Spanish youth rejecting Catholic Church

MADRID (RNS) – Despite Pope John Paul II’s efforts to reach out to young Catholics, Spanish youth are turning away from the church in droves, a new study says.

Only 33 percent of Spaniards between the ages of 13 and 24 identify themselves as practicing Catholics, while a mere 10 percent go to church regularly, according to the study.

Study author Francisco Carmona noted that in 1960 the identification figure was 95 percent, while 58 percent of young Spaniards wouldn’t miss Sunday Mass.