The Challenges of Catholic Mass Participation for Stonehill Students

 By Ethan Fadden

Nick Bianchi grew up in a Catholic household where his family attended weekly Mass on Sunday mornings in Natick, Massachusetts. They had a close relationship with their church’s pastor.

 

Since coming to Stonehill, Bianchi finds himself going to church less. Bianchi’s, social life, and sports have all been part of his intensifying schedule.

Bianchi is not alone in the obstacles that prevent him from practicing his faith. Catholicism is experiencing a crisis; the religion's fate rests in the future. According to a 2019 study by the Pew Research Center, about 39% of American Catholics reported attending Mass at least once a month, compared to 56% in 2000.

 

 A significant reason for this decline is that the church loses more members than it gains. As another Pew Research study found that only about 25% to 30% of Catholics who were active in their faith before college continue to attend Mass regularly after graduating high school and during their college years.

 

Each young Catholic faces a test of their faith upon entering college. They encounter many challenges that give them little motivation to attend Mass, especially since they are no longer under pressure from their families to maintain their faith.

 

Bianchi believes that a major reason for the decline in participation among Catholics is not a lack of faith in God but rather the convenience of attending Mass.

 “College gives you every reason not to participate in Mass; it’s all about convenience. If it were more convenient for students, they would be much more inclined to go to Mass,” said Bianchi.

 

He suggests that the best way for the Church to attract Catholics back is to offer more Mass times. Currently, he is not practicing his faith, even though he wants to. For Bianchi, it is a matter of convenience.

 

Many of the 25-30% of students who continue their faith while in college do not do so easily.

Peter Burke, another Stonehill College student, has maintained his participation in faith. He comes from a very religious family: his father, Edwin Burke, is a former principal and current vice principal at a Catholic high school in Rhode Island, Mount Saint Charles Academy. Burke was more actively involved in Mass during high school, occasionally serving as an altar server and volunteering for his church’s community work.

 

Burke believes that college has allowed him to deepen his faith. He said having new experiences where he didn’t know anyone made the comfort of his faith very important. Being away from home has made him realize how lucky he is to have his life and family, and he thanks God every day for it.

 

Burke said that attending Mass weekly is convenient.

 

 “I haven’t faced any obstacles for attending Mass yet because there are two Mass times at Stonehill, which allow me to attend every weekend,” said Burke.

 

“The love of God that you experience at Mass is the greatest gift anyone can receive. It helps me get through the week. It’s also a great way to calm down after the weekend—just spending an hour giving thanks to God or praying for His guidance in your life,” said Burke.

 

He acknowledges that attending Mass can become challenging without the pressure of family members. However, there are ways to form the habit of attending. “The best way to get into this habit is by finding a friend at Mass or someone you know who Catholic is to go with you, so you are not alone,” said Burke.

To draw more students to Mass, Burke said that the Church could better connect the different aspects of Mass to students' lives. He believes that if students gave Mass a chance, it could positively impact their lives.

 

“The celebration of Mass is the greatest love that any human can experience because nobody comes to church to hear what they’ve done wrong; you and God already know that. God just wants your heart,” said Burke.

 

The rev. Ryan Patrick Kerr holds a position in campus ministry at Stonehill College.

 

 He is a priest at the weekly Masses and serves for the college’s retreats and faith formation that students can attend. In the effort to increase Mass attendance, Stonehill has employed various tactics. Father Ryan makes it his mission to connect with the college’s youth.

 

 “I try to make sure that I meet them where they are,” he said.

 

This outreach includes a variety of events and social gatherings, such as food and desserts after Mass, retreats, and other activities. Father Ryan lives in a campus dorm, engaging and interacting with students to show them that faith is present and not something they should shy away from.

 

He said students face challenges on campus. Many have been nudged toward faith by their upbringing or have been in environments that allowed their beliefs to flourish. Among these challenges is the pressure to fit in with their peers.

 

“People don’t want backlash if they must be the one in the group to leave for Mass. They don’t want others to feel that their priority is going to church,” said Father Ryan.

He said that the social culture can shift toward a negative outlook on people who have religious faith, leaving students hesitant to attend mass.

“Students don’t want to be alone in their faith,” said Father Ryan.

 

He believes the best way to combat this hesitation is to make faith more visible on Stonehill’s campus, he said.

 

“If we make faith present in places it isn’t already, it will open students’ eyes to think in faith. Campus Ministry is a great tool for this,” said Ryan.

 

As a priest at Stonehill College, Ryan said he oversees many operations that aim to connect with the youth.

 

Bishop Robert Reed is an archbishop of the Archdiocese of Boston, the head of communications for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, He views Mass as a tool that students can use to experience the many new things college has to offer.

 

 “Life is a mystery, so we must rely upon God and find occasions to pray alone and together,” said Bishop Reed, who also serves as the CEO of iCatholic Media.

 

Bishop Reed also believes that a key to maintaining faith while in college is finding a way to regularly gather with other Catholics—whether that’s going to Mass together or bringing in occasional speakers.

 He said that Campus Ministry is vital for engaging Catholic youth in their faith. And Mass should reflect the traditions of the Church so that students can grasp its truths.

 

“Recover the sacred and the many traditions of the Church—sacred music; treasure the quiet. Encourage Eucharistic adoration and ask for regular times for confession,” he said.

“We must never forget that life is fragile and relatively brief. We should always be prepared to meet God and be judged on the way that we have lived and loved. Every day of our life is a new beginning, and God never abandons us,” Reed said.

 

Colleges can be difficult places for Catholic youth because they are all in search of identity, he said.

 

“It’s a microcosm of society, populated by young people who are searching. Without guidance and mutual encouragement, faith can be lost,” Reed said.

 

For a Catholic in high school who wants to maintain their faith, Reed said placing a high priority on Catholic institutions—especially those with strong Catholic centers and campus ministries—can be helpful.

Work Cited:

Pew Research Center. The Future of World Religions: Population Growth Projections, 2010-2050. Pew Research Center, 2019, www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/04/18/decline-of-catholic-mass-attendance/.

Pew Research Center. U.S. Religious Landscape Study. Pew Research Center, 2014, www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/catholic/.