Religion: The South American Way

Latin America is traditionally regarded as solidly Roman Catholic. Yet much of it is so in name only. For men to kneel before the Host, as they did in Bolivia shortly after the recent revolution TIME, July 29), is rare. In many Latin countries churchgoing is largely for women only.

Last week a Chilean Government bureau brought the wrath of the Catholic press on its head by bravely pointing this out. In the first issue of the 970-page Anuario D.I.C., a sort of Chilean World Almanac, the Direction Informaciones y Cultura denied the popular belief that Chile was 90% Catholic. Its religious breakdown: Freethinkers, 70%; Catholics, 25%; Protestants and others, 5%. The Anurio’s explantation: only 25% of the so-called Catholics were regular churchgoers, and therefore “true Catholics.”