The Catholic Church will raise more money this year from personal income taxes. Provisional data published by the Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE), prepared using information from the Secretary of State for Finance, indicates that 7,946,347 taxpayers checked the box intended for the institution in 2024, 106,363 more than the previous year. The numerical increase translates into a notable economic increase: the allocation amounts to 429,335,080 euros, or 46.9 million more than in 2023, which represents growth of 12%.
The relative weight of those who allocate 0.7% of tax to the Church increases from 30.43% in 2023 to 30.08% in 2024, a drop of 0.34 points, despite the increase in absolute declarations. The change is explained by the growth of taxpayers who do not check any boxes, which increases by 1.09% and is now approaching 40% of the total. The fund intended for social purposes also decreased by 1.04%, which demonstrates a change in trend in the tax behavior of citizens.
The Episcopal Conference insists that the real number of favorable taxpayers exceeds nine million, also taking into account joint declarations, a common formula for couples and families.
The territorial distribution shows that the number of contributions in favor of the Church increases in 16 of the 17 autonomous communities, with particular weight in Andalusia, Madrid, the Valencian Community and Castile-La Mancha. Navarra is the only community in which the number of declarations decreases, as is also the case in the Provincial Treasury of Vizcaya, while Gipuzkoa is the exception in terms of the percentage assigned, where it increases for the second year in a row. The institution attributes it to diocesan work with the Provincial Council. The most pronounced declines are concentrated in Navarra (-0.84%), Cantabria (-0.65%) and Castile-La Mancha (-0.61%).
An increase that does not mean more faithful
The increase in income coexists with a social scenario which points towards an increasingly secularized Spain, especially among young people. CIS data from April indicates that less than half the population identifies as Catholic. The decline is sustained: forty years ago, 90.2% declared themselves believers; ten years ago, 68.8%; today, 55.4% and only 18.8% frequently attend religious services. Among those under 24, this proportion is reduced to around a third.
Public perception of the financing system also does not support the economic rebound. The Barometer of Religions and Beliefs prepared by the Pluralism and Coexistence Foundation, dependent on the Ministry of the Presidency, revealed, last November, that 54% of those questioned are against the Church fund in matters of personal income tax, and only 47% of Catholics support it.
Among those who profess this religion, 34% defend the self-financing of faiths, 6% reject the box but would support other formulas of state support, and 5% would only accept it if it could be extended to other religions. The debate on the model remains open, especially after the commitments to transparency and modernization that the government has been demanding for years.
An institution surrounded by abuse
The fundraising boom coincides with one of the Spanish Church’s most delicate fronts: reparations for victims of sexual abuse. The bishops’ plan to compensate the pedophilia scandal is wrecked: only 2% of victims have been compensated, according to this newspaper revealed in September.
The bishops have taken a step back and will debate with the government how to compensate victims of pedophilia who do not wish to use the ecclesiastical PRIVA plan. This was announced a few weeks ago by Francisco César García Magán, Secretary General of the Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE), during the final press conference of the Plenary Assembly.
The Church has always refused, until now, to collaborate with the government which announced, twelve months ago, the approval of a compensation plan for victims with a fund in which the Church would also collaborate. The Catholic institution has rejected it so far, arguing that abuse is not something exclusive to their religion, but that it occurs in all areas.
The increase in resources from which the Church will benefit reflects a still strong capacity for mobilization of part of the population, while social indicators show a more plural and less confessional Spain. The IRPF photograph shows that the institution retains its strength in absolute terms, even if it proportionally loses ground.
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