The annual report of the Catholic Church in Belgium for the year 2023 provides a precise overview of the current situation. It particularly highlights two major aspects: the crucial importance of volunteers in parish life and the renewed involvement of young people. Alongside these signs of hope, the document however confirms worrying trends, with a constant decline in religious practice for several years.
Volunteers still essential
The figures demonstrate the considerable work carried out by thousands of volunteers. In 2023, 76,397 volunteers were involved in parishes, accumulating 3.5 million hours of work, the equivalent of 2,103 full-time jobs. Among the main activities, the liturgy comes first with nearly 40% of the hours worked, followed by administrative organization and solidarity initiatives. However, certain categories struggle to attract volunteers, such as confirmation catechism or parish teams.
A youth in search of meaning
Young people remain a pastoral priority for the Belgian Church, and 2023 was a good year for them. The success of the World Youth Days in Lisbon, with nearly 2,000 Belgian participants, or the JMJ Belgium festival testifies to active and engaged youth. These young people come from very diverse backgrounds. On a local scale, gatherings like Sterren van Hoop in Flanders or the Rise Up Tour concerts, created to finance the departure of young people from the diocese of Tournai to WYD, continue to energize communities. Diocesan initiatives, such as summer camps, torchlight marches or testimonies in schools, show a real demand for spirituality among younger generations.
A religious practice in decline
Analysis of the figures from the latest report of the Catholic Church in Belgium, in comparison with 2016, illustrates a marked decrease in the main indicators of the presence of the Belgian Church. In 2016, there were 2,774 diocesan priests. In 2023, there will be only 1,764, a decrease of 36.4%. If we extend this figure to all priests (diocesan and religious), the reduction is 30.9%. As for deacons, the decline is moderate, with -7.7%. A slight sign of hope appears with 10 ordinations in 2023, compared to very low values previously. The 2024 figures, published next year, should confirm this upward trend.
For religious practice, the number of baptisms fell from 50,867 in 2016 to 34,826 in 2023, a drop of 31.5%. Religious weddings follow a similar trend with a reduction of 33.3%. Attendance at Sunday masses, which remains a key barometer of religious practice, marks a significant drop of 41.6% since 2016. If we look at the evolution of the figures in recent years, below, we can observe a return “back to normal” after a rebound effect following Covid.
2023 was also the year that Godvergeten was broadcast on VRT. This explains a large number of requests for deletions from the baptismal register, figures which have exploded. In 2016, there were 1,240 compared to 14,251 in 2023, an increase of 1,049%. The report notes the figures for reporting abuse, which have also increased since the broadcast of Godvergeten. A new action plan is still in preparation.
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