Switzerland sets new annual church ‘exit’ record

Experts predict that amid Switzerland's abuse crisis, Catholics will continue disaffiliation from the Church.

A record number of Catholics formally disaffiliated from the Church in Switzerland in 2022, according to new figures published this week.

Solothurn Cathedral, the cathedral of the Diocese of Basel, Switzerland. Taxiarchos228 via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 3.0).

The Swiss Institute for Pastoral Sociology (SPI) in St. Gallen reported Oct. 30 that 34,561 people exited from Church registries last year, higher than the previous record of 34,182 set in 2021.

The 2022 figure represen…