The number of baptisms in Ireland has declined by 29.6% over ten years, according to a new analysis by the Dublin-based Iona Institute, which describes itself as a Christian advocacy and research body.
The Iona Institute claims that falling births account for about 60% of the decline in Catholic baptisms in Ireland, while the rest is accounted for by secularization.
In the same ten years during which baptisms have fallen by 30%, births on the island have fallen by 18.8%; they have dropped by 17.9% in the Republic and 21.3% in the North.
The Iona Institute highlighted Census data from Ireland's Central Statistics Office (CSO) which showed that in 2016, 78.3% of 0-4-year-olds were marked as Catholic, and 9.2% were recorded as having no religion.
By 2022, these figures had changed to 65.4% and 15.6%, respectively.
Iona Institute Briefing Notes: Baptism Trends in Ireland.
The Iona Institute said, based on Census data, the same pattern emerges when considering the mothers of these children: In 2022, 67.9% marked themselves down as Catholic, and 15.7% as having no religion.
Iona Institute Briefing Notes: Baptism Trends in Ireland.
"It appears from Census data that almost all mothers of 0-4 years-olds who identify as Catholic are still having their children baptized," the Iona Institute claimed.
"This indicates that ‘cultural Catholicism’ remains a big factor in Irish life."
Regional variation in baptisms
The Iona Institute highlighted "considerable regional variation" in the trend of Ireland's declining baptisms.
Dublin archdiocese has seen a 40% fall in the last ten years, whereas in Kerry diocese, the fall has been 22.3%.
Down & Connor (-37.9%), which contains the city of Belfast, has also recorded a big fall, as has Meath diocese (-40.8%), which largely covers Co Meath and Co Westmeath.
Notably, Dublin has seen its birth rate fall by more than the national average, and Dublin is also more secular than the national average.
Iona Institute Briefing Note: Baptism trends in Ireland.
"Not a surprise"
“In a way the figures are not a surprise given the rapidly falling number of births and growing secularization," Dr. Tom Finegan, Chairman of The Iona Institute, said.
"Given that births have fallen by almost a fifth in the last ten years, and more people are ticking the ‘No Religion’ box in the Census, we could expect nothing but a big drop in baptism figures."
He continued: “However, the figures also show that ‘cultural Catholicism’ remains strong on the island. We see that as at Census 2022, 67.9% of mothers with children aged 0-4 still identified as Catholic, even though a big majority of these would not be regular Mass-goers.”
Dr. Finegan said: “It remains to be seen whether cultural Catholicism will remain a force in Irish life. It’s worth noting that in Britain in 2023, according to the Vatican yearbook, over 42,000 Catholic children were baptised, even though levels of Mass-attendance in Britain are low.”
He concluded: “The fall in baptisms must be seen not simply as the result of secularisation, but even more as a result of falling births. Ireland’s fertility rate is now just 1.5, well below the replacement level of 2.1. This should be of concern to everyone, regardless of religious belief."
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