(PROVIDENCE, R.I.)-The Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence today announced that combined figures from parishes throughout the diocese report an increase in 2010 Sunday Mass attendance over 2009, reversing a declining trend.
Parishes in Providence, Central Falls and Wakefield reported the highest increase in Mass attendance over the previous year. The diocese recently concluded its Year of Evangelization, an outreach effort to invite inactive Catholics back to the Church.
Overall, since 2006, Sunday Mass attendance had declined each year except for a small increase in 2008 that was followed by a sharp decline in 2009. When comparing parishes that reported their Sunday Mass attendance in 2009 and 2010, an additional 2,071 Catholics attended Sunday Mass.
“Thanks to a combined effort from pastors, laity and the media campaign, the Year of Evangelization was a measured success in the effort to welcome inactive Catholics back to regular participation in the life of the Church,” said the Most Rev. Thomas J. Tobin, Bishop of Providence. “While it is encouraging that the decline in Sunday Mass attendance has subsided, it is very important that we as a Church continue to invite and welcome those who are returning to the Church or those exploring the Catholic Faith. As parishes throughout the diocese share this encouraging news, it is important to remember that the vibrancy of the faith is more important than numbers alone.”
2006 - 127,982
2007 - 119,797
2008 - 121,552
2009 - 108,361
2010 - 110,432*
(* For comparison purposes, the 2010 figure includes only those 132 parishes that reported Sunday Mass attendance figures for both 2009 and 2010.)
Those parishes reporting the greatest increase in Mass attendance are not located in one particular area of the state: St. Charles in Providence reported an additional 371 Mass attendees; Holy Spirit, Central Falls, 362; St. Francis in Wakefield, 301; and St. Luke, Barrington, 263. Parishes located in Bristol each reported an increase in Mass attendance: St. Elizabeth with 171, St. Mary, 161 and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, 156.
During Advent of 2009, the Diocese launched the Year of Evangelization that began with a Diocesan Congress and was followed weeks later by a six week television advertisement campaign. Rather than conduct a Mass count immediately after the ad campaign, the diocese continued the practice of conducting the Mass count in October to obtain an accurate measurement of those who returned to the Church and continued to actively practice their faith.
The purpose of the Year of Evangelization were as follows: to renew and revitalize the faith and enthusiasm of every parish, school and organization of the diocesan Church, reach out to inactive Catholics, those who were baptized and raised Catholic, but, for a variety of reasons, have drifted away and to share the good news of the Catholic Faith with members of the community who have never been Catholic.
Mass attendance figures are based upon data provided by pastors of each parish in the Diocese of Providence. Pastors are asked each year to conduct a census of all weekend Mass attendees on one of two different October weekends. The number of Mass attendees is then provided to the Diocese as the parish’s official Sunday Mass count.
