Survey: Catholics see sharp drop in Latin America as religious affiliations shift

A major new Pew Research Center report out today finds identification with Catholicism dropping sharply in the region. According to the survey, 69 percent of adults across Latin America identify as Catholic, down from highs of 90 percent or more for most of the 20th century.

The report notes that that the Catholic Church experienced net losses as many Latin Americans joined evangelical Protestant churches or rejected organized religion outright.

The Pew report examines religious affiliations, beliefs and practices in 18 Latin American countries and Puerto Rico. It surveyed more than 30,000 adults in late 2013 and early 2014.