Why do you think Catholics don't attend mass?

[Nohome]

That parking lot comment cracks me up. It was always a mystery to me that people that come to recieve the lord in the sacrament can be homicidal maniacs in the parking lot 10 minutes later.

You know, this always bothered me as a child, especially listening to my father get angry in the parking lot. I guess that is why as an adult I lead my family on a leisurly exit from church. We actually spend more time leaving that we do in Mass! There are never more than a dozen cars in the lot when we leave.

 

[Tom317]

People do not go to Mass because they do not know who is there! If people (hard to call them Catholics) understood that Jesus our Risen Lord is actually in Catholic Churches, then they would flock to Mass. Similarily, if Protestants understood that same fact, Protestant houses of worship would disappear.

People do not attend Mass because they do not know God is there.

The loss of faith and knowledge is truly tragic.

 

[OriginalJS]

Part of the issue is that the rubrics are fixed. Priest is not allowed to depart from the “script”. AND, when you get a thousand people in the congregation, it is very difficult to create an “intimate” atmosphere.

HOWEVER, if you compare DAILY Mass with the Sunday Mass, you may find the intimacy IS more obvious. The number of people in the congregation is much smaller; the Mass may be in a small chapel, rather than in a large church building. The people are closer to the altar and “feel” a greater degree of participation.

I have heard of conversions occurring because the non-Catholic just quietly went to an ordinary weekday Mass with ordinary people in their work clothes, even with the need to hurriedly get back to work. Sometimes, the homily may be more highly focused. Sometimes, the priest may be available after the Mass to chat with the people. There may be more interaction among the people (even if it is brief, owing to the need to get back to work).

Anyway, check out a weekday Mass and see for yourself if the “atmosphere” isn’t different.

Two things. I was taken to task, for using the word “mindlessly.” Sorry but I am reporting what I was told; not my word or opinion, theirs.

Second, I agree with the above. The weekday masses I have attended are different from the heavily attended Saturday night and Sunday masses in four general respects I have noted: First, there usually aren’t as many in attendance; second, a more prayerful attitude is almost palpable; third there are very few children and therefore much less extraneous noise and commotion; and fourth, the mass is much shorter, usually around 30 minutes. I have the sense that the worshippers who come regularly on weekdays are truly putting on the armor of God to go forth in the world.

 

[KathleenElsie]

Children need to be at Mass just as adults do. I have been more distracted by adults that do not pay attention to the Priest but to their friends in the pew. It is not the children that rush out after the Mass is over. Nor is it the children that feel the need to talk and socialize when leaving the pews.

Kids do need to be taught to be respectful and sit as quietly as they are physically able. But they should be a part of the Mass with their families.

 

[Nohome]

Children need to be at Mass just as adults do.

I think you just identified the root cause of the problem. Parents who don’t bring their kids to Mass and parents who send their kids to Catholic school to “teach them the faith” but don’t practice it themselves.

Nohome

 

[Al_Masetti]

Second, I agree with the above. The weekday masses I have attended are different from the heavily attended Saturday night and Sunday masses in four general respects I have noted: First, there usually aren’t as many in attendance; second, a more prayerful attitude is almost palpable; third there are very few children and therefore much less extraneous noise and commotion; and fourth, the mass is much shorter, usually around 30 minutes. I have the sense that the worshippers who come regularly on weekdays are truly putting on the armor of God to go forth in the world.

After reading what you wrote (above), it occurred to me that one word that came to mind was “intensity”… Almost a fervor… a very high level of intensity … as you said … palpable.

Your four points provde an excellent description.

 

[santaro75]

People do not go to Mass because they do not know who is there! If people (hard to call them Catholics) understood that Jesus our Risen Lord is actually in Catholic Churches, then they would flock to Mass. Similarily, if Protestants understood that same fact, Protestant houses of worship would disappear.

People do not attend Mass because they do not know God is there.

The loss of faith and knowledge is truly tragic.

Though i think knowledge can be a seed of faith it is not necessarily so. Many many Catholics are taught what the eucharist is but do not believe it. I think that awareness of the Eucharist has more to do with spiritual discernment. Those who can discern it are called by God. I think we are lucky for discerning it and view it as a gift and not an obligation.

 

[dts]

I have been a Catholic for three years this upcoming Easter. For the last two years, I have attended an FSSP Tridentine indult almost exclusively. You can probably count on your hands the number of times our family has attended a Novos Ordo Mass during that time period. We had some car problems today and so we decided not to drive the normal two hours to attend the Tridentine Mass and we attended a local Novos Ordo. It was the first time, I have received communion at a Novos Ordo in nearly two years.

The church we attended this weekend is absolutely gorgeous complete with stunning artwork and statues. The entire Mass was performed in good order and the music was in good taste. They even sang the the Agnus Dei in Latin. I did notice a few small deviations from the rubrics, but they were minor. The people greeted us with cheer. The priest’s homily was fine.

However, I was struck by two things that remained vivid in my mind after Mass. I believe these things are big indicators of why we are seeing such great problems in the Catholic Church in the U.S. I think they also go to the problem of why more Catholics don’t attend Mass.

First, as compared to the Tridentine Mass, there is little sense of sacrifice in the New Mass. I got the sense that the priest was like a performer on the stage for the audience.

Secondly, the emphasis on personal sin and the need for sacrifice is greatly lacking in the New Mass. How can you need a sacrifice if you are not sinful? The New Mass does not deny our sin, but it certainly does not bring it to the forefront like the Tridentine.

The sacrificial aspect of the Mass is central to the entire meaning of Catholicism. When you lose it, you lose something that is central to Catholicism. When you lose that sense of participation in the one great timeless sacrifice, you also lose a sense of identity and the corresponding need to attend Mass.

 

[Tom317]

Though i think knowledge can be a seed of faith it is not necessarily so. Many many Catholics are taught what the eucharist is but do not believe it. I think that awareness of the Eucharist has more to do with spiritual discernment. Those who can discern it are called by God. I think we are lucky for discerning it and view it as a gift and not an obligation.

THe OP was asking why Catholics do not attend Mass. My view is that everyone on the planet would attend Mass if they knew who was there. Simple really, not complicated at all, if they knew, they would go…everyone.

 

[chris_molter]

I’ll answer for me. It’s laziness. Sloth, pure and simple. I know my obligations, but I wind up not making time to fulfill them. Mea maxima culpa!

(That being said, if I miss my Sunday obligation, I DO attend confession prior to receiving at Mass!)

 

[santaro75]

I’ll answer for me. It’s laziness. Sloth, pure and simple. I know my obligations, but I wind up not making time to fulfill them. Mea maxima culpa!

(That being said, if I miss my Sunday obligation, I DO attend confession prior to receiving at Mass!)

I can relate to this. however i think of it like exercise. Getting to the gym is tough but once i am there it is GREAT and so good for you.

 

[Mijoy2]

IMO, spending 20 yrs working with Catholics who do and who do not attend Mass, is that there is only one reason. They have never been taught, or have been taught but do not believe, that Jesus Christ gave us the Mass, that it is participation in the sacrifice of Calvary and the resurrection, that we partake of Christ’s glorified Body in the Eucharist and in so doing he forms us into community charged with the mission to evangelize the world.

If they believed this, none of those other lame excuses would carry any weight, and nothing could keep them away from Mass.

Of my friends (regular group or circle of friends) probably the most devout asked me this past summer if it isn’t in fact true that our celebration of the e\Eucharist is idolotry.

This question didn’t come from a lack of faith or a lack of love for our Lord. It came pure and simple from ignorance to the (her) catholic faith.

Simply put, how can we expect catholics, who were never taught the fundementals of thier faith to understand the fundamentals of thier faith? An answer may be that they should put forth the effort to understand… I wouldn’t dispute this assertion but the fact is for many hard working people trying to battle this life’s problems, pay the bills and bring up a family, true self-education often takes a back seat through necessity.

Therefore they do what they feel is the best they know how by praying, going to mass (on occasion for many) and trusting God understands thier efforts and good intention.

The church needs to yell from the roof tops what it desires the faithfull to know and learn. Else they’ll be no change.

 

[Nohome]

I’ll answer for me. It’s laziness. Sloth, pure and simple. I know my obligations, but I wind up not making time to fulfill them. Mea maxima culpa!

(That being said, if I miss my Sunday obligation, I DO attend confession prior to receiving at Mass!)

I attend Mass regularly; however, I couldn’t tell you the last time I received communion. I simply do not believe enough of the teachings to even call myself Catholic. I’m there every week nonetheless.

I would agree that MOST do not attend because they don’t believe, but it would be a sweeping generalization to say ALL. I’m living proof of that.

Nohome

 

[Lance]

Christianity has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and not tried.
Gilbert K. Chesterton
This is especially true of Catholicism!

 

[buffalo]

I think you just identified the root cause of the problem. Parents who don’t bring their kids to Mass and parents who send their kids to Catholic school to “teach them the faith” but don’t practice it themselves.

Nohome

The Teaching Role of Sacred Liturgy

 

[Al_Masetti]

Of my friends (regular group or circle of friends) probably the most devout asked me this past summer if it isn’t in fact true that our celebration of the e\Eucharist is idolotry.

This question didn’t come from a lack of faith or a lack of love for our Lord. It came pure and simple from ignorance to the (her) catholic faith.

Simply put, how can we expect catholics, who were never taught the fundementals of thier faith to understand the fundamentals of thier faith? An answer may be that they should put forth the effort to understand… I wouldn’t dispute this assertion but the fact is for many hard working people trying to battle this life’s problems, pay the bills and bring up a family, true self-education often takes a back seat through necessity.

Therefore they do what they feel is the best they know how by praying, going to mass (on occasion for many) and trusting God understands thier efforts and good intention.

The church needs to yell from the roof tops what it desires the faithfull to know and learn. Else they’ll be no change.

I worked at a place where the employees had a wide range of religious background traditions.

One Hindu fellow got involved in a bull session one day and one of the Catholic fellows was amazed that the Hindu guy knew so much accurate information about Catholicism. He asked why and was told that unlike Catholics in this country, where he came from they actually STUDIED religion … all religions.

The Catholic fellow said that in the U.S., Catholics get their “knowledge” by “osmosis”. [That was his actual word … “osmosis”.]

[sigh]

 

[rpp]

I worked at a place where the employees had a wide range of religious background traditions.

One Hindu fellow got involved in a bull session one day and one of the Catholic fellows was amazed that the Hindu guy knew so much accurate information about Catholicism. He asked why and was told that unlike Catholics in this country, where he came from they actually STUDIED religion … all religions.

The Catholic fellow said that in the U.S., Catholics get their “knowledge” by “osmosis”. [That was his actual word … “osmosis”.]

[sigh]

“Osmosis”! Well, I think that is tragicly correct for many people. To say it is unfortunate does not even begin to describe the seriousness of the problem.

I wonder what the USCCB would make of that. I would sure like to see that statement on their agenda for public debate!

 

[Nohome]

The Catholic fellow said that in the U.S., Catholics get their “knowledge” by “osmosis”. [That was his actual word … “osmosis”.]

[sigh]

Sadly, this is an accurate description.

Nohome

 

[Karianne]

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.

Actually, you are absolutely correct.
Brutal, but true.

 

[Lance]

In my parish we have over 1000 kids in CCD. The CCD teachers get maybe 5 to 6 hours training at the most. Most of them were poorly Catechized so they do a poor job. This has been going on for years so it is hard to find people who were properly Catechized or have studied the Catachism on their own. We are lucky enough to have a person in charge of the High School Catachism who did just that. He and his wife are turning that program around. In the last 3 years we have had 2 young men and a young lady from our parish begin training to become priests and a nun. Keep the faith and remember, “The gates of hell shall not prevail against the church!”