Easter Sunday: The Resurrection of the Lord - Mass Attendance

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How was the attendance at your church for Easter Sunday? The church was full for the 8:00 a.m. Mass this morning, and then it was packed at the 10:00 a.m. Mass. The music was so beautiful. The 8:00 a.m. Mass just had the organ, and the 10:00 a.m. had the organ, timpani, trumpet, and trombone. The people really sang at both!

Happy Easter!
 
My Parish of St. Michael The Archangel Catholic Church was overflowing at 11:30am. The parking lot was eventually closed but parishioners still came by parking on side streets. The singing was vibrate.
 
Our mid-morning Mass was full to overflowing. This is the most attended usual Sunday Mass, but this morning there were people standing all along the back walls 2 deep. I did not attend other Masses today so can’t compare. Priest made a few remarks about the turnout since many folks won’t show up again until next Easter. It was a beautiful Mass, very reverant, excellent music.
 
I attended the last Mass of the day (11:00am) and it was standing room only, in a church that holds about 800 plus. The pastor was beaming throughout. We also had two baptisms.:clapping:
 
My daughter and I arrived fifteen minutes early, and the church was almost full then. By the time mass was almost ready to start, people were still coming. And a few minutes after mass started, a few more people came in. In the row my daughter and I were in, there were only two empty seats. I don’t recall seeing any others or at least very many. There were a few seats in the room behind us where people with younger children may go.

The music was done today by the children’s choir and really quite lovely with their sweet little voices. There was one infant baptism and I bet I smiled the whole way through it. It was so nice to walk in to everything uncovered, the water flowing in the font.

Walking in this morning was like … the best hug ever!

Overall, attendance today was very well and I believe was attendance all Holy Week. Maybes my heart happy!
 
Mass attendance was very good, but it’s always good at this particular Mass (Tridentine Latin.) However, everyone did get a seat.

Good Friday at my regular OF parish was pretty close to standing room only.
 
Hi all,

I’m not so happy to see the church “packed” for Easter. Not, of course, because I don’t want all those folks in church, but because I want them in church every week. If they were there, and contributing, then larger or more churches could be built. That way we could accomodate everyone without making Easter Sunday Mass so overcrowded. Far more important, all those extra people would be filling their true obligations to God and receiving Communion in the appropriate way.

I wish some kind and tactful thing could be said on Christmas and Easter to really call these people to consider making a more authentic commitment to God. It’s about a relationship, not the celebration of a holiday.

God bless,
Joan
 
Joan1969 said:
I’m not so happy to see the church “packed” for Easter.
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Agree. God wants the whole life, not just the bones.

My regular church has somewhat higher number of people in holidays with regular schedule of Masses. The same folks participate in Mass every week, very few new faces. Regular weekly returned envelopes 140 (out of 400), last year Easter 188 envelopes were returned.

In my territorial Church in Easter there are 10 fully packed masses instead of the regular 7 somewhat packed.
 
Actually I went to a mass I don’t normally go to (too early!), but I doubt it’s so busy normally… lax Catholics? Better once or twice a year than not at all, I’d say 🙂
 
The church I went to was just about full too, and I went to the 8:30am Mass.

The music was excellent, and including 2 of my favorite hymns - “Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee” and “Jesus Christ Is Risen Today”…
 
I don’t know what the 7:00am Mass was like.

The 9:00am Mass was full. Shortly after Mass started the priest made an announcement that those who couldn’t find a seat should consider walking next door to the parish center where a Mass scheduled to begin at 9:15.

From previous years’ experience I’m guessing the 11:00am Mass was also packed full while the 9:15am and 11:15am Masses in the parish center were well attended but not standing room only.
 
MissRose73 said:
The church I went to was just about full too, and I went to the 8:30am Mass.

The music was excellent, and including 2 of my favorite hymns - “Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee” and “Jesus Christ Is Risen Today”…
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We sang a hymn to the tune of “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee”. It was “Alleluia! Alleluia!” Such a powerful hymn for Easter!
 
Our Easter Masses were full.
Something I don’t understand is why so many parishes cancel their Sunday evening Mass on Easter. Easter is the most important feast day of the year, many Catholics attend just Christmas and Easter, yet there is one less Mass available to the parishioners.
 
quiet52 said:
Our Easter Masses were full.
Something I don’t understand is why so many parishes cancel their Sunday evening Mass on Easter. Easter is the most important feast day of the year, many Catholics attend just Christmas and Easter, yet there is one less Mass available to the parishioners.
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I think it may be because the music ministers, liturgical ministers, and priests are having Easter dinner as well as most parishioners.
 
quiet52 said:
Our Easter Masses were full.
Something I don’t understand is why so many parishes cancel their Sunday evening Mass on Easter. Easter is the most important feast day of the year, many Catholics attend just Christmas and Easter, yet there is one less Mass available to the parishioners.
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It’s usually a matter of the priests being exhausted and having said as many Masses for which they have permission. They’ve probably already said at least three Masses on Sunday morning plus the Vigil the night before.
 
I went to the 9:30am Mass on Easter and it was packed. The ushers were actually having to usher people and find seats for them. I do wish more of those folks would come to Mass every Sunday. I imagine the 11:30 was probably even more well-attended; on a regular Sunday it’s busier than the 9:30.
 
The 9:30 mass at our church was packed, but as I watched the folks going up to communion I noticed that many bowed their heads and received only a blessing from the priest. This leads me to believe that many of these people aren’t Christian, but are very interested in Christianity and certainly believe that the blessing of the priest is worth receiving. I live in Japan, so I’m not really surprised that many of the folks at the Easter liturgy were not Christian. In fact, it makes me proud that Christians in Japan are so highly regarded that many non Christians want to know what our faith is all about. It is good to see so many people searching and hopefully finding faith in our Church. The Holy Spirit is indeed moving among the people of the Earth and the risen Lord continues to hold such a fascination for many people.
 
Joan1969 said:
Hi all,

I’m not so happy to see the church “packed” for Easter. Not, of course, because I don’t want all those folks in church, but because I want them in church every week. If they were there, and contributing, then larger or more churches could be built. That way we could accomodate everyone without making Easter Sunday Mass so overcrowded. Far more important, all those extra people would be filling their true obligations to God and receiving Communion in the appropriate way.

I wish some kind and tactful thing could be said on Christmas and Easter to really call these people to consider making a more authentic commitment to God. It’s about a relationship, not the celebration of a holiday.

God bless,
Joan
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Your post reminded me of what some priest refer to as the C & E people. Those who attend Mass on (“Christmas & Easter”)

My parish on Easter Sunday was jam-packed to the rafters. I usually arrive at my parish half hour before Mass; I couldn’t even get into the nave of the church. I had to settle for the atrium/foyer.
I wish some kind and tactful thing could be said on Christmas and Easter to really call these people to consider making a more authentic commitment to God. It’s about a relationship, not the celebration of a holiday.
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I have often wondered what part of the C & E people’s conscious feels comforted by going to Mass only on Christmas and Easter? Is it because they sense they have fulfilled some sense of calling?

I realize its a gift from God to feel a calling inside to come to Church Mass. Its not something any Catholic can boast or take for granted. Many Catholics can easily forget this aspect thinking it was only their own recognizance that brought them to Mass.

As brothers and sisters in Christ who choose to go regularly to Mass every week, all we can do is pray that the Spirit of God inspires the heart of people who only come to Mass on Christmas and Easter.

Peace
Chris
 
quiet52 said:
Our Easter Masses were full.
Something I don’t understand is why so many parishes cancel their Sunday evening Mass on Easter. Easter is the most important feast day of the year, many Catholics attend just Christmas and Easter, yet there is one less Mass available to the parishioners.
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because the priest and everyone else involved already spent at least 3 hours preparing for and conducting the Easter Vigil

all Masses packed, college kids home, and a lot of visitors from Mexico, and winter Texans who will be heading out this week. Father made a very gracious welcome to all visitors that encompassed everyone and invited them to become part of parish life all year
 
Mystic_Banana said:
Actually I went to a mass I don’t normally go to (too early!), but I doubt it’s so busy normally… lax Catholics? Better once or twice a year than not at all, I’d say 🙂
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Probably true, but only if they don’t recieve Communion. It’s a mortal sin to miss Mass without good cause after all. And sacreligious communion is a very grave thing.

God Bless,
Joan
 
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