In 2024, 4,780 individuals in Belgium formally requested to have their names removed from the Catholic Church’s baptismal records, according to figures revealed on Monday.
Geert De Kerpel, spokesperson for the Belgian Bishops’ Conference, commented on the trend: "A group of people has, over time, become estranged from the Church."
No official reason is required for removal from baptismal registers, though some individuals choose to explain their motivations voluntarily. This has allowed Church authorities to categorise the requests into two broad groups.
"One group has grown disconnected from the Church over the years or never truly felt involved with it. They wish to confirm this detachment by being removed from the baptismal register," De Kerpel explained.
"The other group consists of people deeply hurt or affected by scandals within the Church or specific statements made by Church authorities. They view removal from the register as a response to those experiences.”
In comparison, 14,251 people requested removal from the registers in 2023. That figure was largely driven by widespread outrage following the release of the Canvas television series “Godvergeten” which exposed cases of sexual abuse within the Church.
The societal fallout from the documentary appears to have had a lingering effect, influencing decisions even into 2024.
