What would it take for catholics to Attend Mass Weekly?

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maplebug55

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since mass attendance has dropped dramatically in the USA (and other countries) what are some practical suggestions that could INCREASE regular, weekly mass attendance?
 
Simple. Rosaries well said by all concerned. It has been promised. So I guess the real question is – “All right!! Just who has been slacking off in their praying!?”:nunchuk::okpeople::onpatrol:
 
I haven’t been saying my rosaries faithfully. :o So I guess I’m responsible for all the folks in my parish who showed up at Christmas and won’t be seen again until Easter. :o:o:blush:

Seriously though, that is true. We who do go and understand just how importnant it is, should be doing reparation for the sins of the world!
 
I am looking for PRACTICAL solutions. Obviously the praying the rosary thing isn’t cutting it as obvious by the ton of catholics that came to mass on christmas and won’t be back until easter!
should a person invite people to ride with them? get more involved in the church?
daily mass?
 
Well the solution would have to be tailored to the reason why someone didn’t attend. For the elderly, rides may be all it takes. For those who are “cultural” Catholics, a change of heart is what is required.

Does your parish have a Legion of Mary group? They were founded to help bring fallen away Catholics back to Mass. They do quite a bit of praying, but they also do house visits, teach CCD, and many other practical things.
 
maplebug55 said:
since mass attendance has dropped dramatically in the USA (and other countries) what are some practical suggestions that could INCREASE regular, weekly mass attendance?
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Acknowledge the SINGLE Catholics. That’s a practical suggestion. There are oh-so-many homilies and special programs for seniors and families with kids, not to mention the preferential treatment adolescents get with their LifeTeen masses? Whenever a SINGLE speaks and raises his or her hand, we’re told to quit whining, quit complaining, that the mass isn’t there to entertain you and yadda yadda yadda. And people wonder why mass attendance has dropped? Because very few parishes care about SINGLES, that’s why. Not rocket science. 🤷
 
havana1 said:
Acknowledge the SINGLE Catholics. That’s a practical suggestion. There are oh-so-many homilies and special programs for seniors and families with kids, not to mention the preferential treatment adolescents get with their LifeTeen masses? Whenever a SINGLE speaks and raises his or her hand, we’re told to quit whining, quit complaining, that the mass isn’t there to entertain you and yadda yadda yadda. And people wonder why mass attendance has dropped? Because very few parishes care about SINGLES, that’s why. Not rocket science. 🤷
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Good point - I think we forget where all those marriages and kids come from. (Former single people.) 🙂
 
Basically the following:
  • relevancy to present day life
  • faith in God
  • a sense of community
  • respect for single, busy students and working young people who cannot necessarily make it to mass every week
  • fun friendly, people who genuinely care for each other vs just pew sitters
  • a dedicated pastoral staff which has both men and women (eg there some things that having a woman spiritual director was a blessing because there is no way in heck I would want to speak with a man regardless if he was a priest or not. My minister is awesome but there continues to be some topics that are no man’s land.)
  • fun services (mass is beautiful but sometimes it can be extremely boring)
  • fun activities outside mass that have relevancy to everyday life good teachers
  • a purpose.
 
Reverent liturgy, and solid music. Not just music that people like, because tastes change, and if they are there for the music they like, guess what happens when they stop liking that type of music. Sing music that speaks to the soul. Chant, polyphony, classic pipe organ, sacred choral music. They may not “like” it, but before long, they will be longing for it. But a healthy sense of community is also good. Now that doesn’t mean holding hands during the Our Father, or having a meet and greet when there should be silent prayer before Mass. I’m talking about a real sense of community.
 
havana1 said:
Acknowledge the SINGLE Catholics. That’s a practical suggestion. There are oh-so-many homilies and special programs for seniors and families with kids, not to mention the preferential treatment adolescents get with their LifeTeen masses? Whenever a SINGLE speaks and raises his or her hand, we’re told to quit whining, quit complaining, that the mass isn’t there to entertain you and yadda yadda yadda. And people wonder why mass attendance has dropped? Because very few parishes care about SINGLES, that’s why. Not rocket science. 🤷
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Personally, I think that is the problem though. Churches try to entertain certain people. There shouldn’t have to be lifeteen masses or special programs for anyone. The mass should be about the Eucharist. I also think that if more of us would rise to the call of sainthood and act as Saints have in the past, then we would change the world and inspire more people. Actual Saints acting out good in the world and martyrs who walk to their deaths with an unquenchable joy is what inspires the world and it is what will bring people back to the Church.
 
SecretGarden said:
Basically the following:
  • a sense of community
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Ditto to this one, back in the 1960’s when mass attendance was high, Catholic parishes were a lot tighter communities.

They all had grade schools, and most had parish high schools. They all had different activities and clubs, including things like CYO basketball and such which really weren’t overtly “religious”. The territories covered by each parish generally were a lot smaller, the people you seen at mass were the same people you saw just about every day anyhow.

It was a different world, but I don’t know how to recreate it in the modern world as many of those ideas have gone by the boards.
 
Cut the snarkiness and judgment–of the priests and those who attend. In particular those who jump on the good ole days steamship. The 1950’s were horrid ethnically. Italians were disowned for marrying French and thenPolish disowned for marrying Russians disowned for marring Germans and forget it if you were Irish. You were stuck

I dislike going to mass because people feel its OK to bump me from my pew…because they are old, have a kid or are just plain late

The music is fine. Programs like lifeteen should be encouraged. Im not a proponet of single groups because they turn into a cat hunt. Young adult groups should be a good mix of religious, single and married to remain strong.
 
Mass been offered at a time when I am not getting ready for work, travelling to work, at work, travelling home from work.
 
havana1 said:
Acknowledge the SINGLE Catholics. That’s a practical suggestion. There are oh-so-many homilies and special programs for seniors and families with kids, not to mention the preferential treatment adolescents get with their LifeTeen masses? Whenever a SINGLE speaks and raises his or her hand, we’re told to quit whining, quit complaining, that the mass isn’t there to entertain you and yadda yadda yadda. And people wonder why mass attendance has dropped? Because very few parishes care about SINGLES, that’s why. Not rocket science. 🤷
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you raised an excellent point! I agree whole heartedly with you. The church is geared towards married couples with kids.
 
I think you’re phrasing the question wrong…it needs to be less or dragging or bribing people into coming to mass, and more about figuring out what it is that stands between a person and church attendance. So, a better way to ask this would be: “Why aren’t Catholics going to church as often as they used to/should/other faiths do?”

From my own perspective, I used to attend Church weekly at the Newman Center at my University. Then we got a new Priest. Unfortunately, to be blunt, this Priest cannot give a relevant homily to save his life…much less other’s souls. I can put up with the small congregation, the lack of truly stirring music, and the overall simplified experience of mass - but when the Priest becomes incapable of even effectively preaching God’s word, well…I feel much less drawn to attend mass - or as the case may be, to find a new place to attend.

Lack of Attendance might be a problem, but its really only the most visible effect of the much larger problem that many Catholics in developed regions apparently lack a strong sense of connection to God. We have to figure out the causes of that if we’re ever going to get attendance back to where it once was.
 
I think in large part it boils down to better catechesis. I am the only one in my family under 70 who still goes to Mass, and often times when I’m talking religion with other Catholics, I feel like I’m the only one who understands what the Mass truly is - the sacrifice of Christ on Calvary for the salvation of man. People find Mass boring because they don’t understand what it is and how you should pray the Mass.

Most of what I know about the faith, despite the fact that I went to Catholic elementary school, I taught myself by spending time on this forum, reading the Catechism and scripture, and seeking out solid priests.

If the catechesis about the Mass improves, people will not only realize why it’s important to go to Mass: they might actually enjoy and get something out of going to Mass.

As an after thought, I feel that the Mass itself should have more of a sacred atmosphere. When I watch a Mass on EWTN, or when I go to the FSSP parish in town, or when I go to the reverent OF near my house, I feel like I’ve entered a holy space. People are quiet. There are stained glass windows, holy water, the tabernacle is at the altar, there’s chanting and organ music. I know that I’m about to assist at the august sacrifice of the altar.

When I go to other parishes, such as the one I grew up at, it feels less like a church and more like a community center or even a Protestant worship space. I feel less like I’m going to assist at a sacrifice, and more like I’m going to have a community get together (albeit with people I don’t know).

The focus of the Mass itself and of the church building needs to be on almighty God and not on ourselves.

When the primary understanding of the Mass is a community get together and meal, why go if you don’t particularly care for the community? After all, I have my own friends and family I can get together with. But if the primary understanding of the Mass is as the sacrifice of Christ so that graces could be poured into our souls for our eternal redemption, the reason why we can’t miss Mass is understood.
 
mburn16 said:
Lack of Attendance might be a problem, but its really only the most visible effect of the much larger problem that many Catholics in developed regions apparently lack a strong sense of connection to God. We have to figure out the causes of that if we’re ever going to get attendance back to where it once was.
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I agree. But Catholics in the U.S. did have a stronger sense of connection to God only 40-50 years ago, when 80% of them went to Mass at least weekly. Why did they stop going?
 
But Catholics in the U.S. did have a stronger sense of connection to God only 40-50 years ago, when 80% of them went to Mass at least weekly. Why did they stop going?
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I think you answered your own questions:
I am the only one in my family under 70 who still goes to Mass
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It isn’t that anyone truly “stopped going”…its that the devout generation is dying out, or else becoming too old or infirm to attend regularly. Its their children - largely, I suspect, a results of the cultural upheval America expeirenced in the 60s and 70s - that aren’t attending.
 
Since we’re just thinking out loud here, what about a traditional Latin mass?

I’ve never experienced one, but I myself would be humbled and awed at attending
such a rite. It would make me feel closer to God.
 
Rather than suppose and speculate how about just asking them. You know get a list of the registered parishioners from the parish and a solid list of who attends on a week to week basis. Then go door to door and ask them why. I don’t see any use in asking a bunch of people who probably attend weekly and often daily, who love the church and Christ in the Eucharist why someone who doesn’t, doesn’t feel that way. It is kind of like asking a cow why a chicken crossed the road. MOOOOOOO
 
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