Here's the church, here's the steeple

Over the last few decades, some church leaders worry about the drop in attendance. The Catholic Diocese has a Pastoral Planning Initiative in place to help people fully embrace their faith. Author Rich Wessenberg says in the 1960's about 90% of Americans attended church on a weekly basis, but recent studies show almost a 30% drop. The Catholic church isn't the only community seeing a shift in attendance, a local Monsignor tells us several religious groups are experiencing the same trend, but that doesn't mean there's a drop in faith. Wessenberg says nine out of ten Americans believe in God, and a representative from Erie's Catholic Diocese says there's been no drop at all in the number of people who go to church every day. Experts say this means there's still an audience for churches; leaders just need to rethink their approach. Monsignor Edward Lohse of the Catholic Diocese, says, "the decline will eventually translate into a period of growth, in committed fervent and authentic Christian decipleship." The daily mass crowd shows steady numbers over the years. Monsignor Lohse also says, in a way, the decline in attendance could have a positive impact because it gives the church leaders an opportunity to find the most authentic, effective way to deliver the Christian message.

Category