Une "exception" italienne

Contrary to what the "myth of the empty church" in the Western world holds (expression used by Robin Gill, The Myth of the Empty Church, SPCK, London 1993), in some countries like the United States and Italy, the number of practicing Christians appears rather to have increased since the 1980s. Even if this increase is not very significant, data available for 1981, 1990 and 1999 show that the number of people regularly attending (weekly or bi-weekly) religious services in Italy increased from 35% to 37 and eventually 40% (this figure includes Catholics and well as other religions). It is however necessary to take into consideration a margin for overestimation – that is to say, people who say that they attend Church, even if they do so infrequently – which comes to an estimated figure of about 5% in several surveys carried out in Europe.
In any case, within the classic religions and outside of them, there are movements which continue to grow and change. Thus, after 11 September 2001, several believers, but also non-believers, appear to have rediscovered the legacy of the Christian faith.

Source : Cesnur and Dossier Caritas on migrants.