Faith Fades Where It Once Burned Strong

[Khephra]

ROME, Oct. 12 Like many Italians in decades and childhoods past, Giampaolo Servadio used to go to Roman Catholic Mass every week. He even served as an altar boy.


But last Sunday morning, as church bells tolled around this city of storied cathedrals, he followed a different ritual: he went running. It struck him as a more relevant use of time.


"The church seems really out of step," said Mr. Servadio, 39, mentioning issues like birth control and questioning the very utility of prayer. "I don't see how something like a confession and a few repetitions of the `Hail Mary' are going to solve any problems."


He wondered if he should call himself Catholic: "When you realize that for 20 years you don't do this you don't even go to church what kind of Catholic are you?"

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