Église catholique : diminution de la pratique religieuse, présence majoritaire des femmes
Different surveys also show a low rate of religious practice among the Catholics. Thus, the 2004 CSA survey on the French and religion had shown the following results :
| Prayer practice | Attend a religious service | |||
| French population % | Population of believers % | French population % | Population of believers % | |
| Often | 23 | 36 | 12 | 20 |
| - At least once a day | 15 | 24 | - | - |
| - At least once a week | 6 | 9 | 9 | 15 |
| - At least once a month | 2 | 3 | 3 | 5 |
| Rarement | 35 | 49 | 59 | 65 |
| - Once in a while, a few times a year | 21 | 32 | 20 | 28 |
| - Only for ceremonies and important feasts | 14 | 17 | 39 | 37 |
| Never | 40 | 13 | 28 | 14 |
| - Do not answer | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| TOTAL | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
The 2005 TNS-SOFRES survey on the practices of the Catholics revealed that although 24% of Catholics claim to have prayed or attended the mass at least once, during the weeks before the survey, 58% say they did not attend any religious service.
In 2010, the IFOP survey on the practices of the Catholics also showed that most practicing people are women. In France, 61% of practicing Christians are women even though they only represent 52% of the total population.
A study of several surveys (étude du cumul des enquêtes TNS Sofres) October 2011 to March 2012 reveals that out of the 58% of French claiming to be Catholics (13% declaring to be from another religion and 29% without religion), 8% are monthly churchgoers, 15% irregular churchgoers, and 34% do not have a religious practice (Pierre Bréchon, "Religion et irréligion. Quels effets sur l’orientation politique et le système de valeurs ?", Triélec 4 mai 2012).
August 2014
25 septembre 2012 Anne-Laure Zwilling
