For various reasons a growing number of people in Malta and Gozo have made the decision of not bothering going to church on a Sunday.
Census after census adamantly show a steady decline in church attendance. The pivotal question that should be asked is how are we going to propose effective ways that are able to reconnect our unchurched brothers and sisters with the instituitional Church?
Let us not forget that if the Church is the community of those who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, thus incarnating his presence in our secular society, it is precisely on her shoulders (that is, on our own!) that falls the incumbent duty of gathering her children together as a hen would gather her brood under her wings (see Luke 13:34).
Perhaps before mentioning catchy tactics to attract people back to Church it is essentially fruitful if one were to offer strong valid reasons of why we go to Church every Sunday.
According to an interesting research conducted by an organisation called Barna Group concerning church attendance in the United States, the study clearly singles out six major causes of why young adults have decided to drop out from Church services. The study presents six reasons. First, it states that churches appear to be restrictive as well as overprotective. Second, the kind of Christianity that is practiced is too shallow. Third, churches are viewed as antagonistic to science. Fourth, churches are judgmental and strict when it comes to sexuality. Fifth, the exclusivity of Christianity is a turnoff. And, finally, churches are unfriendly to those who hold a doubting standpoint.
While all of these reasons might, in one way or another, say something about the dwindling Church attendance numbers that is occuring in our local setting the second and fourth reasons can better and further explain why the mumbers have dropped dramatically. Many are finding it difficult to cope with the Church’s teaching concerning sexuality. Moreover others cannot take in the hypocritical lifestyle of those who profess they are practicing Catholics.
We priests are the first that need to engage ourselves in this soul searching exercise
From the Barna Group research findings it emerges crystal clear that if our Churches are to be filled once more with people there should be a humble yet decisive return to such issues as prayer, service, love, discerning the cultural trends and compassion. According to the authors of the study these are the instruments that can really attract people back to church.
We priests are the first that need to engage ourselves in this soul searching exercise.
Do we celebrate Mass or simply say it? Are we praying for the Holy Spirit’s anointing before celebrating it or are we just preocuppied of what prayers we should be reading and full stop? Is the Mass reflecting our Eucharistic lifestyle or merely satisfying the cold canonical rubrics? Let us not forget that a priest who is in love with Jesus is easily recognised by the way he celebrates the Mass. Certainly a 25-minute Mass on a Sunday is a farce not a Mass.
The Eucharist should be celebrated with faith, devotion and care. As Pope Francis teaches, the Eucharist is “the memorial of Jesus’ Passover, the central mystery of salvation.” Thus, the Holy Father says that the Eucharist is a focal point to God’s action of salvation, while giving us a foretaste of the heavenly banquet with God.
If the Mass is a foretaste of the heavenly banquet, why do we, as lay faithful, refrain from singing and actively participating in the Eucharist? If we are lectors, why do we not proclaim with passion the Word of God?
How can we pretend that the Eucharist changes our lives if, during the Eucharistic celebration, we talk to each other or play with our mobile phones? When we give each other the sign of peace or ask God to forgive us so that we can forgive those who offend us, do we really mean these life-giving gestures?
As shepherds, are we, bishops and priests, really showing Christ’s compassion for Christ’s flock or are we “bind[ing] heavy burdens on [their] shoulders but [we ourselves] will not move them with [our] finger?” (Matthew 23:4).
Have we let our churches to become God’s merciful houses or have we turned them into houses of desolation? And, do we who are baptized practice what we profess to believe and celebrate?
frmarioa@gmail.com
Fr Mario Attard is a member of the Order of Franciscan Capuchins.