Why do Mass attendance and new vocations continue to collapse?

[MamaJewel]

Their is only the Birth Rate and Retention rate. Theists have kids more than secularists.

yep, and the RCC chases those kids off with priests who give people heck for trying to live what the church supposedly teaches.

After some nasty RCC experiences at one RCC parish, my older four children who were then between ages 7 to 12 years would sing, “And you’ll know they are Christians by their knives in your back” instead of “by their love”.

I know this sounds cynical, but at one point, if someone asked, “How do you keep your children Catholic?” some of us would answer, “Keep them away from the Church.” We were Mass attending families, hungry for the Truth, and starving to death. Yes, it was that bad. If a good, God-fearing priest did arrive at the parish, he would be driven off in a heartbeat. people can be very mean-spirited. Very sad.

 

[Peeps]

One group mentioned here

Catholic League

CATHOLIC CHURCH ATTENDANCE DROPS​

Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on a new Gallup poll of Catholics: We knew that younger Catholics were going to church in fewer numbers than in the past, but what is new about this Gallup poll is the decline among older Catholics…

gives several reasons. In general, they may be connected to rising secularism. This might why attendance has been dropping for both Catholics and Protestants, and in larger percentages in richer countries.

My husband and I are in this age group. One reason that the author didn’t mention is that many of us Boomers are STILL WORKING!

Unlike our parents, most of us didn’t work for the same company for 30 or more years, most of us didn’t work for “union shops,” and most of us never had the opportunity to earn a life-time pension in the amount of our salary after 30 years of work (unless you are a state employee in my state of Illinois).

My dad retired at age 55 with a pension equivalent to his salary. Sigh.

I’m 62 and not only am I still working, but because of the decline in birth rate, I am working in a hospital lab that is short-staffed by 7 people. Our department has been trying to hire a tech for 2 years now, and not one applicant. We only have 2 students this year (in the past, we’ve had 10-12 students), and it’s uncertain whether either of these students will apply for the position in our department.

My husband is still working, too.

I work at least 2 weekends a month and at least 3 of the 6 big holidays (yay, I’m off for Thanksgiving for the first time in 3 years!).

So IMO, one of the biggie reasons why boomers don’t attend Mass is that they are stuck at work!

(If I work, I attend Mass at one of the evening Masses on the weekend–thank goodness these are available in several parishes all over our city, including my parish!)

 

[Kindnessmatters]

Yes …I am 55 with an autoimmune disease and diabetes but will never be able to retire. I hope I die before I become unable to work…that’s pretty much my retirement plan. Our generation is exhausted

 

[LukeShalz]

VATICAN II HAPPENED

Though this ecumenical council of the 1960’s was well intentioned, it removed from the Mass its splendor. Sacrosanctum Concilium allowed increased participation by the laity but this quite often leads to the Mass being coordinated by liturgically ignorant individuals.

We have abandoned the ancient and sublime musical ways of Gregorian Chant and pipe organ (which I play) for guitars, electric pianos and hippy music.

Priests frequently inject their own ad lib thoughts into the Eucharistic prayers as though they have the right to.

Eucharist is taken on the hand in direct defiance of the Holy See and Our Lady of the Roses (the Vatican eventually gave in)

Clown Mass…

Confirmation classes that are more like Jesus oriented youth clubs…

LGBT ministries within Parishes…

I could go on.

WE NEED REGRESSION IF THE ONE TRUE CHURCH IS TO SURVIVE THE 21st CENTURY

 

[Peeps]

Yes …I am 55 with an autoimmune disease and diabetes but will never be able to retire. I hope I die before I become unable to work…that’s pretty much my retirement plan. Our generation is exhausted

Exhausted is an accurate description.

Many of us are not only taking care of our adult children who never grew up, but are also taking care of our elderly parents who have, thanks to medical advances, lived into their 80s and 90s, but aren’t capable of caring for themselves.

We no longer have the support and friendship of church friends, as all of them are just as busy as we are and often don’t have the energy to make it to church, let alone be involved with a social event like visiting friends.

To top it all off, many of us fell for the medical community’s 1980s denouncement of “protein” and their recommendation that we eat a diet consisting of 70% carbs, 20 percent protein, and 10% fat. We were actually told to make the bulk of our diet bread, pasta, rice, and potatoes! And now—almost 50 % of us are overweight, obese, or morbidly obese, and we have the maladies that come with being fat–Type 2 dIabetes, osteoarthritis, heart disease, sleep apnea, and general lack of muscle strength due to poor physical fitness. But with all of our other responsibilities, who has time to try to plan-cook-eat-clean up healthy, let alone try exercise, which makes us more tired and in pain!

We boomers are booming out, definitely.

 

[Kindnessmatters]

I am a flutist, so no hatred for flutists, but my parish uses flute on nearly EVERY song. It is not always suitable. I also would love a return to pre Vatican 2 mass.

 

[ralfyman]

According to another thread in this forum, the decline started during the 1950s, i.e., before Vatican II. Also, similar declines were taking place in Protestant groups. Finally, attendance also lowered in developing economies, but much less than in industrialized ones.

 

[LukeShalz]

As well as a student organist, I am mainly a flutist! I play flute for all of the music at Mass.

* digital high five *

 

[blackforest]

I keep seeing abysmal figures for church attendance among Catholics. But the way real life plays out, the Masses I attend are PACKED. And I don’t live in a super Catholic area.

 

[Ardent_Fire]

Probably a combination of factors. But one thing I think that draws people in is authenticity and sincerity. In the west, society in general no longer expects you to go to church or questions you if you don’t. People often participated because it was expected of them. Now, in the modern west, generally, secularism is prevalent (at least where I am in Europe, and is increasing in many parts of the U.S. as well) – it’s hard for churches to be healthy when people are told that religion is irrelevant and does not matter. But obviously, secularism is not fulfilling. People will still question and seek. But people will not find purpose, conviction, or want to participate in churches with services and sermons that lack conviction and are bland and watered down. I’ve noticed this is the case not just with Catholic but other protestant denominations as well.

So, authenticity matters.

 

[RCIAGraduate]

Isn’t that because there may be less parishes in general in your area, a lot of areas experiencing declines with really Catholic or you’re fortunate to be in a parish that’s an exception to the norm? The thing is though, are there plenty of young faces, plenty of people involved including vibrant community?

 

[Sprits]

People live 24 hours a day, frequently needing to sleep during the day, mist masses are mornings when people are waking up and refreshed.

 

[tafan2]

Not in this area. Mass attendance and vocations area on the rise, slowly but surely.

 

[Peeps]

Look at the lack of reverence during the mass and when receiving the Holy Eucharist.

I think it’s possible that people who are “looking at the lack of reverence during the Mass and when receiving the Holy Eucharist” are not looking at Jesus–and that’s the main reason why people stop doing the things that Jesus wants us to do, including being part of the local Body of Christ.

You see only the outside. God sees the heart. It could well be that the person who “looks reverent” is not, and the person who doesn’t “look reverent” may be a man or woman after God’s own heart.

Don’t be like Samuel!

 

[Peeps]

I keep seeing abysmal figures for church attendance among Catholics. But the way real life plays out, the Masses I attend are PACKED. And I don’t live in a super Catholic area.

If this is the case, it’s possible that the reason for declining Mass attendance is the lack of space in the Mass, both in the nave and in the parking lot.

I remember back in my Protestant days that many Protestant churches were forced to add on to their buildings, including building a new sanctuary (which is what Protestants call the nave) when the attendance got so high that people were turning around and going home.

So…maybe that’s one reason for decreasing attendance, at least in some parishes!

(Certainly it’s not the reason in the parish I played piano for this weekend–only a few dozen people at each Mass–so sad.)

 

[MagdalenaRita]

I keep seeing abysmal figures for church attendance among Catholics. But the way real life plays out, the Masses I attend are PACKED. And I don’t live in a super Catholic area.

Ours are packed also but I do live in a pretty Catholic area. Another reason ours are probably packed, though, is also due to the number of Masses per parish have decreased and we’ve had several Church closings.

 

[whatistrue]

Clown Mass…

Can someone please tell me where these Clown Masses are being held? I would like to see what all the fuss is about for myself.

 

[on_the_hill]

Maybe it’s because people’s expectations are too high. They lose interest when the expectations aren’t met. It has nothing to do with OF, EF, reverence, music selection, catechism, etc. People have to develop the realistic understanding that most of the time going to church is simply going to church, and you do it because it’s what you do on Sunday morning.

 

[KMC]

KMC:

Look at the lack of reverence during the mass and when receiving the Holy Eucharist.

I think it’s possible that people who are “looking at the lack of reverence during the Mass and when receiving the Holy Eucharist” are not looking at Jesus–and that’s the main reason why people stop doing the things that Jesus wants us to do, including being part of the local Body of Christ.

You see only the outside. God sees the heart. It could well be that the person who “looks reverent” is not, and the person who doesn’t “look reverent” may be a man or woman after God’s own heart.

Don’t be like Samuel!

You make a good point…my post is somewhat judgmental. I do accept the constructive criticism. Thank you.

At the same time, I didn’t go out of my way to look at the father who let his son grab the Eucharist from his hand, and when the EM took the Eucharist away from his son, and attempted to give it back to the father, the father was not trying to restrain his son’s hands. This is one of the reason’s I try to keep my head down during the distribution of the Eucharist.

Also, at the same time, 70% of Catholics at mass, according to the Pew poll don’t believe, yet more than 30% of mass attendees receive the Eucharist. Would you say receiving in a state of unbelief is irreverent?

I believe the answer, and would love your (name removed by moderator)ut, is to put more effort into catechesis, and to provide an example for others. Teach the correct teaching, urge non-believers to abstain, and lead by example regarding being reverent. Thoughts?

 

[RCIAGraduate]

Also, at the same time, 70% of Catholics at mass, according to the Pew poll don’t believe, yet more than 30% of mass attendees receive the Eucharist. Would you say receiving in a state of unbelief is irreverent?

Is it really that bad (I’m one to talk since I’m non practicing), are you sure it ain’t one sure? I mean I know people left over it but what’s so hard about accepting that the Eucharist is Christ? Maybe some people forgot, overlook that but deny it? Maybe misunderstand like take it figuratively, metaphorically or symbolicly?