What would it take for catholics to Attend Mass Weekly?

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ProVobis said:
But the vernacular was supposed to help them understand the Mass better. Funny, though, it also seemed to have taken a lot of the mystery out of the Mass as well. Perhaps not by means of the EF, but maybe we should go back to making it more of a mystery again. A community meal only works for so long.
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I respectfully disagree, ProVobis. While I find plenty of reasons for restoring Latin as the language of liturgy, it making the mass a mystery doesn’t strike me as one. We may be thinking of the wrong definition of ‘mystery’. The mystery (small letter ‘m’) should not reside in a Catholic’s inability to comprehend what the priest and congregation is saying. Instead, his awe should be directed towards the proper Sacred Mysteries: the Holy Sacraments in which God imparts His divine grace to imperfect man. It is in this way that Latin imparts a sense of sacredness in the liturgy to the believer.

In any case, I don’t see the use of vernacular in the Eastern churches to have “taken the mystery out of the Mass”. There’s more to this problem, like instilling Catholics with a better appreciation and understanding of Holy Tradition. We’re riding rough times with rising secularization and indifferentism in the West, while churches in Africa and Asia are filled with faithful. I believe the EF should be more widely celebrated and learned, but we shouldn’t ignore the main threats to the Church. 🙂
 
ProVobis said:
So no reason for the thread?
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I didn’t say there wasn’t. But we should be objective with our discussions. Would the TLM increase Church attendance? The reality of it is as it is now, it probably wouldn’t. I know most people her complain that the TLM in their area is too far. But they are not the only Catholics in their area, surely the TLM is offered somewhere where there are plenty of other Catholics nearby. Are they flooding the TLM Masses? I haven’t seen it happen.
 
Filii_Dei said:
In any case, I don’t see the use of vernacular in the Eastern churches to have “taken the mystery out of the Mass”. There’s more to this problem, like instilling Catholics with a better appreciation and understanding of Holy Tradition. We’re riding rough times with rising secularization and indifferentism in the West, while churches in Africa and Asia are filled with faithful. I believe the EF should be more widely celebrated and learned, but we shouldn’t ignore the main threats to the Church. 🙂
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So would spreading the Eastern liturgies in the West help Mass attendance, even if a little? Just asking.
 
Should I go to mass today?

I’m out of work already and I’m debating between going home or killing time and going to the 6 PM mass. 😃
 
ProVobis said:
So would spreading the Eastern liturgies in the West help Mass attendance? Just asking.
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He isn’t saying that Eastern Liturgies should be spread in the West (though I believe it should be made more available to everyone and everyone can follow a tradition of their choosing). He’s saying the vernacular has not removed the mystery of the Liturgy in the East, why would it damage the Mass of the West?
 
TrueLight said:
Should I go to mass today?

I’m out of work already and I’m debating between going home or killing time and going to the 6 PM mass. 😃
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A lot of Booleans there. Is it a choice between going home or going to church? I guess it depends on what’s home? 😉
 
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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The Holy Spirit. Nothing we can do can change the minds of people. Only the Holy Spirit can motivate people to draw nearer to God.
 
ProVobis said:
A lot of Booleans there. Is it a choice between going home or going to church? I guess it depends on what’s home? 😉
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My nice comfy bed. Rest for a woman in heels. 🙂
YoungTradCath said:
Oh there must be something to do in that elephantine city.
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Not so much when you forgot to bring your comfy flats. 😦

I’m going to sacrifice and go. I only need to kill another 45 minutes to an hour because it takes me about 50 minutes to get there.
 
ConstantineTG said:
He’s saying the vernacular has not removed the mystery of the Liturgy in the East, why would it damage the Mass of the West?
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Depends on whose vernacular, no? If it’s in the same vernacular of “secularization and indifferentism,” then I don’t see it as an improvement. If it’s kept as Ukrainian or Greek or Arabic, for example, then we may be looking at more of a mystery. I see it as a philosophical difference. Maybe I misread his post but that’s my opinion.
 
TrueLight said:
My nice comfy bed. Rest for a woman in heels. 🙂

Not so much when you forgot to bring your comfy flats. 😦

I’m going to sacrifice and go. I only need to kill another 45 minutes to an hour because it takes me about 50 minutes to get there.
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Offer that pain up as Friday penance!
 
TrueLight said:
I’m going to sacrifice and go. I only need to kill another 45 minutes to an hour because it takes me about 50 minutes to get there.
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It would probably take you longer tomorrow so make the best of it today. 😉
 
TrueLight said:
Should I go to mass today?

I’m out of work already and I’m debating between going home or killing time and going to the 6 PM mass. 😃
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It’s the Feast of the Holy Family, so I definitely think you should go, and make an Intention for your family. 😃
 
ProVobis said:
Depends on whose vernacular, no? If it’s in the same vernacular of “secularization and indifferentism,” then I don’t see it as an improvement. If it’s kept as Ukrainian or Greek or Arabic, for example, then we may be looking at more of a mystery. I see it as a philosophical difference. Maybe I misread his post but that’s my opinion.
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Ukrainian is a vernacular, FYI
 
jmcrae said:
It’s the Feast of the Holy Family, so I definitely think you should go, and make an Intention for your family. 😃
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I don’t think it’s the feast of the Holy Family in the EF. It’s not showing up on my trad calendar. Can someone confirm?
 
This is petty but you did ask for thoughts. Growing up (in the 70’s) I know most masses were between 45 - 50 minutes on the weekends. Today with all the added singing and people due to fewer masses they are 60 - 70 minutes. Growing up you did not feel like a sardine in church. Maybe if a church is over 80% full most weekends another mass time should be offered. (Of course we are talking about cutting masses due to lack of priests.) Please pray for vocations to religious life.
 
CATHOLICbrl said:
This is petty but you did ask for thoughts. Growing up (in the 70’s) I know most masses were between 45 - 50 minutes on the weekends. Today with all the added singing and people due to fewer masses they are 60 - 70 minutes. Growing up you did not feel like a sardine in church. Maybe if a church is over 80% full most weekends another mass time should be offered. (Of course we are talking about cutting masses due to lack of priests.) Please pray for vocations to religious life.
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I do agree with smaller, more community type of parishes. However the living conditions today make this more like a thing of the past. Megacities would mean higher population density. So a parish which has its usual borders means there are more people now living in the territory of the parish. And megacities also means higher real estate costs. So the cost would be astronomical to buy new land in the middle of urbanized areas to put up more parishes. The only real solution is to create bigger churches on land already owned by the parish.
 
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