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My GF asked me last week to take her to my church as she has never witnessed a mass conducted from my faith (Byzantine Catholic).
So after going back and forth with going to church (I'm not a fan of religion) on Easter Sunday, I finally agreed to take her to show her how the wild and crazy Byzantines get their praise on.
We woke up at 7AM yesterday and got ready to head down to Bayonne, as we arrived, we thought we misread the time mass started as there were only 3 cars in the parking lot. Confused, I decided to put on my suit coat and quietly walk inside to see what time mass was being held, and that's when my jaw hit the floor - mass was starting in 5 minutes - and there were 11 people inside this fairly large church ( 40 rows of pews on each side of the aisle).
Mass started, and there were 13 of us in total, and the median age was about 84 years old (2 elderly couples, and the rest seemed to be little old widows).
Now, I went to this church several times when I was young as I has an aunt and uncle in Bayonne, and I could remember this place being packed on a regular Sunday. I could also remember all of the young families with their small kids dressed up for the hour long mass in such a pristine and well kept church. Now? Paint was peeling off the wall and the outside was in need of a good pressure washing.
It was really sad to see a once lively place dwindle down to almost 10 people.
Location: Splitting time between Dayton, NJ and Needmore, PA
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Yes, I would think an 8 or 9 AM Mass should have been packed on Easter. Alas, it has to do with the demographic shift. Many of the young families moved away into the suburbs and the many more of the children stopped attending all together. Those left don't have the wherewithal to keep the place up. If you think about Bayonne, I don't know of too many who live there now who would be aligned with the Byzantine Rite.
My experience down here was completely different. Here in South Brunswick, I go to St. Augustine's. Masses during Ordinary Time are regularly filled. This year for Easter, the 10:30 actually had two Masses, one in the church (holds about 750 to 800), one in the gym (about 500). We actually had a couple of SBPD's finest out to direct traffic after each Mass (7:30, 9:00, 10:30, and Noon).
On Easter, it is shocking. Here's the thing... you say you are not a fan of organized religion... you are far from alone. Most young families I know do not even have religion as a part of their lives. So that's what happens....sadly, what else can you expect?
Now, in my experience in Northern NJ - Roman Catholic Churches have the most attendance in most areas.... absolute zoos on Easter Sunday. The other churches seem to have the small group of mostly older people you describe and then they are a bit more crowded on Easter and Christmas.
Now, you are Byzantine Catholic... very cool. I was raised Greek Orthodox but converted to Catholicism, so that's like a hybrid of my background!
It seems all areas are suffering from diminishing church attendance. I was raised Roman Catholic--went to church every Sunday, holidays, etc. As time went on people seem to put church on the far back burner for a lot of reasons.
My 2 cents.... it's really sad that children today are raised (for the most part) without faith. I'm not saying you have to follow MY faith, but SOME faith.... it's just not happening.
We just buried my father in law and his beautiful grandchildren were all distraught, but comforted. I know there are many factors involved, but they are all being raised with faith as a big part of their every day lives. Without that, I don't know where they would have been.
My 2 cents.... it's really sad that children today are raised (for the most part) without faith. I'm not saying you have to follow MY faith, but SOME faith.... it's just not happening.
We just buried my father in law and his beautiful grandchildren were all distraught, but comforted. I know there are many factors involved, but they are all being raised with faith as a big part of their every day lives. Without that, I don't know where they would have been.
I could go on and on about this...but suffice to say...don't be sad for my children, LOL.
My 2 cents.... it's really sad that children today are raised (for the most part) without faith. I'm not saying you have to follow MY faith, but SOME faith.... it's just not happening.
We just buried my father in law and his beautiful grandchildren were all distraught, but comforted. I know there are many factors involved, but they are all being raised with faith as a big part of their every day lives. Without that, I don't know where they would have been.
I was raised RC, as was my wife, but like many, we weren't big churchgoers as time went on. My mother and MIL both have been hounding us with the "why aren't you taking the girls to church- they need to make communion" stuff, so we started looking around for a church to attend. We didn't want traditional RC, as it was too rigid, and always seemed to be about the money, so we looked for something a little more modern and upbeat.
We found a church that's run by a young guy who preaches in jeans and sneakers, has a rock band playing christian music before and during the service, and really seemed to speak on modern day applications of what the bible says. We thought "cool, this is what we need, and the crowd seems to be a group we can identify with". After a few weeks, I started to notice a recurring theme though, having to do with "tithing"- seems they felt that everyone should be making donations, which I'm OK with- what I'm not OK with is their theory that I should be tithing 10% of my salary! Sorry, but there's no way I'm contributing 5-figures to a church......
So, we're back to not going to church, which is a real shame, since I was enjoying the sermons, and generally felt pretty good for at least a day or two afterward. I guess Mom and the MIL will just have to deal with it.
I was raised RC, as was my wife, but like many, we weren't big churchgoers as time went on. My mother and MIL both have been hounding us with the "why aren't you taking the girls to church- they need to make communion" stuff, so we started looking around for a church to attend. We didn't want traditional RC, as it was too rigid, and always seemed to be about the money, so we looked for something a little more modern and upbeat.
We found a church that's run by a young guy who preaches in jeans and sneakers, has a rock band playing christian music before and during the service, and really seemed to speak on modern day applications of what the bible says. We thought "cool, this is what we need, and the crowd seems to be a group we can identify with". After a few weeks, I started to notice a recurring theme though, having to do with "tithing"- seems they felt that everyone should be making donations, which I'm OK with- what I'm not OK with is their theory that I should be tithing 10% of my salary! Sorry, but there's no way I'm contributing 5-figures to a church......
So, we're back to not going to church, which is a real shame, since I was enjoying the sermons, and generally felt pretty good for at least a day or two afterward. I guess Mom and the MIL will just have to deal with it.
Bob...good story. You gave more proof that all religions are about money while preying on the poor who need something bigger to lean on. Only Catholics are more blatently open about collecting the ol dollar. Religion is a business like any other and should be taxed as such.
I bet you went to St. Andrews too in your younger day...am I right? The good ol days. Your description of that new church who plays Christian rock music sounds interesting. At my first wedding we had a rock band come into the church against the Priests wishes. That was the last time I ever stepped foot into a church. It's been 29 years.
I bet you went to St. Andrews too in your younger day...am I right? The good ol days. Your description of that new church who plays Christian rock music sounds interesting. At my first wedding we had a rock band come into the church against the Priests wishes. That was the last time I ever stepped foot into a church. It's been 29 years.
Yeah, we went to St. Andrews growing up- they still send donation envelopes to my old address, which get forwarded down here to GA. You'd think they'd stop sending them, considering that I haven't sent one in for around 6 years....lol.
Our church was standing room only for 9 AM Easter Mass. We got there at 8:30 and were unable to sit with my parents.
I remember back in the day when Philadelphia didn't have Saturday Mass, our church would be swamped at 4 PM Sat mass, because it was the first Catholic church you come across once you cross the Tacony Palmyra Bridge.
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