But just as the way of charity demands, let us pour forth continual prayers that all nations everywhere may be converted to Christ; and let us be devoted to the common salvation of men in proportion to our strength; ‘for the hand of the Lord is not shortened’ (Is 9:1) and the gift of heavenly grace will not be wanting those who sincerely wish and ask to be refreshed by this light. Truths of this sort should be deeply fixed in the minds of the faithful; lest they be corrupted by false doctrine, whose object is to foster an indifference toward religion which we see spreading widely and growing strong for the destruction of souls. (Pope Pius IX, Singulari Quaedam, December 9, 1854, Denziger, #1648)
Considerable attention has been paid to a recent Pew Research Center survey on religious affiliation. It seems that the percentage of those who profess themselves to be “indifferent” to any religion has surpassed the number of those who profess to be Catholic.
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