No. 3644. PERTH, THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 1973
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Stormy weather hits Mass attendances The way in which seasonal elements affect Catholic attendance at Sunday Mass has been illustrated in the results of the Archdiocesan Mass count held recently. Held in practically those in summer months. Morley, with 1,845, folevery parish church and The Mass count for lowed by Doubleview with public chapel in the Arch- Sundays, including Satur- 1,406. diocese on Sundays, day vigil Masses, was Seven other churches August 5 and 12, it re- done on the invitation of registered more than a vealed that some 3,800 the Diocesan Resources thousand on either of the fewer people at tended Committee of the Arch- two Sundays: ScarMass on the first of the bishop's Senate of Priests 17171)7 (1,256), Hightwo Sundays when the Such a complete survey gate (1,206), Monastery weather was particularly had not been attempted bad. before and it was felt (1,132), Joondanna This represents a 6.9 that the figures would ( 1,098), Kalgoorlie (1,012) percentage of the 58,500 give priests and laity evi- and Subiaco (1,040). who are counted as hav- dence on which to assess for Lowest totals ing been present at Mass where the need for Sunmetropolitan on the second Sunday of day Masses might seem several parishes were all in the the survey. to be greater. Off-setting the downTo facilitate the count, vicinity of 250; practicmetropolitan all ward trend of the overall the survey was a simple ally figure was the fact that count of persons and no churches provide at least in some 20 metropolitan distinction was made be- three Masses either on churches attendance was tween adults and child- Saturday evening or Sundays. slightly higher on the ren. Figures from evening bleak Sunday than on the Highest individual other when conditions Church attendances were Mass attendances also widethe were wet but not excep- registered at St. Mary's illustrated tional for the time of the Cathedral and St. Pat- spread acceptance of the year. rick's Church, Fremantle, recent concession to fulThe most consistent with totals of 2,100 people fill the obligation of Sunday Mass by attending a comment of priests was each. The next highest indi- vigil Mass on the prethat they considered the attendances at both Sun- vidual church total was ceding evening. On each occasion apdays to be fewer than at Infant Jesus Church. proximately 6,600 people attended Mass on SaturDuring a Mass of religious profession day evening, compared a t St. Gerard's Church, Mirrabooka, last Saturwith 8,200 on Sunday evening this means that day, after the offertory gifts had been presenabout 25 per cent of ted to Archbishop Goody, celebrant of the people are attending evenMass, six pupils of Santa Maria primary school
performed a liturgical dance expressing offering. Assistant priests to the Archbishop seen i n the picture are Fathers B. Dwyer ( left) and K . Keating. ( IS See also page eight)
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What the survey indic2 :e(,; about the pastoral effectiveness of the Church's liturgical life will have to wait for a closer study by individual parishes of their local situations. On the most recent figure supplied by the parishes indicating the t otal Catholic population of the Archdiocese of Perth to be about 145,000, it would suggest that only about 40 per cent of Cathoilcs attend Mass regularly. (The latest Commonwealth census figures have not yet been obtained.) The Archdiocese of Melbourne, of more th an 200 parishes, has been divided into three The matter has been discussed widely for a regions, each to be under the pastoral care of an Auxiliary Bishop. long time in parishes whether such a view is entity. a total der -the care of Bishop officoperate as head of debate going on in Knox, Cardinal true and if it proves anythe Archdiocese, made John A. Kelly who will re. ial Church circles on This is particularly true thing conclusive about the announcement last side at Mentone; he has what to do with large of education, hospital week, along with the des- been parish priest of city dioceses that are con- care, social welfare and the health or otherwise of the Faith. tinuing to expand. ignation of the parishes Moonee Ponds. many other similar works For a long time it has in which the bishops Melbourne's other auxThe urban sprawl that in which the Church is been felt that to have would reside. iliary bishop, Bishop is causing administrative involved. In addition, peomore than 50 per cent of auxiliary Cullinane, will resign problems for Sydney and ple move freely from three The Catholics attending Sunbishops referred to were from being parish priest Melbourne, is also having one suburb to the next day Mass was as much Brunswick and dioof East large city and by its effect on the life of in a together ordained could be expected. as Cardinal Knox in a cere- will take leave to do fur- the Church and the pic- cesan boundaries could Certainly today the ture is the same in doz- be artificial to the reality mony in St. Patrick's ther studies. question is being asked themcities overwhich people see ens of large in Cathedral during the EuAll the new auxiliary charistic Congress in Feb- bishops have been given seas whose development selves as part of an urban whether there is the same faithful attendance by fuary. the office of parish priest is following the same pat- community. younger members of the tern. Bishop Francis Little of their parishes, but full ( • CONTINUED P. 3) Church. The days when bishops will be pastor of the pastoral care will be enThe issue is partly northern and western trusted to deans, who will could keep in touch with clouded by the fact that have complete charge of at leisurely reside parishes at a areas and will figures are not really pace of visitation have Moonee Ponds. Until now administration. ON INSIDE PAGES available from past gengone and the need to he has been parish priest A change from present erations about levels of Brunswick practice throughout Aus- keen bishops linkee to a Calendar nearby of attendance when condiparish. tralia is that each bish- section of parishes is be- Children's World tions appeared to be Bishop Eric Perkins op's income, board and ing studied. more favourable. Classified The first solution would will have care of the east- lodging and any addiThe only certain fore* Advertising 10 ern parishes and will be tions necessary to the be simply to divide a diothat can be made cast Letters 11 living at the parish of presbyteries to house cese and create separate is the shock the figures News In Pars formthem will be a diocesan bishoprics. Blackburn. He was of the present survey will Sister M. Philomena erly parish priest of Or- responsibility and not The argument against suffer when compared for the parish concerned. such a step is that greatEarle mond. 1 1 with the numbers that 12 will be attending Mass on The decision to group er metropolitan areas Sport The third region, taking in areas to the south parishes more closely now have a variety of Theatre 6 Christmas and Easter of Melbourne, will be un- around bishops follows a matters on which they TV, Radio 5 Sunday.