Attendance in mass is declining

[avemaria1]

ecp007:

In the US public schools (paid by the government, free to students) are not very good. Catholic schools (paid by the family but generally much less expensive that private schools) have a much better education system. However, in order to attend Catholic school, attendance at weekly mass by the entire family is madatory. This includes in some parishes, the priest signing a form proving that you have attended. Therefore, mass is very well attended by children of all ages due to this requirement. Also, we have at least one mass that is dedicated to children, where the kids get to walk up close to the altar during the sermon.

We also have many youth groups, Teen Life, gatherings Sunday nights immediately following the last mass, so that high school and college age kids frequently go to mass to get to see there friends and attend a free party afterwards.

I don’t know where you’re from, but in my state this isn’t true at all. Kids don’t have to attend mass or even be Catholic to attend Catholic school. I do think they give first priority for the kids of parishoners at the paticular parish school if there is a waiting list, but being able to attend Catholic school has nothing to do with mass attendance. Also Catholic schools here aren’t a lot less expensive than other private schools, they’re generally the same or more expensive. Catholic high school here is about $8,000-$10,000 a year per student.

 

[JMJ_Theresa]

the Cure of Ars fasted and prayed for his parish–an spiritually cold town. It became a font for all of France and the world. He fasted on bread and water, and then he even gave up sleep. When I was reading about the Cure of Ars, I thought, “just think what I could do for my family with fasting and prayer.”

Could that be the answer?

 

[melbourne_guy]

I dont think people can spare one hour a week any more, they might miss the morning cartoons

 

[SeekerJen]

avemaria1:

I don’t know where you’re from, but in my state this isn’t true at all. Kids don’t have to attend mass or even be Catholic to attend Catholic school. I do think they give first priority for the kids of parishoners at the paticular parish school if there is a waiting list, but being able to attend Catholic school has nothing to do with mass attendance. Also Catholic schools here aren’t a lot less expensive than other private schools, they’re generally the same or more expensive. Catholic high school here is about $8,000-$10,000 a year per student.

Yup. In my area, the Catholic schools are open to any family that wants a good education and moral environment for their children, but I’m pretty sure that non-parishoners have to pay more at most parishes for tuition. At the elem. school I attended, parish membership did get the family a significant discount, but that didn’t stop significant numbers of Hindu and even a few Muslim families enrolling their kids. It was nice for all of us- for all the teasing that we schoolchildren did to each other, none of it was about a child’s race, ethnicity or religion. A non-forced diversity lesson, starting early.

 

[maryjk]

I live in a college town, and I can tell you that all of those kids that can’t go to mass because they are away at college; they are going here. During the school year, we have 5 packed masses. During the summer we can cut it down to 4, and we are still packed. We have a very active CYO, both for the college and high school ages. The parish is talking about building a new church to hold all of us.
There are young familes, older couples and teens everywhere.

 

[jslup5]

In the small town I live in you can look around and not see but a handful of young adults or children. And I have to say I don’t blame them. Right now we have a priest who is not personable or interesting. So we have started to travel to a large city that is only about 20 minutes away and attend Mass at a church there where our oldest son is a member. What a totally different story. There are 3 Masses and the 11:00 Mass that we usually attend is packed with all age range of kids. I am active at my parish but I do tell the kids if you are not getting what you need here-there are LOTS of Catholic churches in the area. Find one you WANT to go too. My 17 year old son hates going to our own parish but loves my oldest sons parish. If that is what it takes to get him to go, I will continue to do that. I guess I feel if you belong to a vibrant parish-you want to go.

 

[Libero]

Im from Australia and there seems to be no attendance from people under the age of 25 at sunday mass. The majority of church attendances are all senior citizens. I dont know what will happen when there generation dies out, There wont be a parish any more. Is America heading the same way?

Welcome to my world - hasn’t this been the case for years?

I am one of about three teens who regularly attend mass, and this is at a parish for about 300. It is not even the case that people don’t want to be Catholic, I go to a multi faith school, where there are about 12 Catholics in my year, however only one or so regularly attends church, despite this, all of them are proud to be Catholic and say so. Further more, we have a really great diocese, the bishop is fantastic at his job, and the church does generally want to reach out to all. I just don’t think mass appeals to the youth ( I do sort of understand however. )

This, unfortunately is the case all over the country

 

[Roz]

I live in the UK and this seems to be the position here. My town centre church has three Masses each Sunday which are well attended, but not packed. The congregations are mostly over 50s. When visiting other parts of the country I do sometimes find a Mass attended by young parents with their children, but rarely have I attended a Mass with a large number of teenagers. But is Mass attendance the only measure of Christianity? Did not Jesus ask us to love God and love our neighbours?

 

[josephdavid]

Not the case in my Parish. Every Mass there ends up people finding no place to sit. Its beautiful

 

[kage_ar]

Chris Jacobsen:

People whose churches are over crowded are probably living in parishes where there is a housing boom and a lot of people are moving in.

Not so for us, our town is a small town, retirees and with a bit of a tourist bump for a few weeks during horse racing season… We are too far away from a major city to be a bedroom community.

We are blessed with a holy Bishop who sends us dedicated Priests!