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Search for in author OR full textWord matches: attendance: 191 1 - Feb 2013 - Events: iWitness Retreat: a celebration of young adult Catholic faith, Br Barry Coldrey A further reason has been the generous support of sponsors which has enabled Conference fees to be kept to the minimum in order to secure a large attendance. 2 - Feb 2013 - Parish Renewal: New springtime for Catholic faith at St Mary's, South Brisbane, Jenny Davies Since the Capuchins said their first Mass at the church on the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary there has been a spike in Mass attendance. 3 - Feb 2013 - News: The Church Around the World While 83 percent of Frances population still call themselves Catholics on census forms weekly attendance at Mass according to 2002 statistics is about eight percent. 4 - Dec 2012 - Young Men of God 2012 Conference showcases Christian leadership, Br Barry Coldrey The YMG 2012 Conference had its largest attendance since the Movement commenced with overall 180 men attending the Retreat which has been the annual high point of the YMG since 2005 when the first Conference was held. 5 - Nov 2012 - News: The Church Around the World Furthermore the number of Koran schools was growing and in these the pupils were being influenced negatively with respect to attendance at regular schools which is compulsory in Tanzania. 6 - Oct 2012 - Missions: Father Raphael: dynamic Nigerian parish priest, Madonna Brosnan A small attendance fee is charged for those who can pay to assist with salaries and equipment. 7 - Sep 2012 - Australian Catholic Students Association Conference 2012, Br Barry Coldrey In addition to registrations a further thirty young men and women attended the MacKillop Ball on the Saturday evening when the Leader of the Federal Opposition Tony Abbott put in a cameo appearance and was mobbed by many of those in attendance. 8 - Mar 2012 - Missions: Bringing hope to Nigeria's abandoned children, Madonna Brosnan The delivery of disability and mobility equipment to physically disabled people allows attendance at school social gatherings worship services work and recreational activities. 9 - Feb 2012 - Youth: iWitness 2011: a celebration of young adult Catholic life, Br Barry Coldrey However at WYD Sydney and in Madrid this year - among vast numbers of their co-religionists - they were no longer alone; and on a smaller scale among the 260 in attendance they felt the strength of numbers and relevance. 10 - Feb 2012 - Census: Growth and decline in the churches: research findings, Frank Mobbs We all know of the low figures for Mass attendance especially amongst youth (the Churchs future). 11 - Dec 2011 - Religious education: Different worlds: being Catholic in Indonesia and Australia, Phillip Turnbull Mass attendance Indonesian children tell me what happened at Mass on Sunday as First Communion in Indonesia is not Last Communion. 12 - Dec 2011 - News: The Church Around the World Since it began its media campaigns in 2008 Catholics Come Home has increased Mass attendance an average of 10 percent in the markets where the ads have been shown and brought 300000 people back to the Church. 13 - Oct 2011 - Pro-life: Signs of hope from the United States, Babette Francis Much of US achievement in this area is attributable to the fact that they have a higher rate of church attendance than we have in Australia. 14 - Oct 2011 - World Youth Day 2011, Madrid: Australia's participation, Br Barry Coldrey Flags and other national symbols illustrate their attendance and proclaim their own Catholic emphases; also patriotic chants and national songs with a Catholic flavour. 15 - Sep 2011 - Letters: Catholic schools, Maria Plustwik After a whole lot of hassle with the school complaints to the Archbishop - without results - we removed the three and sent them to the nearest State school which agreed with our proviso of non-attendance at sex-ed classes. 16 - Aug 2011 - Young adult Catholic ministry: further progress, Br Barry Coldrey Some 10 to 20 priests and religious from the Dominicans Franciscan Capuchins and the three seminaries in Sydney were also in attendance. 17 - Jun 2011 - Letters: Catholic religious education: some grassroots views, John Morissey With about 50-60 people in attendance it was addressed by Bishop Peter Elliott Episcopal Vicar for Religious Education before being thrown open to questions and statements from the floor. 18 - May 2011 - News: The Church Around the World And where the ads have aired Mass attendance has increased by an average of 10% and by as much as 18%. 19 - Apr 2011 - News: The Church Around the World The congregation was dwindling and Mass attendance was at an all-time low. 20 - Mar 2011 - iWitness 2010: an unforgettable retreat for young Catholics, Br Barry Coldrey Similarly Theology-on-Tap has maintained its huge attendance figures over the past three years. 21 - Dec 2010 - Youth: Another successful Australian Catholic youth initiative, Br Barry Coldrey There were many highlights: - The attendance of five priests to hear confessions. 22 - Oct 2010 - Good priests: the Church's essential foot soldiers, Cardinal George Pell Philosophy became a necessary prerequisite too as the Church moved decisively away from relying on attendance at cathedral schools universities and an apprenticeship model for seminarians living with the local clergy. 23 - Oct 2010 - Celebrating National Marriage Day 2010, David Walsh Among those in attendance was Cardinal George Pell Kevin Andrews MHR Major General Peter Philips and guest speaker Dr Allan Carlson who is General Secretary of the World Congress of Families (WCF). 24 - Oct 2010 - Youth: Young adult Catholic ministry: hopeful signs continue, Br Barry Coldrey On the other hand the attendance was modest. 25 - Sep 2010 - Britain prepares for Benedict XVI's visit, Joanna Bogle But it is a reality of Catholic life in Britain: there is a sense of loyalty to the Church that is connected with a sense of commitment to an unbroken bond with St Thomas More and the heroic martyrs of the Elizabethan era and the years that followed and this may be irritatingly combined with a failure to recognise the truth and beauty of Humanae Vitae and a blithe disregard for the importance of daily prayer regular confession or even attendance at Sunday Mass. 26 - Aug 2010 - Troubled future of the Church in Ireland, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin Mass attendance The information collected on the ground in parishes in the Archdiocese of Dublin indicates that regular Church attendance has dropped in some cases dramatically. 27 - Jul 2010 - Two views: Vatican II, infallibility and the Church today, James Bogle and John Young John rightly argued in his earlier article against the notion that some of the most fundamental dogmas of Christianity should be questioned because the Councils that taught them didnt have enough bishops in attendance for their decisions to be infallible. 28 - Mar 2010 - Year for the Priest: English-speaking clergy: first ever international conference, Fr Glen Tattersall The highlight of the week was of course attendance at the Holy Fathers Epiphany Mass at St Peters Basilica. 29 - Oct 2009 - Books: THE QUEST FOR SHAKESPEARE, by Joseph Pearce, Michael Daniel Later he lived in a Huguenot household and as a member of that household would have been exempt from the legal requirements regarding Anglican church attendance. 30 - Sep 2009 - Priesthood: Reflections of a newly ordained Sydney priest, Fr James Mccarthy The Ordination was a magnificent celebration of the presence of the Catholic Church in Australia with over 3000 in attendance at Sydneys St Marys Cathedral. 31 - Sep 2009 - Campus Life: Brisbane hosts 2009 Australian Catholic Student Association Conference, Br Barry Coldrey On Sunday morning it held its Annual General Meeting with some 50 delegates in attendance. 32 - Jun 2009 - Events - July: Australian Catholic Students Association: continuing spiritual impact, Br Barry Coldrey Bishop Geoffrey Jarrett of Lismore has kindly agreed to give the Archbishop Mannix Address to set the tone for the Conference and ACSAs National Chaplain Fr Greg Jordan SJ will be in attendance. 33 - May 2009 - Conversion: A Catholic convert's story (Part 2): Are there any regrets?, Michael Daniel While Mass attendance rates were higher than todays among many Catholics there was a sense that their once proudly-worn religious iden- tity had slipped away. 34 - May 2009 - News: The Church Around the World Fr Brennan added: Bishop Geoffrey will be in attendance. 35 - Mar 2009 - Vocations: Indian priests: still plentiful but fewer available for overseas, AD2000 Report Mass attendance in many dioceses is over 80 percent. 36 - Sep 2008 - WYD08: Theology on Tap: young Catholics' response to relativism, Patrick Langrell Its success lies not in the worldly standard of increasing attendance figures but in the inspiration that it gives to young people to strive for personal holiness and to carry out their apostolate of bringing others closer to Christ. 37 - Aug 2008 - Census shows a strong Church in Singapore, AD2000 Report Those aged 12 to 19 have the most regular church attendance show the greatest attachment to their respective parish churches take part in more church activities than adults and feel more connected during weekend Masses. 38 - Aug 2008 - News: The Church Around the World Because of light attendance at the Orlando meeting the bishops final vote was inconclusive. 39 - Jun 2008 - News: The Church Around the World David McFadden head teacher at London Oratory said the criteria for admission are based on canon law: The first criterion is based on Mass attendance. 40 - May 2008 - Reflection: How to recover a sense of the sacred at Mass, Bishop Arthur Serratelli No single factor can account for the decline in Mass attendance Church marriages baptisms and funerals in the last years. 41 - May 2008 - Youth: Eucharistic devotions: revival in Melbourne, Br Barry Coldrey On Thursday 21 February 2008 the SIX30 Holy Hour had its largest attendance of the past two years. 42 - May 2008 - Magisterium: When is it infallible?, John Young On the same principle it could be argued that some of the most fundamental dogmas of Christianity should be questioned because the councils that taught them didnt have enough bishops in attendance for their decisions to be infallible. 43 - May 2008 - Interview: Positive impact of Pope's decree on the Latin Mass, Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos Therefore attendance at these Masses is not advised unless there is no other possibility on Sundays. 44 - May 2008 - Editorial: Re-evangelising young unchurched Catholics, Michael Gilchrist Various estimates put the level of regular Mass attendance among the 16-25-year-olds as at around five percent. 45 - Apr 2008 - Editorial: AD2000 reaches the twenty year mark, Michael Gilchrist Meanwhile with the present low and declining Mass attendance rates the potential readership for a journal like AD2000 continues to shrink quite apart from its disproportionate reliance on an older readership for circulation. 46 - Feb 2008 - Books: NO PLACE FOR GOD: The Denial of the Transcendent in Modern Church Architecture, Tony Evans Available from Freedom Publishing) With Mass attendance declining and young people leaving Catholic schools without the Faith and most churches locked during the day because only vandals would be likely to enter them clergy educationists and interested laity rack their brains for an explanation and a remedy. 47 - Dec 2007 - Schools: The state of Catholic education: teacher and student experiences, Br Barry Coldrey In 2007 the Australian Catholic Students Association (ACSA) had its most successful conference (ever) in Canberra with 350 young practising Catholics in attendance. 48 - Dec 2007 - News: The Church Around the World Father Curran believed the bishops attention was unlikely to hurt attendance at his lecture. 49 - Nov 2007 - News: The Church Around The World Meanwhile more than 700 people including Russias ambassador to the Holy See Nikolay Sadchikov and a representative of the Russian Orthodox Church were in attendance when Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos celebrated Mass using the 1962 Missal at the basilica of Loreto Italy on 14 September. 50 - Oct 2007 - Letters: Mass attendance, John Schmid Emphasising these aspects alone will have no lasting effect on attendances. 51 - Oct 2007 - Queensland: Liturgy in Brisbane and the rights of the laity, Michael Apthorp Attendance at weekend Mass is obligatory. 52 - Sep 2007 - Laity: How the Legion of Mary can benefit parishes, Fr Hugh Thwaites SJ The introduction of the Legion of Mary into a parish always increases the Mass attendance and while the prospect of his Catholics behaving like Jehovah Witnesses and knocking on every door in the parish can fill the parish priest with alarm eighty years of experience have shown that it works. 53 - Sep 2007 - Pastoral Letter: NSW and ACT Bishops call for a shake-up in Catholic education, Michael Gilchrist Some of the Critical Indicators of Progress listed include: the Catholic purpose of the school is clearly stated in each schools Mission Statement; all Principals Assistant Principals and RECs are practising Catholics who understand and profess the Catholic faith model it in their own lives and can teach it effectively; progress towards an increase in the proportion of school staff - especially of RE teachers - who are practising and knowledgeable Catholics; at application and appointment to a new position and on other appropriate occasions leaders and staff are reminded of the Catholic identity and mission of the school and of the expectation that they will commit themselves to that mission; progress towards an increase in the proportion of students in our schools who are Catholic; at application or enrolment at admission and on other appropriate occasions parents and students are reminded of the Catholic identity and mission of the school and of the expectation that they will assist in that mission; the presence of distinctively Catholic symbols and practices as part of the daily life of the school; efforts to connect with Catholic families and parishes to maximise their participation in Catholic schools; continued development and deployment of curriculum methodologies and resources such as texts which promote high levels of Catholic religious literacy; systematic external assessment of Catholic religious literacy; progress toward significantly increased attendance at Sunday Mass and deeper involvement in the life of the local Church by students and ex-students. 54 - Jul 2007 - Events: Archbishop Chaput in Australia - Melbourne 4 July 00pm Cardinal Knox Centre Lecture Theatre 383 Albert Street East Melbourne (enter via Cathedral car park) Attendance free donation appreciated. 55 - Jun 2007 - Events: Archbishop Chaput in Australia - Melbourne 4 July 2007 30pm Central Hall Australian Catholic University 20 Brunswick Street Fitzroy (attendance free donation requested). 56 - Jun 2007 - Youth ministry active in the Melbourne archdiocese, Barry Coldrey Attendance is good with an average of 40-60 mainly young people and a sprinkling of young Franciscans Dominicans and Missionaries of Charity. 57 - Jun 2007 - News: The Church Around the World Catholic World News An Australian diocese: then and now Statistics cited in the Autumn 2007 issue of Our Diocesan Community the quarterly periodical for the Ballarat Diocese highlight a situation typical of most Australian dioceses in regard to falling Mass attendances and priestly numbers. 58 - May 2007 - Reflection: Teaching children about the Eucharist, Audrey English The problem may be caused by the failure of parents to provide an example of regular attendance. 59 - Apr 2007 - Letters: Catholic schools What would help the school situation is more enforcement of the Churchs basic requirements upon parents teachers and students such as attendance at Sunday Mass and acceptance of the Catholic Church as the one true religion. 60 - Mar 2007 - Catholic religion courses and the challenge of relativism, Audrey English Its impact is seen in the statistics for Generation Y in relation for instance to church attendance or to attitudes about moral issues such as abortion cohabitation outside marriage etc. 61 - Mar 2007 - Survey of Catholic teachers This acceptance level would be lower among the non-attending teachers a significant proportion given that the national average attendance for all Catholics was down to 15 percent in 2001. 62 - Mar 2007 - 'Professional', a lá carte Catholicism and its papier màché schools, Andrew T. Kania Australians he believes are still a religious people despite the fact that overall church attendances among all denominations have dropped from above 60 percent over the last four decades to 13 percent weekly. 63 - Mar 2007 - Catholicism flourishes in South Korea, Richard Stokes I dont know what percentage attend Mass in South Korea but I did not have the heart to tell him that attendance in Queensland is down to around 10 percent. 64 - Mar 2007 - Formation: Continuing growth of Sydney's Catholic Adult Education Centre, AD2000 Report Classes can be taken by attendance mode at the Centre in Sydney or by correspondence. 65 - Mar 2007 - Editorial: How we can help young East Timorese, Peter Westmore The request to Australian parishes by the Provincial of the Salesians in East Timor and Indonesia Fr Andres Calleja to sponsor the attendance of young East Timorese at World Youth Day 2008 in Sydney to be held in the presence of Benedict XVI gives Australians a unique opportunity to help the young people of this overwhelmingly Catholic country. 66 - Feb 2007 - Education: Australia's Catholic school systems: the case for radical surgery, Michael Gilchrist In recent years the weekly Mass attendance rate of school leavers has been estimated by professional surveys as at somewhere between three and six percent. 67 - Dec 2006 - 2006 National Church Life Survey: important questions overlooked, Michael Gilchrist These showed regular Mass attendances (at least 2-3 times per month) to have fallen from 18 percent to 15 percent of the total Catholic population. 68 - Dec 2006 - A 'best practice' guide to priestly vocations Ryan notes as important recitation of the Rosary for vocations sound catechesis in the home and attendance at Eucharistic Adoration. 69 - Dec 2006 - 'Lost!' controversy: Archbishop Bathersby's reply, AD2000 Report While the number of priestly vocations is only one indicator of spiritual health as is the rate of Mass attendance each is a sound litmus test given their centrality to the Catholic faith as a whole. 70 - Nov 2006 - England: British Catholicism's dark night of the soul The attendance figures are those for Sunday 8 May 2005. 71 - Nov 2006 - Education: The Spirit of Generation Y: the challenge for Catholic schools, Cardinal George Pell Some have reduced their attendance at worship or stopped attending altogether. 72 - Oct 2006 - Books: Towards A People's Liturgy: The Importance of Language, by Mark Twinham Elvins, Michael E. Daniel Mass attendance has decreased dramatically. 73 - Sep 2006 - History: The Counter Reformation and the Jesuits, John Morrissey Thus in Graz the Archduke from 1581 preferred Catholics for employment expelled evangelical pastors forbade attendance at the Protestant school and finally allowed citizenship only to Catholics. 74 - Sep 2006 - Chavagnes: Catholic education in a secular culture, Alexander Morrison The fall in Church attendance widespread loss of faith and even the vocations shortage can all be effectively combated if many young people are prepared to accept their Catholic faith with zeal and courage. 75 - Sep 2006 - News: The Church Around the World Catholic News Agency British Catholicism facing pastoral catastrophe A 260-page report on the state of the Catholic Church in Britain has found that Mass attendance has slumped by 40 per cent and Catholic marriages by 60 per cent over the last 30 years. 76 - Sep 2006 - USA: Liberal Christianity goes into meltdown, Charlotte Allen Despite the fact that median Sunday attendance at Episcopal churches is 80 worshipers the Episcopal Church as a whole is financially equipped to carry on for some time thanks to its inventory of vintage real estate and huge endowments left over from the days (no more! 77 - Aug 2006 - Music: Benedict XVI seeks a greater sense of the sacred in church music With restoration of a more sacred atmosphere to the churches one might hope that some of the lost sheep will be drawn back to regular Sunday Mass attendance. 78 - Aug 2006 - Editorial: Falling Mass attendances and liturgical reform, Michael Gilchrist Many of todays Catholics differ often passionately about the merits of the post-Vatican II liturgical reforms as well as the reasons for the steep decline in Australian Mass attendances since the Council. 79 - Jul 2006 - Internet pornography: raising the alarm, Fr Stephen J. Rossetti Professional help Parishioners who are engaged in Internet sexual behaviours as an addiction will likely benefit from professional care and/or attendance at self-help groups or other 12-step groups for sex addicts. 80 - Jun 2006 - News: The Church Around the World About 4000 Jesuits were in attendance led by Father Peter Hans Kolvenbach who has led the Society of Jesus since 1983. 81 - Jun 2006 - Editorial: Pentecost: Church needs a spiritual kick-start, Michael Gilchrist The last available figure for 2001 showed that about 13 per cent of Catholics fulfilled their weekly Mass attendance obligation. 82 - Apr 2006 - The Domestic Church: The Christian Family Movement: re-evangelising through families, Leslie Sammut It is not uncommon to find the virginity of Mary use of the sacrament of reconciliation and attendance at Sunday Mass rejected while cohabitation sex before marriage divorce abortion and so on are regarded as acceptable. 83 - Apr 2006 - Salesian Missions: Cardinal Pell visits East Timor, Michael Lynch SDB I thought the atmosphere that day was very much like a country race meeting in many parts of Australia with an attendance exceeding 3000. 84 - Apr 2006 - News: The Church Around the World Catholic World News Polands Mass attendance figure still high A survey of 17 European Union countries shows that 56. 85 - Mar 2006 - Letters: The Eucharist, Jim Howe Rather many of us feel a pressing need to be saved practically every day and frequent attendance at Mass drives us to be reconciled with him frequently. 86 - Mar 2006 - Archbishop Hickey: how to address the crisis of faith, Archbishop Barry Hickey I refer of course to the precipitous fall in Mass attendance over the last forty years the ignorance of Catholic teaching and traditions among our Catholic and State school leavers the lack of statistical difference between Catholics and the population at large in marriage breakdowns and remarriage in the use of contraception the frequency of abortion the lack of courage to publicly afffirm Catholic teaching among lay leaders in society the collapse of Religious Institutes and vocations to the priesthood to name a few. 87 - Mar 2006 - News: The Church Around the World The attendance stunned even the organisers themselves as it far exceeded the numbers at similar events in Sydney and Melbourne in recent years. 88 - Feb 2006 - Education: Catholic Church and her schools face a 'wake-up call', Bishop Geoffrey Jarrett Mass attendance This is a diocese in which I thank God the parochial schools including our secondary colleges still remain in a commonality of life with the parish which they serve. 89 - Feb 2006 - Catechesis: Latest research on Catholic school leavers, Michael Gilchrist Students are rejecting most of the doctrinal teachings of the Catholic Church for example Sunday Mass attendance contraception and divorce and re-marriage. 90 - Nov 2005 - Letters: New Zealand visitor to Brisbane, Leo Leitch During his homily the priest introduced us to Come Holy Spirit a program of prayer being promoted by Archbishop Bathersby for the renewal of the Church in South-East Queensland especially in regard to Mass attendance and priestly vocations. 91 - Nov 2005 - Synod of Bishops on the Eucharist: areas for remedial action identified, Peter Westmore Many bishops cardinals and lay leaders spoke bluntly about the major problems facing the Church today: the decline in the number of priests declining Mass attendance infrequent use of confession and inadequate catechesis. 92 - Aug 2005 - Campus Life: Cardinal Pell's program for a Catholic culture at Sydney's universities, Stephen Lawrence Thanks to the generosity of Fr Dom Murphy OP we have continued this tradition with an average of about 20 in attendance daily and much larger numbers on feast days. 93 - Jul 2005 - Letters: Silent apostasy, Fr. G.H. Duggan SM Other aspects of the phenomenon are the decline in attendance at Sunday Mass and the breakdown in morals with Catholics in developed countries using contraceptives and divorcing at the same rate as non-Catholics. 94 - Jul 2005 - Year of Eucharist: The Eucharist: heart of our faith, Cardinal George Pell Attendance at Mass is not an optional extra for Catholics but part of the obligations we assume by being followers of Christ. 95 - Jun 2005 - Letters: A true shepherd, Lynn Wise After a long absence from the Catholic Church I have thanks to the Holy Spirit and our Blessed Mother returned to Mass attendance and come to know my Jesus again this time as an adult. 96 - May 2005 - UK survey: why church pews are emptying The survey which was carried out by the interdenominational Ecumenical Research Committee addressed questions about why church attendance was falling so dramatically in the UK but growing elsewhere even though two-thirds of the British population believe in God. 97 - May 2005 - Catholic beliefs and practices: the challenge ahead for Australia, Michael Gilchrist Bob Dixon Director of the Pastoral Projects Office of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference has analysed data from the 2001 National Attendance Count conducted by the Pastoral Projects Office as well as from the 2001 National Church Life Survey and this provides the basis for the present report. 98 - May 2005 - Year of Eucharist: Religious education: Catholic youth have their say, Shannon Donahoo Most probably out of a desire not to offend the Archbishop - or the CEO staff in attendance - criticism of Catholic schools was reserved to intra-group discussion rather than given as public feedback. 99 - Mar 2005 - Letters: Convert (letter), Jeff Harvie The years have passed since my confirmation with weekly Mass attendance. 100 - Mar 2005 - Letters: Layman saint Bob Santamaria (letter), J.W. McMahon For a couple of years during the course of attendance at Mass I have had recurring thoughts on the same theme. 101 - Mar 2005 - Adult Education: Sydney Centre for Thomistic Studies continues a great teacher's legacy, Audrey English The people of Sydney responded with enthusiasm as can be attested by the attendance at classes. 102 - Feb 2005 - The Church in Australia 2005: can the tide be turned?, Michael Gilchrist Decline in practice When AD2000 was launched in 1988 weekly Mass attendances were around 25-30 per cent nationally. 103 - Dec 2004 - New Evangelisation: Rebuilding a lost Faith, Fr John Walter He casually remarked as I shared morning tea with him that in the late 1970s when he was pastor the Sunday Mass attendance was some 2500. 104 - Dec 2004 - Administration: Cardinal Pell: Church administrators must put Christ's mission first, Cardinal George Pell In other words we must be able to demonstrate that through savings and efficiency at least some of the following effects are occurring: Mass attendance and prayer are increasing marriages and families are growing in numbers and in stability more adults are converting to the faith more children and students are accepting the truths of the faith the poor and suffering are being helped effectively. 105 - Nov 2004 - Education: Where secular humanism is triumphing over the Gospel, Fr John Walter The task for the teaching Church is to re-evangelise when the children begin to be involved in a sacramental program by inviting the family to return to regular Sunday Mass attendance if only as a sign of good will. 106 - Nov 2004 - Ad limina: The Pope calls for strong leadership from New Zealand's Bishops, Michael Gilchrist As in Australia the sharp fallaway in Sunday Mass attendance (a solemn obligation) in recent decades was a cause of major concern since as John Paul II put it this dimmed the light of witness to Christs presence in your country. 107 - Oct 2004 - Today's non-practising young Catholics: are Church conservatives to blame?, Michael Gilchrist The latest Mass attendance figure for recent school leavers according to the Catholic Church Life Survey is under five percent. 108 - Sep 2004 - Letters: Freedom to be Born pro-life march, George F. Simpson A good attendance on 18 September will do much to achieve this result. 109 - Sep 2004 - Letters: Maronite Church, L.L. Booth And it is not only in regard to church attendance either. 110 - Sep 2004 - Mass Attendance: Where have all the worshippers gone?, Fr Martin Durham In the June 2004 issue of The Review Bishop Brian Heenan of Rockhampton Queensland called for answers to the question of falling attendances at Sunday Masses under the heading of Where have all the people gone? 111 - Aug 2004 - Letters: Parish revitalised, Br Con Moloney CFC Father concludes his article with Over the following month the roster of adorers kept increasing until upwards of twenty parishioners attended each day with an inspiring follow-up of improving Mass attendance on Sundays. 112 - Jun 2004 - News: The Church Around the World Weekend Masses off for Canberra Synod Important Synod 2004 said to justify lay-led services on 15-16 May Attendance of the Canberra-Goulburn Archdioceses priests at Synod 2004 was so important for the good of the local Church that it justified parishes arranging the conduct of lay-led Liturgies of the Word and Communion Services for the weekend of 15-16 May Archbishop Francis Carroll said. 113 - May 2004 - Letters: No laughing matter (letter), Dr Lance Eccles Perhaps the diocese thinks Mass-attendance rates are still not sufficiently low and that too many souls are getting into Heaven. 114 - May 2004 - Education: The religious character of Catholic schools: how can it be enhanced?, Br Paul Macrossan CFC This finding is easily seen to be related to other findings: only about three percent of graduates of Catholic schools practise some important demands of their faith like regular Mass attendance and many of their teachers too graduates in the faculty of education at Australian Catholic University find that they cannot subscribe to essential teachings of the Churchs Magisterium such as the authority of the Pope to pronounce on questions of morality or faith or the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist or the unlawfulness of abortion or divorce or the invalidity of gay marriages etc. 115 - Apr 2004 - National Church Life Survey: church-going declines further, Michael Gilchrist Statistics from the latest National Church Life Survey (NCLS) indicate that attendances at church services in the large Christian denominations including the Catholic Church are continuing to decline. 116 - Dec 2003 - Letters: Common sense, Michael Barry I saw a documentary recently from the EWTN network in America that showed a fivefold increase in attendance in parishes in San Antonio that practised exposition of the Real Presence and had the tabernacle in a prominent position. 117 - Oct 2003 - How fatherhood is crucial to children's faith, Fr Robbie Low Recent Swiss research on church attendance has highlighted the vital role played by fathers in their childrens practice rates. 118 - Jul 2003 - Books: Europe: The Exceptional Case: Parameters Of Faith In The Modern World, Anthony Cappello In the case of frequency of church attendance in Catholic countries we find that in Ireland 56% attend weekly in Italy 41% Portugal 36% and Spain 25%. 119 - Jul 2003 - Letters: Catholic visionary? (letter), Richard Congram In 1955 his Superiors forbade his attendance at the International Congress of Paleontology. 120 - Jul 2003 - Brisbane Synod ends: Archbishop Bathersby to announce pastoral programs, AD2000 REPORT the ongoing decline of Sunday Mass attendance now 13 percent in Brisbane the continuing shortage of priests and miniscule seminary numbers and public pressures particularly from the media burdening the task of evangelisation. 121 - Apr 2003 - Letters: Vatican II (letter), Denis O'Leary Maybe the days when the purpose of the liturgy in some places seemed to be more about entertaining than edifying those in attendance are coming to an end and those now ministering in the name of the Church are coming to a better understanding of Vatican II. 122 - Apr 2003 - Our Lady of Peace: one American parish's successful formula, Arthur J. Brew While Sunday Mass attendance is dropping precipitously all over the world by as much as 70 per cent in some areas it is usually standing room only for weekend Masses at Our Lady of Peace. 123 - Apr 2003 - News: The Church Around the World Attendance is by donation. 124 - Dec 2002 - Brisbane Synod 2003: a leadership challenge, Peter D. Howard A serious re-evaluation of the state of affairs in the Archdiocese is undoubtedly necessary given the catastrophic level of regular Mass attendance - now 13 percent according to Archbishop Bathersby and even fewer among the young - and the dearth of priestly vocations. 125 - Dec 2002 - News: The Church Around the World, AD2000 Their stated objective is to renew and strengthen the formation of parents and children in Catholic faith and morals taught and led by the bishops of Australia through their priests and through all of the avenues available within the Church today especially in view of the calamitous decline in Mass attendance. 126 - Sep 2002 - The 1960s 'cultural revolution': from self-sacrifice to self-fulfillment, Fr Gregory Jordan A recent student survey at St Leos College Brisbane has shown that just on half of Leonians considered religion as very important and just on one-fifth claimed they attend Mass regularly - the lowest figure ever for Mass attendance. 127 - Sep 2002 - CHURCH ATTENDANCE: The family, feminism and the declining role of fatherhood, Richard Egan A 1994 survey of Swiss religious practice asked key questions about the impact of parents church attendance on the subsequent church attendance of their adult children. 128 - Sep 2002 - News: The Church Around the World, AD2000 He concluded by thanking the pro-lifers in attendance. 129 - Aug 2002 - Education: Beliefs and practices of Catholic students: the decline continues, Michael Gilchrist The latest figure for regular Mass attendance by young Catholics in the 16-25 age group (as revealed in the 1996 Catholic Church Life Survey) of less than 5 percent does not reflect well on the impact of a Catholic education - nor for that matter the condition of the Australian Catholic community generally. 130 - Jun 2002 - How John Paul II's 'new springtime' came to an American parish, Elizabeth A. Wittman Daily Mass attendance has easily tripled. 131 - Jun 2002 - Sydney initiative to strengthen Catholic influence at university, Robert Haddad Student attendance has been very encouraging as well as the level of enthusiasm and participation. 132 - May 2002 - Catholicism in Australia: facing the challenges of Western secularism, Archbishop George Pell ) While regular Sunday worship among Catholics has fallen from about 50 per cent in 1960 to 18 per cent today attendance at Christmas and Easter is more than double this (a larger percentage increase than occurs in the USA) and the demand for Catholic services in schools hospitals welfare and aged care continues to rise. 133 - May 2002 - News: The Church Around the World Scott Nicholson Academic Dean of the Academy said they intend to continue the tradition of full attendance at the March for Life. 134 - Mar 2002 - News: The Church Around the World Bishop Conti expressed concern that people appeared to be losing their faith and of his hopes for increased Mass attendances. 135 - Dec 2001 - Books: 'Soul Survivor' - Philip Yancey book launch at Thomas More Centre, Bill Muehlenberg Many in attendance said the same thing noting how his books had stimulated their thinking challenged their preconceptions and deepened their faith. 136 - Dec 2001 - East Timor: how the Church is rebuilding a shattered nation, Peter Westmore Government school teachers were demoralised by poor facilities lack of discipline and irregular attendance of teachers and students. 137 - Oct 2001 - Education: Mass attendance: a key measure of Catholic schools' effectiveness, Br John Moylan CFC True there is more to the Christian life than regular attendance at the Eucharist and while this indicator is an indispensable indicator of the effectiveness of Catholic schools other indicators also need to be used. 138 - Jul 2001 - Letters: Ballarat Diocese (letter), Peter Jenkins Some priests give the impression of being no longer Catholic in their Eucharistic beliefs while some bishops have succumbed to the demands of the feminist nuns and the paid chancery change-agents closely in attendance upon them. 139 - Jul 2001 - Report on Marins BECs workshop in Ballarat, Peter Finlayson It challenged the contemporary concept of being a Christian - confined to church attendance (however irregular) and family - and stressed our missionary obligation to take the Church in person directly to the wider community especially targeting the disadvantaged and marginalised people. 140 - Jul 2001 - News: The Church Around the World Irish Mass attendances increase More university students finding God Mass attendance in Ireland is on the increase for the first time in almost 40 years reports the Irish edition of The Sunday Times. 141 - Jun 2001 - How a small rural parish survived against the odds, Paul Newton But as the 1990s approached attendance at St Dymphnas was very poor. 142 - May 2001 - A Melbourne artist's labour of love, Michael Gilchrist If this project is to be a success Mr Giansiracusa needs numbers in attendance as well as a sponsor or sponsors to help cover the considerable outlay involved including advertising. 143 - Mar 2001 - Books: Why the hopes of the Council Fathers of Vatican II are yet to be realised, Michael Daniel In Australia weekly Mass attendance rates have plumetted from around 60 percent before the Council to less than 20 percent today; rates for baptisms and Church weddings have likewise declined as has a knowledge of Church teachings particularly among younger generations. 144 - Dec 2000 - News: The Church Around the World He noted that one similarity between Armidale and his native land was the good attendance at weekday Masses in the Cathedral. 145 - Nov 2000 - Reflection: Brother Andrew (1928-2000): returning to spiritual basics, Brother Andrew I briefly call to mind observable symptoms of deep malaise in the Catholic Church: The well known decline in church attendance in interested young people in the number of priests nuns and non-salaried church workers. 146 - Nov 2000 - Editorial: Pope John Paul II on the Eucharist, Michael Gilchrist This lack of awareness of what the Holy Sacrifice really means has undoubtedly contributed to a lack of reverence during Mass as well as low Mass attendance rates in many countries. 147 - Oct 2000 - Archbishop Pell: social justice for today's family, Archbishop George Pell Catholic religious practice in particular as measured by regular Mass attendance has declined from about 55-60 percent in the 1950s and early 1960s to 18 percent nationally. 148 - Sep 2000 - News: The Church Around the World The document cites regular Mass attendance figures by age group for the diocese extracted from the Catholic Church Life Survey. 149 - Aug 2000 - Eucharistic Congress in Wollongong: 'a time of blessing', Fr Mark De Battista On 16 June thousands of primary and secondary school children from across the diocese took part in a the Great Jubilee function for students while that evening representatives from each community in the diocese participated in a ceremony displaying diocesan church unity with around three thousand in attendance. 150 - Jul 2000 - Italians in Australia: Celebrating cultural and Catholic identity, AD2000 Report However in line with the wider Church Mass attendance remains relatively low at 20 percent. 151 - Jun 2000 - Shedding further light on the English Reformation under Edward VI, Michael Daniel Non-attendance at church services was sufficient for it to be noted and to prompt government action. 152 - Jun 2000 - How Catholics can help rebuild Christian culture, Archbishop Charles J. Chaput We still think of ourselves as a more or less Christian people; more that 90 percent of Americans still pray and describe themselves as believing in God; and American church attendance is still very high by Western standards. 153 - Apr 2000 - Impressive gathering of young people attend TMC Summer School, Michael Daniel In that country we find barely 5 percent Mass attendance rates no vocations of female religious in some of the dioceses for years and four or so seminarians for the whole country. 154 - Feb 2000 - News: The Church Around the World The English Church Survey showed that Sunday attendance across all Christian denominations fell by 22 percent from 4742800 in 1989 to 3714700 last year. 155 - Dec 1999 - Catholic Church Life Survey's shock findings, AD2000 Report In one of his articles Fr Mason identifies the national Mass attendance average of Australian Catholics: . 156 - Oct 1999 - News: The Church Around the World Zenit News Service Church Life Survey Mass attendance statistics Mass attenders older than Catholic population as a whole Referring to statistics from the Catholic Church Life Survey (CCLS) in their report on the participation of women in the Catholic Church in Australia Woman and Man (see page 7) the reports editors note that regular Mass-attenders are older on average than Catholics as a whole. 157 - Aug 1999 - News: The Church Around the World The Mass attendance rate has progressively fallen from around 63 percent in 1954 55 percent in 1964 42 percent in 1974 36 percent in 1984 to 26 percent in 1997. 158 - Jul 1999 - Liturgy: An American parish's formula for success, Judy Trajanyi Mass attendance Weekly Mass attendance here is one of the highest in the Toledo Diocese at nearly 100 per cent. 159 - Jun 1999 - News: The Church Around the World Many members of the clergy deacons and priests as well as seminarians were in attendance. 160 - Jun 1999 - Bishops Conference resolves crisis over 'Statement of Conclusions', Michael Gilchrist The Letter expressed what was the crux of the matter in paragraph 9: By most measurable criteria such as religious affiliation church attendance vocations marriage in church etc secularisation is making great inroads in Australia. 161 - May 1999 - The 'Statement of Conclusions': how can religious education be reformed?, Michael Daniel Despite this massive outlay church attendance rates particularly amongst young people are at an all time low. 162 - Apr 1999 - What the census statistics on religious affiliations reveal, Michael Gilchrist The weekly attendance rates up to the early 1960s of around 50-60 percent have fallen to less than 20 percent in most parts of Australia and continue to fall at an alarming rate. 163 - Apr 1999 - News: The Church Around the World Vatican Information Service Latest research on Catholic student teachers 34 percent weekly Mass attendance better than national average of 18 percent Research has recently been completed on first and final year student teachers at Australian Catholic University by Professor Denis McLaughlin head of the department of Educational Foundations at the Brisbane campus of ACU. 164 - Feb 1999 - John Paul II throws down the gauntlet to Australia's bishops, AD2000 Report The Pope met the Australian bishops at the end of their visit which also included attendance at a Synod of the Bishops of Oceania and consultations between representatives of the Australian Episcopal Conference and the heads of key Vatican congregations - including the Congregation for Bishops and for the Doctrine of the Faith - on the state of the Catholic Church in Australia. 165 - Dec 1998 - Reflection: The mystery of Christmas confronts a sceptical world, Fr Robert J. Batule When Christ was born in Bethlehem very few were in attendance. 166 - Aug 1998 - Education: Catholic schools: Do they make enough difference?, Br John Moylan CFC Importantly he found there is a strong correlation between weekly Sunday Mass attendance and acceptance of Catholic moral teaching. 167 - Aug 1998 - Decline in priests 'an opportunity for growth!' says Townsville's Bishop, Michael Gilchrist Several years after adopting a new diocesan blueprint - Never Ending Story - the north Queensland diocese of Townsville has achieved the distinction of having possibly the lowest level of Mass attendance of any Catholic diocese in Australia. 168 - Mar 1998 - Reflection: Young Catholics: why 'updating' the Church will not bring them back, Rocco Loiacono 0ver many years explanations have been sought as to the whys and the wherefores of declining Mass attendance and apathy towards Church involvement in general - particularly among younger Catholics. 169 - Mar 1998 - Vatican Instruction on the role of the laity is binding on Catholics, Peter Westmore It should be emphasised for the benefit of those participating that such celebrations cannot substitute for the Eucharistic sacrifice and that the obligation to attend Mass on Sunday and Holy Days of Obligation is satisfied only by attendance at Holy Mass. 170 - May 1997 - Brisbane pastoral ministers guidelines: 'Zooming along' to priestless parishes?, Michael Gilchrist Full-time employment would follow the community norm of a 38-hour 5-day week with allowance made for the fact that Pastoral minister positions by their very nature normally require attendance during evenings at weekends and on public holidays. 171 - Apr 1997 - Brisbane Archdiocese booklets: how to make parishes 'zoom along', Michael Gilchrist Nowhere is there mention of Mass attendance levels Eucharistic adoration reverence daily Masses effective use of the Catechism of the Catholic Church or numbers at confession as indicators of a parishs success. 172 - Feb 1997 - The Catholic Church in Singapore: why is it strong and healthy?, Michael Barr Impressions Although my impressions of the Church in Singapore are based primarily on my contact with the local Franciscan communities and my attendance at Sunday Mass at St Josephs Parish Upper Bukit Timah my experience with other parishes and religious communities suggests that these observations are valid in varying degrees for the Church throughout Singapore. 173 - Aug 1996 - How to overcome the shortage of priests, Fr Kevin Dillon PP Mass attendance Yet it is more than arguable that this is precisely what we have done. 174 - Jun 1996 - Michael Davies' Australia / NZ tour - The Catholic liturgy: where is it headed?, Michael Gilchrist Despite the incessant talk of renewal Mass attendance figures continue to decline to a small fraction of what they were 30 years ago even as attendances at traditional Latin Masses are steadily increasing from an admittedly small base. 175 - May 1996 - Reflection: Holy Communion and the Real Presence: whatever happened to reverence?, Christine McCarthy Sunday and daily Mass attendance increases confessions increase the love of the faithful for God and for each other becomes more vibrant the lukewarm begin to return to the practice of the faith and there are more vocations to the priesthood and religious life. 176 - May 1996 - Archbishop Little warns priests on flawed 'priestless liturgies' document The parish and its parish priest said Dr Little are not essential for the attendance of people at weekly Mass. 177 - Mar 1996 - Examining the impact of Vatican II after 30 years, Fr John Parsons At exactly the same point 1965 when the piecemeal demolition of the Mass of the Roman Rite began Mass attendance in the Western world began to go into sharp and sudden decline. 178 - Sep 1995 - Alexander Rzewuski (1893-1983): The Catholic Church viewed with 'fresh eyes', Fr Peter Knowles OP With scant knowledge of religion and lacking any insistent habit of church attendance he could justify this sharp turn only by stating that the idea of joining the Catholic Church would not leave him. 179 - Mar 1995 - A young Catholic's view of Youth Liturgies, Bernard Finnigan Attendance at a recent Youth Mass at St Francis Xaviers Cathedral Adelaide confirmed for me the inadequacies of such an approach to the liturgy and the reasons for its failure to stem massive present-day falling away by young Catholics from the practice of their faith. 180 - Mar 1994 - Townsville Mass attendance document - 'Where have all the parishioners gone?' A recent document (newsletter) from the Catholic Diocese of Townsville (Queensland) titled Partnership - a vision of hope dated December 1993 and produced by the Townsville Pastoral Planning and Formation Commission asks in regard to Mass attendances Where have all the people gone? 181 - Feb 1994 - New studies raise question: How 'Catholic' are Catholic schools?, Michael Gilchrist The general Mass attendance rates around Australia are 20% or less bolstered by older age groups with few Catholics at universities or in the young to middle aged single category now going to Mass. 182 - Feb 1994 - The state of Catholicism after 'Veritatis Splendor', B.A. Santamaria The figures of religious practice during the past decade - which are mentioned for purposes of comparison - are the official figures of Mass attendance in the Archdiocese of Melbourne itself. 183 - Nov 1993 - Brompton Oratory, London: Keeping Catholic tradition alive, Simon Matthews the Fathers of the Oratory have been at their post; and as each has made his last journey to the grave a fresh priest has taken his place ambitious in his turn to bring the great heart of St Philip into the great heart of London; the old patient attendance to duty the old gracious courtesy the old love of music and of pageantry have never died out. 184 - Aug 1992 - Editorial: The graph points downwards, B.A. Santamaria Mass attendance The 1991 figures for weekly Catholic Mass attendance in the Archdiocese of Melbourne - Australias largest - from the Catholic Research Office for Pastoral Planning (CROPP) provided a figure of 22-23% down from 25% in 1986. 185 - Oct 1991 - France and the revival of traditional Catholicism, Dr Geoffrey Hull It is a land that has produced in every century an abundant harvest of saints theologians and missionaries and yet estimates today place the Sunday Mass attendance figure as low as 11% in a population of some forty million baptised Catholics. 186 - May 1991 - Why the 'new' catechetics is flawed, Sr Mary Augustine Lane OP The Sunday Mass attendance among students seemed to be quite low despite the heavy concentration in the school of ethnic groups whose families held to traditional religious values and practice and were not over-materialistic. 187 - Feb 1991 - Leading questions for New Zealand's Religious, Sr Micaela Dillon OP Why investigate attendance at the Liturgy of the Word or a Communion Service celebrated alone? 188 - Feb 1991 - How religion fares in the U.S.A. - Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches, Michael Gilchrist Despite the present healthy Mass attendance figures for American Catholics Protestant trends within the Church do not augur well for the future. 189 - Feb 1990 - 'Holland of the Pacific'?: Catholicism in New Zealand, John Kennedy OBE One of the most disturbing aspects of attendance at Sunday Mass these days is to note how few young people there are compared with even fifteen years ago. 190 - Sep 1989 - Three problems for Catholic schools, Michael Gilchrist In Melbourne weekly Mass attendance is down to 25% and in Adelaide 21%. 191 - Jul 1988 - Growth of a 'new church': the Dutch experiment, Michael Gilchrist Its Sunday Mass attendance rate was among the highest in the world at the time of the Council; as late as 1967 the figure was still 63 per cent including 84 per cent in rural areas.
