Why do you think Catholics don't attend mass?

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I found this article on Catholic.org which talks about a study of Australian Catholics who are not attending mass. It was very interesting and i believe a lot of the points are relevant in the US as well.

catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=22192

excerpt:

The three most commonly mentioned and “the factors that had the most powerful impact” on Mass attendance, according to the study summary report, were:
  • **Misuse of power and authority at all levels of the Catholic Church. **
  • Irrelevance of the church to life today, as an institution “out of touch with Australian society.” “In their eyes the church had lost its ability to connect with the day-to-day lives of ordinary people and as a result they no longer regarded it as having the authority to guide them in living an authentic life.”
  • Lack of intellectual stimulation, with several noting that the **sermons delivered in their parishes “were of poor quality, being ill-prepared, theologically unsound, badly delivered and irrelevant.” **
    Other institutional-related reasons noted included: problems with the parish priest; structural problems, including clergy changes affecting the parish, parish mergers and Communion services without a priest; poor parish community life; and the feeling of exclusion by church rules, such as affecting those who remarried without an annulment of a previous marriage and those who have a gay family member.
I believe the top two reasons why mass attendance is down and churches are half empty is because of the poorly prepared sermons, the lack of accountability of the priests to prepare good homilies and very poor parish community life.
 
From what I’ve read, if Catholics believe the Eucharist is really Christ’s Body and Blood, nothing should keep them away from it, not lousy preaching, silly rules, stuffy priests or anything else. I think it is lack of faith, not anything else.
 
santaro75 said:
I found this article on Catholic.org which talks about a study of Australian Catholics who are not attending mass. It was very interesting and i believe a lot of the points are relevant in the US as well.

catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=22192

excerpt:

The three most commonly mentioned and “the factors that had the most powerful impact” on Mass attendance, according to the study summary report, were:
  • **Misuse of power and authority at all levels of the Catholic Church. **
  • Irrelevance of the church to life today, as an institution “out of touch with Australian society.” “In their eyes the church had lost its ability to connect with the day-to-day lives of ordinary people and as a result they no longer regarded it as having the authority to guide them in living an authentic life.”
  • Lack of intellectual stimulation, with several noting that the **sermons delivered in their parishes “were of poor quality, being ill-prepared, theologically unsound, badly delivered and irrelevant.” **
    Other institutional-related reasons noted included: problems with the parish priest; structural problems, including clergy changes affecting the parish, parish mergers and Communion services without a priest; poor parish community life; and the feeling of exclusion by church rules, such as affecting those who remarried without an annulment of a previous marriage and those who have a gay family member.
I believe the top two reasons why mass attendance is down and churches are half empty is because of the poorly prepared sermons, the lack of accountability of the priests to prepare good homilies and very poor parish community life.
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Relevant in Canada too!.. what about laziness? on the part of the parishoner. Media influence (mainly TV ie., it is not “cool” to go to Church). I hear what the post is saying (not necessarily your view), but it seems like misplaced blame (excuses) to me…
Have a good day!
 
santaro75 said:
I believe the top two reasons why mass attendance is down and churches are half empty is because of the poorly prepared sermons, the lack of accountability of the priests to prepare good homilies and very poor parish community life.
Click to expand...
I believe if people fall away it is because the seed of faith is planted on very shallow soil.

Luke 8:11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 And they by the way side are they that hear; then the devil cometh, and taketh the word out of their heart, lest believing they should be saved.
 
In our area, in my opinion, it would be:
  1. Laziness. There are Masses from Saturday at 4 PM through Sunday evening that count as Sunday obligation. The parishes in question are accessible by car, on public transport, and on foot. A person, or family for that matter, would be hard-pressed NOT to find a Mass to suit schedule.
  2. Ignorance, not of the obligation necessarily (although it wouldn’t surprise me that people thought “you don’t have to do that any more”), but of several considerations.
    A. “Megachurch has a nursery/ coffee bar and breakfast/ programs/ a gym and day spa. If we had those, I could go to Mass. But I’m Catholic, so I just don’t go.”
    B. “The Spirit doesn’t move me/ I don’t feel anything.”
    C. “When I was 9, Sister did X, Y and Z to me. Even though I’m 43, I’ve never gotten over it, so I don’t go to Mass because the Church is mean.”
  3. DIY liturgy allowed by bishops. My favorite peeve is the “Eucharistic Herd” processing with Father, the servers, and the lector. Where’s the emergency in those EMHC? I find the distribution of the Blessed Sacrament to EMHC care ministers and its prayers touching, but not the entire (8-10 people) preplanned herd at the beginning, middle and end of Mass. I am not an “Our Father” hand-holder, either. And I think everybody knows how I feel about the Patty-Cake “and also with you” motions. There are people who won’t go to Mass because of this silliness.
  4. Priests trapped in the 60s and 70s, or priests who still think of the faithful as “the simple faithful”. Both extremes are bad. It is the 21st century. Get with the program in the homily. While Dorothy Day might have vital points to a homily, the Berrigans don’t, and Ghandi certainly does not; along with Gestalt, “I’M OK, You’re OK” and other tired themes. And people are not stupid. In fact, Catholics are the best-educated people in the US. A priest can’t assume the congregation “wouldn’t understand” and therefore dumb-down doctrine and dogma.
 
Truthstalker said:
From what I’ve read, if Catholics believe the Eucharist is really Christ’s Body and Blood, nothing should keep them away from it, not lousy preaching, silly rules, stuffy priests or anything else. I think it is lack of faith, not anything else.
Click to expand...
Kenneth Jones would agree with you. In his book “Index of Leading Catholic Indicators”, he quotes a poll that found 70 percent of all Catholics in the age group 18 to 44 believe the Eucharist is merely a “symbolic reminder” of Jesus. Pair this with the fact that only about 1/3 of Catholics attend Mass on a regular basis and you are on to something. Why go if there is nothing there for you?

Nohome
 
I would add more reasons for this country.

1.That Catholics are so pounded over the head by the government with the equalness of all religions in truth and practice that they become lukewarm.
  1. that they are so bashed in the media and in simply daily living by Protestants, that they become confused.
A lot of Catholics I know simply stay home and pray Rosary Novenas.
 
I am sorry but yes, to people like you who know their faith and study it have a differant view. You are no longer just sheep but shepards. not in an official or ordained capacity but amongst the lay faithful.

What needs to be addressed are the mere sheep. The comparison of the masses to sheep in the bible is because sheep are mindless and need to be sheparded. The Priests, Bishops and the well catechised lay faithful are responsible for this. What the priest says in the pulpit is everybit as important as the eucharist. The word and the Flesh are equal in importance. But the flesh has no meaning without the word. it is time that we stop making excuses for our priests and bishops and demand that they step up to the plate and start unleashing the holy spirit and the Gospel with the vigour that the Apostles did in the book of acts. After all, our ordained clergymen are modern day apostles are they not?

God has entrusted his gospel to these men. It is their JOB to gather the sheep and shepard them. to feed the flock and tend to them. If this is not happening, how can you put all the blame on the sheep?

And there is of course us, the catechised lay faithful. It is our job to get people to come to mass. It is also our job to live a devoutly Catholic life devouted to christ and his calling. That means lead the fight against poverty, injustice, violence, immorality etc. Not in just in our homes but out in the world for everyone to see.

$.02 and maybe a little more
 
I might think of all the above, and more, but I certainly do not know why any given individual Catholic does not attend any given individual Mass in any given individual church.

Whew. Say that three times, fast. 😃

There are lots of individual ‘excuses’ and some in fact are valid (care of infants/elderly/infirm, for example, as well as personal illness). Most are not.

I totally agree that there must be more accurate information coming down ‘from the top’—but I hasten to add, it also needs obedience then ‘from the bottom’. Too often I find that the one constant in any attempt at an ‘excuse’ (I’m too tired, the sermons don’t move me, the church isn’t relevent to my life, God doesn’t need worship in any old space, there’s too many rules, the people are hypocrites etc.)–the one **clear ** constant in these and any others I may have missed, is this:

Disobedience. Putting one’s own will, thoughts, sentiments, feelings, comfort, convenience, etc. above all others, and especially above God.

It may not be recognized (we humans are pretty good at self-justification, and that means me too), but it is there.
 
It all just seems to harken back to the Garden, and when Adam was asked about his sin, he blamed it on Eve. Its all just culpable people coming up with excuses for their sinfulness.
 
I agree with most comments above.

To people who don’t know the real meaning of mass, they will find 1001 excuses not to attend mass. I used to be like that also few years ago. I’d sleep during homily and half asleep during eucharistic prayer, because it’s long and it bored me!

However, when I realised the true meaning of mass, it never happen again and actually there are times when I think that mass should be longer than 1 hour. 😃

How to appreciate mass if you don’t know what’s going on?
 
vince2paul said:
I agree with most comments above.

To people who don’t know the real meaning of mass, they will find 1001 excuses not to attend mass. I used to be like that also few years ago. I’d sleep during homily and half asleep during eucharistic prayer, because it’s long and it bored me!

However, when I realised the true meaning of mass, it never happen again and actually there are times when I think that mass should be longer than 1 hour. 😃

How to appreciate mass if you don’t know what’s going on?
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Thank you for that. that is my point exactly. The church must find ways to teach more effectively. Things are not learned through words, but through experiences. There must be ways to providing an experience of God in the Mass and programs.

Once a faithful person learns the truth, they will be at mass all the time.
 
Excuses, who needs excuses not to attend Mass. Crowd it out with everything else, it slips your mind on Sat and Sun, and no excuse needed not to go.
 
We’re lucky to have things like CA forums, etc. . .

Seriously, santaro, you have made me think more about this. My parish and indeed my diocese have made remarkable strides lately, but yes, more needs to be done.

If every one of us on the forums took a New Year’s Resolution to do two small things:
  1. Read through the Catechism of the Catholic Church and affirm adherence to every one of the Church’s teachings,
and
  1. Get involved in one aspect of your parish (or, if already involved, make an even greater effort in your ministry). . .
I think we’d go a tremendous way, with God’s help and guidance, to do the best type of education for our fellow parishoners there could be–modeling the way, the truth, and the life of Christ in our own humble, imperfect selves, and letting HIM teach through us.

I’m not 'letting the priests off the hook" though. 🙂 God bless them. We need to show more obedience, and more respect, and give the good Fathers more help, so that they will have the time to prepare those good sermons, so they’ll have a fuller church, a stronger community, so the people will be ‘prepared’ for the pastoral teaching. Most priests I know want to do just that–to guide and teach and care for their flock, but they are hampered and handicapped in some areas by a shortage of priests, so that Father A. may have to care for 3 or more parishs, many miles apart, plus sick and homebound ministry, plus all the ‘upkeep’ of the parish, the rectory, the schools, financial troubles, the usual sacramental preparations, weddings, funerals, and then all the ‘add ons’ of the secular world. . .this on top of being, in my area anyway, with an average age over 60 so with the typical ‘senior’ ailments too. (and in our area, lots of snow, ice, cold etc. leading to power outtages, frozen pipes, cracking masonry, wear and tear. . .)

Our good priests and our lay faithful need to work more together in an effective way. I still say the main problem today is an obedience issue:

Most faithful are not really obedient in every way. And even some priests are not totally obedient either.

May God remove our hard hearts and make us humble and faithful.
 
The Catholic Mass does not entertain people; our Catholic faith
is not a feel good religion. It is based on the truth of the Gospels and does not deviate from the truth. Believers should not have to be pacified to have a reason to attend Mass.
Catholics should run to church on the weekend and during the week if possible. We are not going to hear a good sermon or to hear good music etc.; we are going to hear God’s word proclaimed and reflect on it. But most importantly we are going to receive our Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist.
OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST
tonyg
 
Too Many Distractions in the Novus Ordo:
Extraordinary Ministers, girl Altar Boys,
Communion in the Hand, Inclusive Language,
Holding hands at the Our Father, Hand shaking(hugging & kissing),
Talking & total disrespect for our Lord.
Wishy-Washy Sermons
Too Many Priest Today are Afraid to Tell It Like It Is!
HELL still does Exist & I think Sin does too last time I checked!

Like A Good Holy Priest Once Told me:
“Motion, Commotion, & No Devotion!”
:gopray2:
 
Bob67 said:
Too Many Distractions in the Novus Ordo:
Extraordinary Ministers, girl Altar Boys,
Communion in the Hand, Inclusive Language,
Holding hands at the Our Father, Hand shaking(hugging & kissing),
Talking & total disrespect for our Lord.
Wishy-Washy Sermons
Too Many Priest Today are Afraid to Tell It Like It Is!
HELL still does Exist & I think Sin does too last time I checked!

Like A Good Holy Priest Once Told me:
“Motion, Commotion, & No Devotion!”

:gopray2:
Click to expand...
"But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you."

I think that Mass is about group prayer, and FELLOWSHIP. Praising with our Brothers and Sisters. Our Holy Family. Why do so many want Mass to be as if you are by yourself. pretending like it is just you and God. Like nobody else is there? Your time for personal devotion is in your inner room, your time for building the bond with your church family and group devotion is Mass.
 
I go to Mass to Worship God in
the Most Holy Sacrafice of Mass!

I don’t want to be distracted by
all the disrespect & nonsense that goes in the church today!

If you want Fellowship go to breakfest afterwards!

Why do liberals make us feel like we have to go along
with all this wishy-washy-lovey-dovey ness!!!

Next, it will be Strippers doing a Liturical Dance on the Altar.
And everybody going up to put dollar bills in their garders!!!
If it has happened already!

How far is it gonna go & when will it stop? I know!
When the Lord Returns & over turns the tables
& puts all this liberal-modernism to shame!!!

You have turned my Father’s House of Worship into a
den of Serpents! You Vipers!
Shame & Blasphemy to you all.
Away with you into the Everlasting Fire prepared for You & the Devil!

:bigyikes:

AMEN!!!
 
Those are very Protestant reasons articulated in the OP–a Protestant service is centered on the sermon and the people are concerned with what they get out of it.

Mass is all about the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ being offered to God for petition, adoration, reparation, and thanksgiving and it’s about uniting ourselves to Him in Holy Communion when we give our whole beings to Him. It’s not about what we get out of it, Mass is about what we give to God–Sacrifice, prayer, and self.

People don’t go to Mass for one reason. They do not believe. If they truly believed Jesus Christ was present in the Eucharist only the most mailicious laziness or repulsion of God would keep them away. They’ve simply abandoned the faith and gone the way of the world…
 
Perhaps because when they go home, what happened at mass has nothing to do with the rest of their life. At least, so it seems to them. So, eventually, they’d rather be using the time for something that seems more useful to them, like a leisurely morning. Or, they have tried to follow moral teachings and failed. So they give up the whole kit and caboodle rather than go halvsies. Perhaps they are at the stage of life when it is very important to get answers and see conviction, and they don’t see it in their fellow parishioners. Finally, they may feel the Church is not compassionate, so they will not be part of it. What I mean is, say you watch your baby sister die a slow and painful death, and you have issues with euthanasia as a result.

But, if they knew that they could sit there with Jesus, actually meet God, and share his life, if they understood all this, the above wouldn’t happen, mostly. But this takes faith, not to see a “wafer”.
 
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