October Mass Attendance Counts

[Nohome]

Does anyone know if I can obtain October Mass counts directly from a Diocese or Archdiocese?

I live in a small town that has a large university. The parish council would like to do Mass counts at a different time than October. They claim that weekends with a home football game affect attendance. I’ve suggested that football does not relive Catholics of their obligations and the root cause is poorly cathecized Catholics.

I would like to obtain data from the Lincoln Diocese in Nebraska. They have both well taught Catholics and a football tradition that is hard to beat. If Mass attendance is unaffected by football there, I’ve got a good point. If not, I’ll keep my mouth shut.

Thanks!

Nohome

 

[decn2b]

Does anyone know if I can obtain October Mass counts directly from a Diocese or Archdiocese?

I live in a small town that has a large university. The parish council would like to do Mass counts at a different time than October. They claim that weekends with a home football game affect attendance. I’ve suggested that football does not relive Catholics of their obligations and the root cause is poorly cathecized Catholics.

I would like to obtain data from the Lincoln Diocese in Nebraska. They have both well taught Catholics and a football tradition that is hard to beat. If Mass attendance is unaffected by football there, I’ve got a good point. If not, I’ll keep my mouth shut.

Thanks!

Nohome

Mass attendance skyrockets on FB weekends. The population jumps to 70000 people on home game weekends.

I lived in Iowa City iowa for years and FB weekends had little impact on Mass attendance.

South Bend would be a horrible example to use because St. Marys college is only so big . Oh and they got that other School in town but I don’t think its a Catholic University anymore

 

[asquared]

Does anyone know if I can obtain October Mass counts directly from a Diocese or Archdiocese?

I live in a small town that has a large university. The parish council would like to do Mass counts at a different time than October. They claim that weekends with a home football game affect attendance.
Nohome

that does not matter, the counts have to be done on the same day so that all Catholics attending Mass across the country get counted. presumably those attending somewhere else will be counted there. if they are not attending because of football or any other excuse, then that would have to exempt some parishes any weekend of the year.

your diocese has the statistics for your diocese and CARA, link from bishops website, has statistics for the country.

 

[marytk]

It is interesting to think whether the attendence would go up or down. Our Parish the attendence at the Saturday vigil Mass goes down if the game is a “late” one. If the game is at 12:30 attendence is about the same. But this just means they go on Sunday Morning instead

On the Saturday before Super Bowl last year I sat in front of a small group all dressed in Steeler finery. The woman said that they were staying at the Holiday Inn nearby and that on Sunday Morning we were going to get a bus load of Steeler fans.

 

[tee_eff_em]

that does not matter, the counts have to be done on the same day so that all Catholics attending Mass across the country get counted. presumably those attending somewhere else will be counted there.

But it does matter – The point of counting is not to take a census of all Catholics everywhere – The point is to take a census in each parish. Which data the diocese can use to determine the answers to questions of staffing, closure, expansion, et cetera. At least, that is my understanding.

tee

 

[mystified]

Our pastor told us the count was so that the bishop could justfy reduction of ordained staff. Our count remained virtually the same, but one priest and two deacons were transferred anyway.

 

[chicago]

Does anyone know if I can obtain October Mass counts directly from a Diocese or Archdiocese?

I live in a small town that has a large university. The parish council would like to do Mass counts at a different time than October. They claim that weekends with a home football game affect attendance. I’ve suggested that football does not relive Catholics of their obligations and the root cause is poorly cathecized Catholics.

I would like to obtain data from the Lincoln Diocese in Nebraska. They have both well taught Catholics and a football tradition that is hard to beat. If Mass attendance is unaffected by football there, I’ve got a good point. If not, I’ll keep my mouth shut.

Thanks!

Nohome

Hmmm… that’s an interesting concept, actually, about how football is affecting things. Makes some sense. Though if the Mass schedules are generous enough, I would think that the attendances might only shift times rather than inherantly decline. For example, a 12:30 Mass on Sunday when there is a Bears game probably won’t be as well attended as a 6:00 option, whereas in the spring the 12:30 might be preferred for many more.