Survey Results: How Local Parishes Can Reengage Lost Catholics and Welcome Newcomers

Surprising answers from Catholics in the Kentucky Holy Land area

In American today, about 3 in 10 Catholics attend Mass weekly. Only 52% say they pray on a daily basis. These frightening numbers are down from estimates that note around 70-80% of U.S. Catholics were Sunday mass goers in the 1940s and 1950s.

When 23% of the total American population is Catholic, how are we losing this cultural struggle so badly?

A Brief Background

Of course, religion in the West, at large, is on the downfall. However, as late as 1968, secular historian Will Durant, in The Lessons of History, remarked how Catholicism still survived, despite many Protestant denominations failing, because it impacted the senses—think architecture, beauty, music, bells, and mystery.

Around the country, in the post Second Vatican Council years—it goes without saying—these things were thrown out with the bath water, deemed antiquated, not by the common people, but by academia and a section of the Church. This renovation, or destruction in some cases, was contrary to anything the Second Vatican Council directed, despite what some may claim.

As a young person myself, I often hear about how steeping into some churches is like steeping into a time portal back to the 1970s.

Thomas Merton, the culturally influential Catholic monk from the Abbey of Gethsemani, commented on the frenzy: "Our great danger is to throw away things that are excellent, which we do not understand, and replace them with mediocre forms which seem to us to be more meaningful and which in fact are only trite. I am very much afraid that when all the dust clears we will be left with no better than we deserve, a rather silly, flashy, seemingly up-to-date series of liturgical forms that have lost the dignity and the meaning of the old ones."

By trying to be relevant to the 1960s generation, the Church, in turn, lost allure to American society.

We previously noted in our article about the Great Novena, the insight of Reformed missiologist David Bosch, who once said: "It was perhaps only to be expected that the almost complete identification of the church and its calling with the world and its agenda would eventually lead to such embarrassment and frustration with the inability of the church to carry out the world's agenda that many people despaired of the church and regarded it as expendable."

Our Survey

On our Bardstown Catholics Facebook page (note: now Kentucky Holy Land Catholics), we asked the question:

What are some practical steps that local parishes can take to bring back lost parishioners and attract outsiders?

One lady responded: “I believe investing in the music ministry is the most effective way to welcome and retain people.”

Good, beautiful music is a proven and demonstrable route. Thus, this comment received many likes. See our analysis of the revival of St. Martin of Tours for an example in our Archdiocese.

Another lady talked about the busy American lifestyle: “I’m thinking in some cases Mass times. Maybe a Sunday evening service? People who work want to sleep in and Saturdays are usually plagued with things such as shopping, activities.”

Another responded to her comment: “This past Sunday evening, the 6:30 pm Mass at St. Thomas was a full church and Father…gave a wonderful homily.”

In line with the statistics we laid out at the start of this write-up, someone wrote: “Quit turning the younger crowd away-both the church and parishioners.”

One gentleman simply said: “The Latin mass.” Indeed that is trending among Catholics below the age of 60. Why 60? Well, the 60s generation grew up with the Mass in Latin, but had to learn the vernacular, so to them, as I’ve heard from people I know, it seems redundant to change things up again.

However, to go back to this man’s comment: “The younger generation craves it and the closest option is Louisville.”

Not everyone is as enthusiastic, though, with one reply left being: “Ugh.”

The original poster said in return: “Have you been to a Latin Mass parish? Full of tons of young families. People in their 20s with multiple children. And the pews are packed Young people want latin, altar rails, Gregorian chant, etc.”

“I used to want to attend a Latin Mass to see what it was like, but no longer. The Latin Mass has come to symbolize for a growing number of Catholics a rejection of the Second Vatican Council and its reforms, which I cannot and will not get behind. It has come to symbolize the growing clericalism movement, which is evil to its core, not to suggest that everyone who enjoys the Latin Mass embraces clericalism. VCII eliminated barriers to God. Nothing good will ever come of putting those barriers back up.”

“Just because there are individuals in a group that hold a bad position does not invalidate the liturgy. I strongly recommend you attend a Latin Mass just as an experiment before writing it off completely. I have attended both and hold no ill will towards the New Rite but there are things that were truly lost in the change, things fundamental to our belief as Catholics, things Vatican II never set to do. There is a serious lack of belief in the true presence in Novus Ordo parishes that you will not find in Latin Mass parish. The Eucharist is the source and summit of our belief and if there is something that is becoming a stumbling block to people believing in the true presence within it, it requires exploring.”

In similarity to the last answer, another man wrote a response which was tied for the most likes: “Good question. I think in this materialistic age people are having a longing for the otherworldliness that Catholicism provides. Imagine in a city, being on your phone and looking up as a Christ the King procession goes by. If nothing else, it would peak your curiosity. After the public spectacles, offering catechesis to the community to learn about what they see. So being Catholic and embracing Tradition. I’ve heard a lot of Catholics left because the churches were beginning to look like the world. So do we become more worldly or more sacred? In my humble opinion, more sacred. How does this look practically? Public processions, community outreach, advertising blessings of buildings like Log Still has done [see our article about this]. There is so much that can be done, it’s endless really. My friend and I hope to make some roadside prayer shrines for the county. We all do our part.”
In a similar fashion, another commenter spoke about teaching and passing down the faith: “Great Catechists that teach the rich history and traditions of the Church. Especially here in the “Holy Land of Kentucky”. It is inspiring to hear of Bishop Flaget’s life as the bishop of the Diocese of Bardstown; considering how extremely large it was and his travels throughout his diocese. When I was privileged to lead the confirmation prep for the young adults in my former home parish, I took my time and did not rush through the curriculum provided. I delved in deeper and invited them to ask me questions if they had any. If I didn’t know the answer, I would find them using the Bible, Catechism of the Catholic Church, and our deacon and priest. I also offered them my cell number to text or call me, should they have any questions (some still text or call me after over ten years). I led my last class on a day trip through the Holy Land of Kentucky. I also invited our Bible study group to come along.”

We hope this survey from Catholics in the Kentucky Holy Land area has been beneficial and perhaps has given you a new perspective on how we can change things for the better, bringing back our lost family and friends to join us in fellowship before the Lord.

Thank you and may God bless you!

Do you think the proposals given here would be good for the American Church to consider?