 8

(Pearson, 2014). These values are displayed on the Demographic Transition Model.

It is a consensus that the Western European region is in an inviolable demographic

situation, with almost all of the countries existing in a sub replacement

reproduction rate of 1.5 children per women, and its trend is likely to

exponentially deteriorate if matters are not effectively dealt with (reuters, 2013). At

this rate, By 2050, Europes economic system will be in shambles. By 2050,

western Europe, which now boasts some of the most powerful economies in the

world, will have only one economy at the top ten, Germany, which will drop from

the fifth economy in the world (PWC, 2015).

Current Political Climate of Western Europe

The European Union, with historically catholic ties and positions (Carroll,2015),

has embraced progressive positions on the relation of the state and the church and

taken action in aggressively pursuing legislation contrary to the catholic church in

catholic countries. Even requiring passage of anti catholic legislation for reception

into union, a prime example being Malta. Due to the increasing dependency upon

migrant labour,particularly from islamic countries, islamophobia has increased

exponentially throughout europe, says intelligence analysts. While the Catholic


Decline Of the Catholic Church in Western Europe 9

Church has advocated a healthy freedom of religion as a basic human right and a

respectful interaction between religion and civil government, Europe, particularly

france, has increased bigotry and aggressive secularization into the region (Paul,

1968).

Body
The Catholic Church and Western Europe, symbolically wed by Charlemagne, had

enjoyed an intimate relationship since the 9th century, a relationship so close that Hilaire Belloc,

famed Catholic writer, quipped, the Faith is Europe, and Europe is the Faith (Belloc,1920).

Without a doubt, this relationship has faltered significantly, to the applause of many secularists

and the lament of many of the faithful. However, there has been little investigation into the long

term effects of this major change, due to the waning influence of the Church, in contrast to a

single, identifiable event causing a huge loss of influence. Many major changes in the culture,

economics, and politics of Europe are seen as isolated events, and are not drawn to their

provenance.

European Union

The European Union has been a hot topic on the global arena due to the Brexit, the

widely publicised, populist-driven exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Gregg,
Decline Of the Catholic Church in Western Europe 10

2016). The exit of the UK, a founding member of The EU, is seen as having dramatic effects on

the economics and trade capabilities of the international organization ( Irwin,2015), by its exit

alone in March 2017 (Foster, 2016), not to mention the powder keg of other exit movements it

has inspired throughout western europe. As this wave of euroscepticism and nationalism sweeps

the western half of the continent (Gutteridge, 2016), and nations as important as France and the

Netherlands consider leaving the union, the initial prospect of the union, for European unity,

seems to be unraveling at the seams (Macmillan, 2016). In 1957, The European Union was

conceived, with a large amount of support from the Catholic Church, as both had a common

interest in the union of the continent(Kratochvl, 2014). The bolstering of nationalism in Europe

following the erection of nation-states to the shedding of the traditional monarchies of Europe

culminated in the disastrous rise of Nazism, perhaps the worst iteration of a nationalist and

populist movement(Truman,2016). The world war and awful crimes against humanity that

ensued from this ideology gave the leaders a potent jerk to ensure that never again will a

European nation feel so economically isolated, that they fall prey to demagoguery as Germany

did in 1933. The Catholic Church, an institution with a near eidetic memory, learned longer

lessons as to the danger of nationalism. A wave of anti-clericalism and anti-Catholicism had been

instilled into the hearts and minds of the intelligentsia of Europe during the late 19th century. In

the minds of men like Garibaldi, the Italian statesman and one of the unifiers of Italy, saw the

Catholic Church, powerfully resting in the temporal power of the Papal States, as a medieval

powerhouse of feudalism and the enmity of democracy. Garibaldi and his red shirts waged war

on the Papal States, and the church therein, but failed to accomplish his perfect democratic

utopia, as his compatriots vested power of the unified Italian peninsula to Sardinian king Victor

Immanuel II (Smith, 2007). This was the first success of realpolitik, the Machiavellian doctrine
Decline Of the Catholic Church in Western Europe 11

that a nation state interests justify the means of reaching their said goals. This term would soon

become more associated with anti-Catholicism than the color orange. In Germany, during the

same epoch, Otto Von Bismarck employed the kulturkampf, seeking to transform Prussia into

modern day Germany. In doing so, he actively purges Catholic influence from the state and

Catholics from the developing state. This period of attention on ones own nation introduced an

air of eugenics to pollute the minds of many European statesman, particularly in southwest and

Midwest Europe. Nations grew in importance to the point of being thought of as their own races,

thinking which the Catholic Church vehemently opposed consistently and at times verbally(Pius

XII, 1937), and minority groups residing in these areas were seen as undesirables. These

ideologies went unchecked for decades, were further agitated in the Great War, and escalated to

their highest Brest in the Second World War. It was in the aftermath of this disaster, that

European leaders officially took potent measures to finally condemn the eugenics by forced

sterilization, internment, and extermination via the Convention for the Protection of Human

Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. This 1953 treaty, drafted by the EUs spiritual ancestor and

lessor contemporary, the Council of Europe, was seen by many as a new world order, meant to

foster a Pax Europa, a direct contrast to the past 40 years of hostility and bloodshed. Jacques

Maritain, french Catholic philosopher and father of supranational democracy and Christian

Democracy, posited that for the european Union to succeed, it must have a close relationship

with the Catholic Church (Baster, 2008). While firmly in opposition to it becoming a second

iteration of the papal states, or the Holy Roman Empire as the detractors of the time accused it to

be, Maritain envisioned the union to operate under the Universal Law of Charity, the

cooperation of democracy due to the genuine concern for the state of the other. West German

Chancellor Konrad Adenauer, Italian statesman Alcide De Gasperi, and French Foreign Minister
Decline Of the Catholic Church in Western Europe 12

Robert Schuman, contemporaries of Jacques Maritain and considered the founding fathers of

modern Europe, envisioned European order based off of Catholic Social Teaching, the union of

Subsidiarity and Solidarity (Glendon, 2015). Schuman went on to found the first European

Community, the European Coal and Steel Community, which formed the economic foundation of

what would become the socio economic European Union. The government of this Union was

recommended to Schuman by Pope St. Pius XII, stating that each state retains an equal right of

its own sovereignty, but it also acts through "an organ invested by common consent with

supreme power . While The E.U ostensibly retains this in its documents, the current political

situation is visibly drifting from the view of its founders. Schuman, like Maritain, saw this union

as having Catholic ties, even stating, Europe is the establishment of a generalized democracy in

the Christian sense of the word (Baster, 2008). The Union, in the eyes of its founders and

supporters, could not be separated from Christian principles and Catholic philosophy. However,

with the widely-publicised and criticized decision to leave Christian Heritage out of the

European Union in 2003, the E.U seems on par to paint a completely irreligious Europe. While

taking Issue with the current positions of the E.U, The Catholic Church, particularly the

hierarchy, tends to support the Continuation of the European Union, and wishes to work towards

strengthening it, seeing it as beneficial for the protection of human rights and migrancy, and also

for loyalty to the once close relationship between the two supranational organizations. In 2014,

the current Pope, Francis I, addressed the European Parliament with an olive branch and a

friendly admonishment of it's path and what he feels needs to happen for thee E.U to survive and

taper the growing wave of Euroscepticism and protect what he says as the correct view of

humanity, that is a humanity that is integrally connected to the well being of his

neighbor( Francis I, 2016)In this selected section of the address, he again sets out another plea
Decline Of the Catholic Church in Western Europe 13

for the two organizations to work in tandem: Taking as a starting point this opening to the

transcendent, I would like to reaffirm the centrality of the human person, which otherwise is at

the mercy of the whims and the powers of the moment. I consider to be fundamental not only the

legacy that Christianity has offered in the past to the social and cultural formation of the

continent, but above all the contribution which it desires to offer today, and in the future, to

Europes growth. This contribution does not represent a threat to the secularity of states or to the

independence of the institutions of the European Union, but rather an enrichment. This is clear

from the ideals which shaped Europe from the beginning, such as peace, subsidiarity and

reciprocal solidarity, and a humanism centred on respect for the dignity of the human person.

I wish, then, to reiterate the readiness of the Holy See and the Catholic Church, through the

Commission of the Bishops Conferences of Europe (COMECE), to engage in meaningful, open

and transparent dialogue with the institutions of the European Union. I am likewise convinced

that a Europe which is capable of appreciating its religious roots and of grasping their

fruitfulness and potential, will be all the more immune to the many forms of extremism

spreading in the world today, not least as a result of the great vacuum of ideals which we are

currently witnessing in the West, since it is precisely mans forgetfulness of God, and his failure

to give him glory, which gives rise to violence (Francis I, 2014). Martin Schulz, President of the

Parliament, acclaimed this address, spoke on the common values of the Catholic Church and the

European Union, especially in accomplishing the values of tolerance, respect, equality,

solidarity and peace" (Schulz, 2014). Whether the two organizations will enter into detente is for

time to tell.

Aggressive Secularism
Decline Of the Catholic Church in Western Europe 14

The Catholic Church, since the aftermath of the second world war, has been dutifully

interested in formulating the existence of a balance of its obviously missionary goals and the

existence of pluralistic societies. Prior to the Second World War, religious homogeneity was a

reality of society, so pluralism was an Alien concept of the time. However the attempted

extermination of the Jewish people by the Nazis, who have always been a substantial minority in

Catholic countries, put into view of the need for minority rights and freedom of religion. Jacques

Maritain, aside from his political works, was a humanist. He pioneered what he called integral

humanism, which was a humanism open to a spiritual level, which he felt encapsulated the

entirety of a person. In this, Maritain tackled the issue of pluralism through human rights and

natural law. He pondered that every person, by their very nature, had the right of conscience,

which he argued was the result of their creation from God, but the recipient of this right was

under no obligation to do so. This has been compared to the philosophy of the American framers

who argued that their rights came not from temporal powers, but from Nature and Natures God

(Framers, 1776). Maritain was instrumental in the Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, but also

in the Catholic Churchs Dignitatis Humanae, the Churchs document on Freedom Of Religion.

Published as a consensus of the Second Vatican Council, The Churchs address to modern

society, the document not only affirms the right of religious freedom, but also its existence as a

civil and constitutional right: This Vatican Council declares that the human person has a right to

religious freedom. This freedom means that all men are to be immune from coercion on the part

of individuals or of social groups and of any human power, in such wise that no one is to be

forced to act in a manner contrary to his own beliefs, whether privately or publicly, whether

alone or in association with others, within due limits.


Decline Of the Catholic Church in Western Europe 15

The council further declares that the right to religious freedom has its foundation in the very

dignity of the human person as this dignity is known through the revealed word of God and by

reason itself.This right of the human person to religious freedom is to be recognized in the

constitutional law whereby society is governed and thus it is to become a civil right. Placing

high value on this right, The Catholic Church has sought to guard this right throughout out the

world. Church In need, a pontifical foundation based in England and Wales, publishes a semi-

yearly report on the global climate of religious freedom. It applauds the Western European

Governments of generally being benevolent towards religious freedom, and even gives plaudits

to the progress of religious freedom in nations in which freedom of conscience is partially

denied, particularly France and Greece. However, it gave in depth reports of anti religious hate

crimes rising in Europe due to the issue of refugee migrancy. While this barometer of religious

freedom gives the governments of Europe high marks, another report sees things differently. The

United States Commision on International Religious Freedom, while also acknowledging the

general good measures of the european union and its governments, it stated that there is a

growing trend that is restricting religious freedom, even using the term aggressive secularism

(CIRF, 2014). The study has found that governments, due to the increasing number of Muslims

in Western Europe due to immigration, have issued restrictive measures on the wearing of

sacrosanct religious dress in public institutions and in public, and restricts those who wear

religious items, particularly islamic religious headdress from holding public office. Religious

circumcision and ritualistic slaughter in accordance with dietary laws, both sacred acts according

to Jews and Muslims, have been restricted by the the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of

Europe. Muslims in Sweden have been banned from the construction of minarets, an act which

the Catholic Church in Sweden vocally opposed (Stussi, 2009). The sharing of Religious
Decline Of the Catholic Church in Western Europe 16

opinions has been treated in certain countries as Hate Speech, particularly from members of

faiths who hold traditional bioethical views on reproductive health, marriage, and the issue of

Euthanasia. The farthest of the countries has most likely been France, which has voted to

ban the proliferation of Anti-abortion sites on the Internet, as the government sees these positions

as false and harmful. The aim of these governmental actions in these European, especially france

and those influenced by the culture, is Laicite, the whitewashing of Religion from the public

square, as a solution to a pluralistic society. This system, in contrast to the free practice of

religion, actively limits freedom of expression, and has created an inviolable position to stem the

wave of populism seeking to change western Europe.

Populism

President-elect of the United States, Donald Trump, credited the Brexit with his historic

win, seeing himself as riding on a global populist wave (Fergusson, 2016). Researchers, however

have been tracking this trend for at least a decade. Many people feel disenfranchised by the

current political situation in Europe. The centre seems to be eroding away, as elections are

growing more and more polarized. The suppression of religious and cultural expression by

European Countries was meant to foster a coexistence of differing philosophies by simply hiding

their existence. This, however, has led to many polarized factions in Europe, and the rise of

Identity Politics, far-left and far-right fighting for civic and sometimes ethnic nationalism. The

European Refugee Crisis, has empowered these groups, as many european citizens, while

themselves generally free of prejudice and xenophobia, are in fear of the increased financial

strains of accepting refugees. Norbert Hofer, a politician with the Nazi-SS founded Freedom

Party, was narrowly defeated by the Green Party in Austria, giving a quick gut check to the

European Union of the lengths their constituents are willing to go for a change of government.
Decline Of the Catholic Church in Western Europe 17

Due to multiple incidents across Europe of Radical Islamic Terrorism, particularly Charlie Hebdo

and the Nice and Paris Attacks of 2016, Muslims have been targeted by far right nationalists as

un-european and an attack on European Values. The tension of Anti-Muslim vandalism, and

attacks, has radicalized many young european muslims, bitter over their minority status and acts

against them (Leiken, 2005). These young men, influenced by radicalized street imams and the

internet, have reinvigorated anti-semitism, which is further agitated by the rise of fascists and the

anti-zionist left (CIFR,2016). It would seem that the very principles that the E. U was created for

seem to be unraveling, The devastating Brexit, in view of prominent anthropologists and

sociologists such as George Soros, have listed it as only the first of major exits, as the popular

Marine Le Pen, the leader of the far- right National Front, has instituted leaving the E.U as a

campaign promise, hoping to put the nails in the E.Us coffin(Macmillan, 2016). The

Netherlands and Greece, large contributors to the E,U, are also seen as next to leave, as

opposition to remaining in the EU is steadily approaching and far exceeding 50%(OLeary

2016). It would seem that the dissolution of the E.U is only a few referendums away, as the

institutions scrambles to satisfy its detractors. The Catholic Church, Led by Francis I, has also

lamented this impending New World Order, as its philosophy is in opposition to the rising tides

of strict border nationalism and xenophobia, and Pope Francis is principally concerned with the

humanitarian crisis of the syrian refugees, who are seeking asylum in Europe, but may face

expulsion and further religious persecution should the E.U fracture. Pope Francis I, has

consistently warned the E.U of its vitality, for its failure to act on behalf of the Syrians would

turn the mediterranean into a vast migrant graveyard (Hayden 2014).

Economics
Decline Of the Catholic Church in Western Europe 18

A large catalyst for the rise of euroscepticism is the economic crisis of europe. Today,

the eurozone, the economic union of the Euro currency, plus the always currency- independent

United Kingdom, boast some of the worlds most prominent and strong economies, with the euro

beating out even the United States Dollar. However, future projections are not as brilliant. Today,

4 western european countries are in the top twenty for GDP per PPP (Purchasing power Parity),

with Germany at 5, UK at 10, Italy at 12, and Spain at 16 (PWC, 2015). By 2050, These four

Countries, will lower substantially, with only the Germany remaining in the top ten, but falling

five spots. This trend is seen in place today by populist parties, and many citizens in these

European countries frantically searching for solutions. There are a number of causes of this

economic phenomena. The Euro, the common currency of most european nations, ties their

countries together, creating the illusion of uniformity against a backdrop of very diverse living

standards (maughan, 2005). The monastic Catholic Church holds simplicity and poverty, or the

detachment from material possessions regardless of status, as an evangelical council, meaning it

is meant for all men to participate in it, not just the clergy. This teaching has formulated the

traditionally agrarian societies of Catholic Europe, as the people were generally austere and

simple, which was reflected in living, however due to modernity and massive urbanization,

formerly austere nations have become known for unsustainable living conditions and high

government spending (Catania, 2013). Portugal, Italy, Greece and Spain, forming the acronym

PIGS, were identified as these countries, all of which, especially Greece, have fallen into deep

recessions requesting aid from other countries in the Eurozone. Having all of the economies tied

to these countries, has caused all of the nations of the Eurozone to take a loss. Many economist

worry that the fail of the Euro, and thus a european recession, is imminent if the Eurozone is not

renegotiated and austerity reestablished in some way (Stiglitz, 2016). There are also bioethical
Decline Of the Catholic Church in Western Europe 19

and cultural contributions to the economic decline of Europe. In Cairo, Egypt, The United

Nations issued the Programme of Action of the United Nations International Conference on

Population and Development, which legalized abortion in almost the entire european region, save

the heavily catholic Malta (UNFPA, 2005). Though, abortion rates are lowering continent-wide,

there is still a very high rate of 12 per 1000 pregnancies ending in abortion, and the rate of repeat

abortions rising, particularly in france(Toulemon, 2014). This has lowering of abortions has been

attributed to the contraceptive revolution ( Ulrich, 2001). Which has led to 80% of western

European women using contraception. The Catholic Church is probably most notorious for its

infamous and complete ban on artificial contraception, however this has been ignored by a large

plurality of the faithful and virtually whitewashed from european government, as the E.U

mandates access to contraception in even historically Catholic Nations such as Spain and Italy

(Cross, 2012). These two factors have led to a negative population growth in 17 countries in

Europe. Researchers say there is a negative birth rate in most of the counties of Germany,

Hungary, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic, as well as in Sweden and the

Baltic States. Further south, natural decrease is found occurring in the majority of the counties of

Greece, Portugal and Italy. There are simply more people dying then being born, which is

causing a demographic crisis in which the elderly have no one to care for the, the welfare and

pension systems have no one to pay into them, and the jobs have no one to fill them. Some

European countries, such as Germany and Italy, have attempted to stem this by subsidizing

having children with a baby bonus but this small source of income has failed to stem the

negative birth rate, as it is far too little( Smith, 2011). Without a large change in the family

structure, the demographic ratio will continue to veer into inviolable territory ( Smith, 2011)
Decline Of the Catholic Church in Western Europe 20

Conclusion
In summary, The substantial decrease in the impact of the Catholic Churchs influence has acted
as a catalyst for substantial changes in the politics, culture, and economics of the Western
European region. If the Catholic Churchs presence and influence continues to be marginalized,
the politics, culture, and economics of the region will continue to decline in quality

First, The European Union, the chief supranational organization in western europe far outpacing
the Roman Churchs influence, must return to its foundation in Catholic Social Teaching and
assume a primus inter pares role in contrast to its more hegemonic role. If this shift fails to
occur, than the anti-globalist and populists movements in western europe will continue to grow
and will fracture the European Union into a state of dormition.
Second, The Catholic churchs inclusivist and pluralist philosophies are lost on the increasingly
sectarian factions of european politics, which, if peace is not soon engendered, will escalate into
more civil violence.

Lastly, The Catholic Church has fostered a viable philosophy on family affairs that has been lost
on Europe due to the growing use of contraception and abortion, if these trends continue, the
european continent will continue to depopulate leading to an austere future for the European
economy, and then the world, due to its web of connections around the world. This change, in
contrast with the increasing of developing countries in birth rates and GDP, will be the end of the
long era of a western dominated world.

Appendix A: Natural Decrease Map


Decline Of the Catholic Church in Western Europe 21

Annotated Bibliography

"Marriage and Divorce Statistics." - Statistics Explained. Eurostat, June 2016. Web.

This resource explains the the rate of divorce and the falling rate of marriage, two things which have
happened as a result of the failing influence of the Catholic Church, and which have a clear societal
impact.

Pope Paul VI And VCII Council Fathers - NOSTRA AETATE Declaration on the Relation of the
Church to Non-Christian Religions Second Vatican Council
Decline Of the Catholic Church in Western Europe 22
Relays the teaching of the Catholic Church on matter pertaining to religious freedom, which have
been lost in Western Europe as neo fascism is on the rise

"Why Italy's Facing a Birth Rate Apocalypse." Thelocal.it. AFP, 17 June 2016. Web.

This explains the issue of marriage and the failed initiatives to counteract it by the italian govt, which
is acting as a litmus test for other Eu countries

@thinkingfaith. "United in Diversity: Catholic Social Teaching and Europe." Thinking Faith: The
Online Journal of the Jesuits in Britain. N.p., n.d. Web.

This source shows the initial grounding principles of the EU, and its initial groundings in Catholicism,
which have then fallen away into a now disreputable organization

"The Brief: Rise of Islamophobia in Western Europe." Time. Time, n.d. Web.

This source shows the rising rate of racism and islamophobia in europe from an interview with a top
intelligence operatives.

@ReutersGraphics. "Europe's Demographic Crisis." Reuters. N.p., n.d. Web.

This source shows how rapid european depopulation will result in europe having huge economic
losses

Beyers, J. (2004). Voice and Access: Political Practices of European Interest Associations. European Union
Politics, 5(2), 211-240. doi:10.1177/1465116504042442

This shows the contraceptive rates rising in europe, and the effects of it

Ulrich, R. E. (n.d.). Most European Women Use Contraceptives. Retrieved from


http://www.prb.org/Publications/Articles/2001/MostEuropeanWomenUseContraceptives.aspx

This shows the large majority of european women use contraceptives

Bates, C. (2012, January 19). Nearly a third of pregnancies in Europe end in abortion. Retrieved
from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2088840/Abortion-statistics-Nearly-pregnancies-
Europe-end-termination.html
This site will be used to illustrate the growing rise of abortion rates in western europe

55, N., & 2003, -. (n.d.). ABORTION IN EUROPE.


This sources shows the genesis of universal access to abortion in western europe

(n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/abortions-on-rise-in-france-despite-


massive-funding-for-contraception\
Decline Of the Catholic Church in Western Europe 23
This site shows the tandem relationship of abortion and contraception

Stiglitz, J. (2016, August 10). Joseph Stiglitz: The problem with Europe is the euro. Retrieved from
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/aug/10/joseph-stiglitz-the-problem-with-europe-is-the-
euro

This site shows a pertinent economist explaining the downfall of the euro and the reasons behind its
downfall

Ten Reasons Why The Euro is Bad. (2010, March 02). Retrieved from
http://www.stevemaughan.com/europe-the-euro/ten-reasons-why-the-euro-is-bad/

This site shows how the euro acts against solidarity

Author: Edward Hugh March 10th, 2015 1119http%3A%2F%2Fwww.economonitor.com


%2Fedwardhugh%2F2015%2F03%2F10%2Fwhy-is-spains-population-loss-an-economic-problem
%2FWhy+Is+Spain%27s+Population+Loss+An+Economic+Problem%3F2015-03-
10+16%3A35%3A41Edward. (n.d.). EconoMonitor. Retrieved from
http://www.economonitor.com/edwardhugh/2015/03/10/why-is-spains-population-loss-an-economic-
problem/

This site shows the implications of the euro when it comes to the global recession

Eurozone crisis: The religion of bribes. (n.d.). Retrieved from


http://www.voxeurop.eu/en/content/article/3933281-religion-bribes

This shows the catholic countries reflection on the euro

The Coming Crash of the Euro. (n.d.). Retrieved from


http://www.pitbulleconomics.com/euro_crash.htm
tHIS SITE SHOWS HOW THE CRASHING OF THE ECONOMY HAS A DIRECT RELATION WITH
FAILING BIRTH RATES

More people in Europe are dying than are being born. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://phys.org/news/2016-01-people-europe-dying-born.html

THIS SITE SHOWS ME THE TREND OF NATURAL DECREASE IN WESTERN EUROPE

Europe's Angry Muslims. (2005, July 01). Retrieved from http://www.cfr.org/religion/europes-angry-


muslims/p8218
Decline Of the Catholic Church in Western Europe 24
This site shows the radicalization of a minority of european muslims, which has created a catalyst for
populism

This Is Why the Far Right Is on the Rise in Europe. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://time.com/4075396/far-right-politics-rise-europe/
This site helps me explain what the new right is, its role in europe, the reasons behind its rise, and
its implications.

Europe, W. (n.d.). WESTERN EUROPE.


This PDF helped me to understand the religious liberties being denied across western europe.

Western Europe. (1993). doi:10.4324/9781315844619


This PDF helped me understand the climate of religious liberty from the vantage point of the Holy
SEE.

(n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.globalresearch.ca/a-frexit-would-be-the-final-nail-in-the-eus-coffin-


a-potential-exit-referendum-in-france/5534404

This source helped me realize and explain the fragility of the european union, if it fails to perform to
the satisfaction of its detractors.
APPENDIX B: Interview with French NATO officer and French National, these opinions

expressed are those of the anonymous Nato Officer and French National, and are not the

thoughts nor opinions of the writer of this report..:

Me: Hello, Maam

Wife: Hello, sir

Me Maam, to begin, how long have you lived in France,

National: All of my Life, over forty years, in Corsica, Paris, and Toulons, the house next

to mine was Christopher Columbus historical home

Interviewer: interesting, were you religious growing up

National: Yes, Catholic, and France was too, you can see it today in the street names, the

cathedrals, the street blocks, and the monuments.

Interviewer: How have the migrants influenced this situation.


Decline Of the Catholic Church in Western Europe 25

National: In france, we have what is called, laicite, Laicite to me is fine, as everyone can

practice what they want, however they take it to far as they try to suppress religious liberty not to

offend the minorities. In france, before we had muslims and catholics, but above all we were

french, we all had french values, but now children are ashamed of being french, they only hear

the bad, like what happened in algeria, ignoring all of the services we provided them

Interviewer: So patriotism is at a lost in france?

National: Yes everyone is ashamed of being french, not like in america

Interviewer: So tell me more about the migrancy.

National:Many people are benevolent to the migrants and refugees, out of christian

charity, however the economics are just not good, and the migrants demand social services but

pay nothing back, even using our tax dollars to pay for their churches

Interviewer: So tax money goes to the funding of mosques?

National: Yes

Interviewer: Tell me, what is your opinion of the European Union

National: Absolutely negative, it has wrecked europe with its ideas and its economy and

it has done nothing for france and seeks to wipe out french culture

Interviewer:So would you favor the frexit, the french exit from the union,

National:Yes i would

Interviewer:Do you feel your other compatriots would as well

National: See i do not know, as the older generation is far more afraid then the youth, do

you know the experiment with the frogs, where if hyou put one in hot water it jumps out, but if

put in tepid water that is slowly heated, the frog does not notice, we were the lattter frogs, but the

youth are different, they want change, and are unpredictable


Decline Of the Catholic Church in Western Europe 26

Interviewer: What is your opinion on president francois hollande

National: Absolutely Negative, he has completely acted against france, and ruined our

economy through the lax handling of migrancy.

interviewer:How do you feel that contraception and abortion have affected france

National: Many Have abortions in france, actually 200000 every year, but catholics say

nothing about it because many of them have had abortions, you know france has issues with

ISIS( daesh) and you know what the government does, it bans pro life websites on the internet

Interviewer: Marine le pen, is rising in the polls, would you say you support the national

front

National: I would say it is a good party, she is a little extreme, but what are we going to

do with no options, i am no fan of Florian Phillipot as he supports gay marriage, and is gay

himself, and is pro choice, but I do support Marion Marechal-Le Pen as she is pro life and pro

family.

Officer: Do you mind if I cut in

Interviewer: Not at all

Interviewer: Sir if I may ask, what do you feel is the solution to radical islamic terror in

europe.

Officer:Well I don't know the answer to that, if i did i'd be commander in chief, however

in france, you have no identity, and these migrants are coming from their countries looking for an

identity as they have lost it in their own, and they are finding it in radicalism, and in the imams

preaching of radicalism.

Interviewer:So even imams are radicalized


Decline Of the Catholic Church in Western Europe 27

Officer: Unfortunately some of them are, and they in turn radicalize countless other, but

there is no simple solution to this issue, save the return to catholicism itself.

Interviewer:Thank you

Officer:My pleasure

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