Shocker: 72% of Catholics Don’t Go to Sunday Mass?

[Michie]

‘The Sunday Eucharist is the foundation and confirmation of all Christian practice. ... Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin.’ (CCC 2181)

I just read a jarring statistic that 72% of self-identified Catholics in the United States do not attend Mass every week.

That fact was reported in an April 12 “short read” from the Pew Research Center, “9 Facts About U.S. Catholics.” The article, based on data originally reported in 2018, summarizes other facts disclosed in the PEW Center’s National Public Opinion Reference Surveys (NPORS) and through the Center’s American Trends Panel regarding Catholics’ racial and ethnic distribution, educational background and support for Pope Francis.

But back to that shocking finding: Only 28% of Catholics attend Mass at least weekly, even though the Catholic Church clearly teaches that missing Sunday Mass (except for a good reason, such as illness or inability to get to a nearby parish) is a mortal sin.

To my way of thinking, the logic is straightforward:

Continued below.

Shocker: 72% of Catholics Don’t Go to Sunday Mass?

‘The Sunday Eucharist is the foundation and confirmation of all Christian practice. ... Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin.’ (CCC 2181)

www.ncregister.com

 

[AlexB23]

‘The Sunday Eucharist is the foundation and confirmation of all Christian practice. ... Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin.’ (CCC 2181)

I just read a jarring statistic that 72% of self-identified Catholics in the United States do not attend Mass every week.

That fact was reported in an April 12 “short read” from the Pew Research Center, “9 Facts About U.S. Catholics.” The article, based on data originally reported in 2018, summarizes other facts disclosed in the PEW Center’s National Public Opinion Reference Surveys (NPORS) and through the Center’s American Trends Panel regarding Catholics’ racial and ethnic distribution, educational background and support for Pope Francis.

But back to that shocking finding: Only 28% of Catholics attend Mass at least weekly, even though the Catholic Church clearly teaches that missing Sunday Mass (except for a good reason, such as illness or inability to get to a nearby parish) is a mortal sin.

To my way of thinking, the logic is straightforward:

Continued below.

Shocker: 72% of Catholics Don’t Go to Sunday Mass?

‘The Sunday Eucharist is the foundation and confirmation of all Christian practice. ... Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin.’ (CCC 2181)

www.ncregister.com

I am trying to go more often. Went yesterday, and the service was good.

 

[chevyontheriver]

I am trying to go more often. Went yesterday, and the service was good.

Make it a weekly thing at minimum. Go once in a while at least on a weekday too. If your parish has adoration, do that too. If your parish doesn't have adoration, find one that does.

 

[AlexB23]

Make it a weekly thing at minimum. Go once in a while at least on a weekday too. If your parish has adoration, do that too. If your parish doesn't have adoration, find one that does.

Weekdays, I have other plans. I have ADHD, so adoration or rosaries do not sit well with me.

 

[chevyontheriver]

Weekdays, I have other plans. I have ADHD, so adoration or rosaries do not sit well with me.

If we are blessed to partake of the beatific vision some day there will be lots of adoration. I’m just trying to get into practice. It is a learned skill that took me a bunch of months to get into. Definitely not an instant thing.

 

[AlexB23]

If we are blessed to partake of the beatific vision some day there will be lots of adoration. I’m just trying to get into practice. It is a learned skill that took me a bunch of months to get into. Definitely not an instant thing.

Yeah. I prefer active faith, such as donating to help the poor, or volunteering over sitting in a pew for hours. But yes, heaven will be adoration, and we will see the face of Jesus.

 

[chevyontheriver]

Yeah. I prefer active faith, such as donating to help the poor, or volunteering over sitting in a pew for hours. But yes, heaven will be adoration, and we will see the face of Jesus.

Both are needed. The story of Mary and Martha is illustrative here. One prepared the food and the other sat and listened to Jesus. Preparing the food was essential, but who chose the better thing?

 

[AlexB23]

Both are needed. The story of Mary and Martha is illustrative here. One prepared the food and the other sat and listened to Jesus. Preparing the food was essential, but who chose the better thing?

Mary did the better thing, by listening to Jesus. Seems like a Bible analysis is in order. I'll get it ready by tomorrow.

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
— Luke 10:38–42 (NIV)

 

[Michie]

If we are blessed to partake of the beatific vision some day there will be lots of adoration. I’m just trying to get into practice. It is a learned skill that took me a bunch of months to get into. Definitely not an instant thing.

I think it would be interesting and helpful if you started a thread of how you learned to become an adoration devotee. A lot of us struggle with it.

 

[RileyG]

We must pray for them! I need to go to adoration more often!

 

[chevyontheriver]

I think it would be interesting and helpful if you started a thread of how you learned to become an adoration devotee. A lot of us struggle with it.

I might scare more people off than I attract.

When my old parish started it up years ago my wife signed up and I signed up. We did so not knowing the other one had done so. So we were off to the races.

I always had the temptation not to go to my appointed hour. I was tired, or feeling sick, or just not wanting to go. But I went. And was usually the best hour of my week. Funny that.

But I got sleepy. Sometimes I found myself nodding off and waking up with a jerk. Then doing it all over again.

I have never considered myself a power prayer. Actually I'm pretty wimpy at it. I daydream too easily. I can manage a few seconds of concentrated prayer. Then it slips away. BUT the old Jesuits had a scheme for that, imagining yourself in a Biblical scene. It helped for me.

The chapel, being open 24/7, was always available and lots of people just dropped in for a few minutes here and there. I realized I could do it too.

I was co-leading a confirmation class one year, and we had the class drop in one time. Only a few minutes though. Some were into it. Some really were not. But they all knew that it was there for them.

When Covid hit, we suspended adoration out of an abundance of misplaced caution. And it left a huge hole in my life. That and that they shut down public masses. I moved in there, staring out in a new parish. They had perpetual adoration but have only managed three days, now expanded to four days.

Every Catholic should try it. YMMV of course. But it does make for some lively parishes.

 

[Basil the Great]

While 28% is low, it is much better than the percentage in many of the European countries, where it is even less than 10% in some nations.

 

[FaithT]

I am trying to go more often. Went yesterday, and the service was good.

I try to go every Saturday vigil, except when I had some virus a couple weeks ago.

 

[AlexB23]

I try to go every Saturday vigil, except when I had some virus a couple weeks ago.

At least you are better now.

 

[FaithT]

At least you are better now.

Yeah, I’m still a little tired from it, but other than that I feel good.

 

[RileyG]

While 28% is low, it is much better than the percentage in many of the European countries, where it is even less than 10% in some nations.

True. In France it’s less than 8%.

 

[RileyG]

I try to go every Saturday vigil, except when I had some virus a couple weeks ago.

Hope you’re doing better! God bless!

 

[FaithT]

Hope you’re doing better! God bless!

I am, thanks!

 

[AlexB23]

Yeah, I’m still a little tired from it, but other than that I feel good.

That is all that matters. You are better

 

[AlexB23]

While 28% is low, it is much better than the percentage in many of the European countries, where it is even less than 10% in some nations.

Heathens...

Just kidding. I love my European brothers and sisters.