RI loses place as most Catholic state

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) -- Massachusetts has replaced Rhode Island as the most heavily Catholic state in the U.S.

The Providence Journal reports Wednesday that a national survey of religious participation found that the number of Catholics belonging to parishes in Rhode Island is down by 14 percent since the 2000 survey.

The 2010 Religion Census found that Massachusetts now has the greatest percentage of Catholics.

Despite declines in Rhode Island, the religious census says Catholics make up 44 percent of the Rhode Island's population, outnumbering members of other faiths.

The study says that overall, the state has nearly 577,000 religious adherents, or nearly 55 percent of the state's population. That's down 12 percent since 2000.

The census is published by the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies.
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Information from: The Providence Journal, http://www.providencejournal.com