Can the American Catholic Church Increase Sunday Mass Attendance?
– The typical American Catholic parish gets about one third of the adult parishioners to show up for Sunday Mass. The other two thirds don’t come regularly. The cause of this has been hard to pin down. Masses are fairly short, the people are generally friendly, the sermons while lacking great oratory are pleasant enough. But still Catholics don’t come to Mass. Why? Perhaps the problem lies in their personal sense of unworthiness. If they think about the words of the Consecration at Mass, they have to be reminded of the greatest sacrifice in all history. The sacrifice of Christ on the Cross as expiation for sin. If they think at all, they realize that they have sin in their lives. In many cases they have a lot of sin with a lot of denial. Perhaps they are unable feel the good feelings of celebration, which the modern “music filled” Mass is designed to engender.
