Catholics in Australia who do not regularly attend Sunday Mass remain deeply connected with their faith, according to new research released today. Source: ACBC Media Blog.
The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference commissioned the National Centre for Pastoral Research to study the factors influencing the reduction in the practice of regularly attending Sunday Mass.
As well, the researchers examined alternative forms of engagement with the Church, attitudes towards the Eucharist and implications for the wider Church.
The first phase of the research project – Absent from the Table: Catholics in Australia Who Do Not Regularly Attend Sunday Mass – involved an online survey of 1973 self-selected Catholics aged 18 and over, across seven states and territories.
Phase two consisted of in-depth interviews with 67 volunteers from the first phase, providing rich insights into personal experiences and motivations.
Despite their irregular attendance, most participants remained deeply connected to their faith.
The study found continuing strong affirmation (55 per cent of participants) of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist – the bread and wine blessed and shared at Sunday Mass.
Around two-thirds said faith was very important, and more than three-quarters of respondents affirmed belief in Jesus as the Son of God.
Respondents expressed their Catholic identity primarily through praying regularly (64 per cent), as well as sending their children to a Catholic school (44 per cent), sharing their faith with others (40 per cent), wearing religious symbols or displaying them at home (40 per cent) and volunteering in the wider community (39 per cent) or parish (29 per cent).
Three-quarters of respondents attended Mass less than weekly, with 19 per cent of these attending monthly and 36 per cent attending occasionally.
Of the 14 “participant-centred” and “Church-centred” reasons for non-attendance, the main themes were: going to Mass is not a priority; crisis of faith; family or household-related issues; liturgical issues; challenges with the parish priest or other clergy; and the misuse of power and authority in the Church.
The report’s reference to the “table” reflects the table of the Eucharist, the altar, where the People of God are gathered into communion – nourishing them as one body and one spirit in Christ – strengthening the bonds of faith, unity and love and making the Church a living community.
Bishop-delegate for pastoral research and Vice President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, Bishop Greg Bennet, said it was crucial that Church leaders listened to the voices of those who are “absent from the table”.
The full report can be found at the National Centre for Pastoral Research website.
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Catholics deeply connected with their faith (ACBC Media Blog)
