I have no doubt that the numbers of priests are in decline and parishes are disappearing, but stop concentrating on th Catholic faith and look at the place religion is playing. There are so many options in a market like the US, a hardline church like the RC is naturally going to be in decline among the less religious citizen. I'm no big fan of the RC church with it's interpretations of the scripture and of the way it's handled the crisies of birth control, abortion and the sex abuse, but I have seen first hand the good things it does in various communities/societies around the world an don't want it to be put under fire and sword as some members here demand.Well there is no doubt that attendence is declining in the US and Canada and its a real problem for the Church so if you want to soften this reality by seizing on stats from China and porer areas of South America feel free. I do think you are ignoring the fact that a huge number your peers, who used to support the church, no longer do so for an increasing number of reasons.
The number of Catholic parishes in the US has declined by 10% and the number of priests have declined by 30% since their peaks in the 1980's. This despite a reported increase in the Catholic population as more and more Catholics find the Church less relevant or become dienchanted with scandal and idiotic policy. In other words, while the number of Catholics has increased the number of practicing Catholics has declined.
http://cara.georgetown.edu/CARAServices/requestedchurchstats.html
http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2004-11-07-church-main_x.htm
If attendance is declining how do you expain the increase in numbers of 'Catholics' as claimed in many reports;
http://www.google.ca/#hl=en&gs_nf=1....,cf.osb&fp=484105c7cdb2c5cb&biw=1177&bih=695
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/new_statistics_show_u.s._catholics_increase_in_numbers/
You emphasize 'attendance' and I don't really care if you actually go to church on Sunday, as modern life has made changes in family practices/activities around Sunday and church, church attire is more relaxed, formal Sunday dinners are becoming a thing of the past and what is considered acceptable Sunday practices are in decline as a result of modern day thinking. That doesn't mean you're less Catholic or whatever church you follow.
We seem to be comparing different numbers