For years, the latest statistics have told a sad story: People are leaving the church in droves.
Nearly 19% of Americans reported giving up their childhood religious identity to become religiously unaffiliated (Atheist, Agnostic, or Nothing in Particular) as adults. By comparison, only 3% of Americans who grew up religiously unaffiliated later joined a religion.
Not everyone is leaving, however. Many Catholics attend Mass regularly because they genuinely love to be there.
Recently, on a popular social platform for Catholic Christians, someone asked, “Do you enjoy going to Mass or go out of a sense of obligation?”
And, not surprisingly, many Catholics shared how much they love and enjoy Mass. They’re definitely not just there out of obligation.
1. They Love Taking Communion
For most Catholic Christians, the entire Mass revolves around receiving the Eucharist, which Catholics believe is the actual body and blood of Christ. Many Catholics report that receiving communion in this way does significantly and positively affect their lives.
Perhaps this is why the Catholic church teaches that weekly Mass attendance is required for all Catholics.
One person shared, “God physically entering my body is like, the best thing in this life.”
2. They Love the Peace They Feel
Other Catholic Christians love the sense of peace they feel during Mass.
Since the music tends to be low-key and contemplative and the service is essentially the exact same every time, attending Mass can feel very comforting and familiar, especially to those who grew up in the Catholic church.
Someone responded, “The sense of peace and calm that I feel, I have never felt anywhere else.”
3. They Love Being Encouraged to Bring Their Children
One thing the Catholic Church does really well is their acceptance of small children during the church service.
Other churches expect parents to take their noisy children to Sunday School or children’s church, away from the adults, each week. Catholic churches, on the other hand, encourage, expect, and welcome even the smallest children to stay and worship with the adults.
A person said, “I love that the Catholic church encourages families with little ones to attend.”
Someone else said, “I love Mass with my kids. I do fixate on addressing them a bit too much, but I feel this calling to keep them engaged, listen to the readings, and watch the consecration.”
4. They Love the Connection to God
Other Catholic Christians love how Mass allows them to feel a deeper connection with God.
Attending daily or weekly services is a great way to set aside the cares of the world and simply focus on their faith for an hour at a time.
One person shared, “Sometimes when church is almost empty, I remember a song or quote or passage which is connected in some way with celebration of God love and it makes me smile and feel happy.”
Someone else said, “It’s so special. I feel so close to Heaven.”
5. They Love the Joy It Brings to Them
While some Catholics find Mass peaceful, others find Mass to be a great source of joy.
It is understandable that someone would want to attend Catholic Mass regularly when they enjoy the experience so much!
One person said, “I enjoy it a lot, and like someone else said, it’s usually the highlight of my day and week! If I didn’t work full-time, I’d go every day if I could!”
Another person said, ” I feel like it makes my days better, it makes my days complete, and I generally feel happier when I go to Mass.”
6. They Love Worshipping God
While most Catholics who responded said that they do not attend Mass primarily out of a sense of obligation, for many Catholics, that sense of duty or obligation still exists to some degree.
These Catholic Christians find it completely reasonable to “sacrifice” one hour of their week in return for all that God has done for us, not really considering it a sacrifice at all.
One person responded, “God is owed worship and an hour a week is the bare minimum I can do. I’m happy to do at least that.”
7. They Love Looking Forward to It Each Week
Even when life gets busy and chaotic, for some Catholics, Mass is something that they get to look forward to all week.
Many Catholics even go more than once a week, as it is incredibly common for Catholic parishes to offer daily Masses for the public as well.
Someone stated, “I love the Mass and look forward to it every week.”
8. They Love Learning About God
While some Catholics love the familiarity of a traditional Catholic Mass, others get excited about learning something new.
Priests can vary widely in their ability to give a “good” homily (the Catholic near-equivalent of a sermon), and of course different Catholics have different preferences for the type of homily they would like to hear.
But some Catholics love how much they learn about God, the Church, the Bible, or themselves in a good homily.
One person said, “Solid teachings. All the priests in my area do good homilies.”
9. They Love the Variety of Times Offered
For many busy families, the wide variety of Mass times most Catholic churches offer can be a huge benefit.
You don’t have to wake up early or interfere with your children’s nap time. There are always plenty of opportunities to find a Mass time that works for you.
One person shared, “Yes I love going BUT I tend to like going to the Mass that starts at 11 am as opposed to 9 am because I get to sleep in.”
Another person responded, “That’s me with evening Masses. After 5 pm I get really tired of listening to everyone. I prefer the morning or daytime Masses.”
10. They Love Weekday Mass
While the majority of Catholics who attend Mass regularly only go once on the weekend, some Catholics love attending extra Mass services during the week.
These services can be a while different experience — less crowded or more worshipful, for example.
While there’s no requirement to attend daily Mass, many Catholics really enjoy it when they can make it!
One person shared, “For me, weekdays are where it’s at though. Streamlined, pure, everything MATTERS with no extraneous singing or the celebrant hammering on a point unnecessarily or going on a tangent in the homily. I routinely walk out better for it, and if I miss, I feel “off.” 30-45 minutes with time for adoration.”
These Catholics Won’t Be Walking Away from the Church. Here’s Why.
A recent survey from the PRRI shows that more and more Christians are walking away from their churches, their denominations, or their religion altogether.
This is especially true of Catholics, who are leaving the church in significantly larger numbers than members of other denominations.
Yet, while some people are choosing to walk away, others can’t imagine leaving.
When asked “What do you love about being Catholic?” some devoted Christians had lots of love for the Church they can’t imagine leaving. Here’s what they had to say.
These Catholics Won’t Be Walking Away from the Church. Here’s Why.
Skipped Church Today? Why Christians are Opting Out of Regular Sunday Services
Did you make it to Sunday church this morning? If not, you’re not alone.
A recent Lifeway Research study identified some common reasons why Christians are skipping church these days — and some of the reasons might be surprising.
Hebrews 10:24-25 tells us, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
Yet, for these Christians, there are several very good reasons why they might miss any given Sunday morning.
Skipped Church Today? Why Christians are Opting Out of Regular Sunday Services
Brittany Ann is an ECPA bestselling author and founder of Equipping Godly Women and Monetize My Ministry. She’s also a Christian speaker, podcaster, and conference host. Her work has been featured on numerous TV, radio, and online ministries, including CBN, MSN, Christianity Today, Evangelical Alliance, Patheos, Crosswalk, and more.
