(translated from http://www.elmundodetehuacan.com/index.php?command=show_news&news_id=122176)
Catholics in Mexico have 'leadership' of faith, but they are not alone, across the country are competing beliefs, which, briefly, is always a God
Stephany Bland Ros / The World of Tehuacan
Mexico March 28, 2010
In a country that has been since colonial times mainly Catholic, gradually diversifying religious supply increasingly giving way to new beliefs and making changes in the religious scene in Mexico, especially when it comes to the nation's capital or major national cities, who have had more open to the arrival of new faiths.
For small cities like Cordoba, Orizaba and Tehuacan, the picture has changed dramatically, despite the presence of new religious expressions, Catholicism remains the main belief.
Organizations like the United Church of Christ, Bible Church Missionary Baptist Church, Evangelist Church, Jehovah's Witnesses and the Pentecostal Church are those who have gained ground in the states of Puebla and Veracruz in recent years according to the Directorate General Associations Religious of the Interior Ministry.
Although much has been said about the crisis facing the Catholic Church, Catholicism is just one of the religions that had managed to stay with millions of believers in almost all parts of the world, mainly in Latin America. Mexico is the second largest Catholic country in the world according to figures from INEGI.
The second Christian group in the country are Jehovah's Witnesses, third place is the Church of the Light of the World, followed by Pentecostals that are present mainly in border towns and indigenous communities and which together are placed as the second national Christian creed.
This phenomenon is attributed largely to globalization and becomes more noticeable at the U.S. border, the Southeast region of the country and in big cities.
The priest Jesus Edmundo Flores Beristain, Minister Chaplain of the cathedral of Tehuacan, Puebla said "Mexico is a people identified by their Catholic faith, the Virgin of Guadalupe and united by religion, has tried to divide the people in their beliefs through the increase of sects. It is a serious problem, but not in any way mean that the Catholic Church is wrong, but there are many Catholics who are not evangelized, who are Catholic by tradition but are not aware of living in their faith, who do not appreciate religion and not participate in the sacraments, that has affected the quality of life in the Catholic church. "
Catholic leaders say the proof of its strength is that throughout history have gone through countless persecutions, killings, slander and not collapse because it is sustained by God.
"The presence of religious indifference is a problem not only in the region.
Fortunately in Cordoba-Orizaba meets most still retains much of the sacraments and devotional practice.
They have appeared many new religions that have attracted the attention of people who like the novelty, becomes popular but then return to Catholicism, "said Father Jorge Montero Diaz, communications ministry in the diocese of Cordoba.
But this church has been embroiled in scandals, cases of pedophilia, priests who do not fulfill the vow of chastity, of policy interventions, which has meant it is common to hear the expressions of mistrust even the Catholics themselves have to his church.
"It's very sad that through the media we learn only the bad things that happen within the Catholic religion, of course there are bad members, but never talk about all the good that exists in the Church," concludes Father Jesus Flores.