The Catholic Church in Morocco is part of the worldwide Catholic Church (particularly the Latin Church), under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome. Catholics account less than 1% of the overall population of over 31 million. The country is divided into two archdioceses; Rabat and Tangier.
During the era of the Spanish protectorate and the French protectorate over Morocco, the conditions of the Catholic Church have flourished. Due to European Catholic settlers, an estimated 470,000 Catholics resided in Morocco.[1] Catholic churches, schools, and hospitals were built throughout the country, and until 1961, Sunday mass festivities were broadcast on radio and television networks. After the independence, the Catholic population decreased significantly as many Catholics left to France or Spain.[2]
History
During the French and Spanish protectorate
Icon of Our Lady of Morocco.
Prior to independence, the numbers of the Catholics in French Morocco reached about 360,000 or about 4.1% of the population[2] while in CasablancaEuropeanChristians formed almost half of the population.[3] Catholics in French Morocco were mostly of French descent, and to a lesser extent of Spanish and Italian ancestry.[2] Some Moroccans of Berber or Arab descent converted to Christianity during the French colonialism.[4]
In 1950, Catholics in Spanish protectorate in Morocco and Tangier constitute 14.5% of the population, and Spanish Morocco was home to 113,000 Catholic settlers.[2] Catholics in Spanish protectorate in Morocco and Tangier were mostly of Spanish descent, and to a lesser extent of Portuguese, French and Italian ancestry.[2] In the years leading up to the First World War, EuropeanChristians formed almost a quarter the population of Tangier.[5][6]
During Morocco's struggle for independence, the Catholic and Protestant churches stood in solidarity with the Moroccan people.[7] Already prior to independence, Catholics such as Msgr Lefevre, bishop of Rabat, imagined the role of the Catholic church as one of presence and service to the Muslim population as opposed to solely focusing on the European settlers. These Catholic were influenced by the ideas of the Catholic mystic and desert explorer Charles de Foucauld who promoted respect for the Muslim religion, Christian-Muslim dialogue and living closely together with the Muslim population.[8]
After the independence
Since independence in 1956, the European population has decreased substantially, and many Catholics left to France or Spain.[2] Independence prompted a mass exodus of the European Catholic settlers; after 1956 more than 75% of Catholic settlers left the country.[1]
Upon invitation of archbishop Lefevre, the monastery of Toumliline was founded in 1952 which became host for that International Meetings, conferences on contemporary issues and interfaith dialogue that were attended by Christian, Jewish and Muslim scholars.[9] These came to an end when during the Years of Lead the monastery was forced to close down and the community had to leave.[10] Nevertheless, the church continued Christian-Muslim dialogue, opening an inter-faith research center in Rabat in 1980-81 and supporting the formation of the Groupe de Recherche Islamo-Chétien in 1977, which still exists today.[8]
In 2020, there are aporoximately 24,000 Catholics in Morocco; this included 53 priests and 155 nuns.[11] Most Catholics were European expatriates, with a big majority of French and Spanish from colonization and post-independence. The second group is composed of Sub-Saharan immigrants, mainly students. Aside from Arabic, all of the Europeans can speak Spanish and French, which are also spoken by Catholic Arabs, Berbers, and Moors, and these languages are used in the celebration of Mass, in prayer meetings, and in education.[citation needed] During his visit to Morocco on March 31, 2019, Pope Francis openly acknowledged that there Catholics, including the Catholic church workers, are a minority in the country.[12] There are several monastic orders active in the country, among them the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary[13] and Trappists.[14]
Though Christian proselytation is forbidden in Morocco,[2] there are also converts from Islam, the dominant religion of the country. Those that convert keep their faith secret as they often force discrimination and legal charges like also converts to Shiism.[15]
There are also between 3,000 and 10,000 Protestants in the country, most of them from sub-Saharan Africa.[16][17]
^ abGreenberg, Udi; A. Foster, Elizabeth (2023). Decolonization and the Remaking of Christianity. Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania Press. p. 105. ISBN9781512824971.
^ abcdefgF. Nyrop, Richard (1972). Area Handbook for Morocc. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. p. 97. ISBN9780810884939.
^Fahlbusch, Erwin; Bromiley, Geoffrey William; Lochman, Jan Milic; Mbiti, John; Pelikan, Jaroslav; Vischer, Lukas; Barrett, David B. (2003). The Encyclopedia of Christianity: J-O. ISBN978-0-8028-2415-8. Archived from the original on 26 August 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2016.
.jpg)
