Mass Attendance, Reverence, and Vocations: A Reality Check

A persistent argument in contemporary Catholic discussions is that the decline in Mass attendance, the loss of reverence, and the shortage of priestly vocations are all direct consequences of Vatican II and the introduction of the Novus Ordo. Traditionalist voices often claim that if the Tridentine (Latin) Mass had remained unchanged, we would see higher attendance, deeper reverence, and a greater number of men entering the priesthood. However, while this argument is compelling on the surface, it is ultimately a fallacy.

Mass Attendance: Then vs. Now

To begin, let’s examine the historical reality of Mass attendance. A widely held belief is that pre-Vatican II, nearly all Catholics attended Mass regularly, whereas today, only a fraction do. But was Mass attendance truly as robust as some claim? The answer is actually from what we did not see… the people who were not in the pews. You can only get an attendance percentage by dividing the Mass attendance count (numerator) by the number of self-identified Catholics in the parish boundaries that could have attended (denominator). For a better explanation and truer participation numbers, we need to review a researcher who was in many Catholic parishes studying Mass attendance in the 1950s.

Father Joseph Fichter, S.J., in his 1951 study Southern Parish: The Dynamics of a City Church, observed:“By actual count, 35.08% of the congregation read the missal all during Mass, while another 22.08% read some sort of prayer book while following the priest’s reading of the Gospel. … The remaining persons simply stare off into space, although several men in the last pews sometimes read a copy of Our Sunday Visitor during Mass” (pg. 138).

If reverence and engagement were lacking even in the 1950s, does this suggest that the mere presence of the Latin Mass guaranteed greater devotion? No, no it doesn’t.

Gallup polling in the 1950s indicated Catholic Mass attendance peaked at 74% in 1958. However, studies from the same period challenge this number. Father Fichter’s research, which involved direct parish censuses and in-person headcounts rather than telephone surveys, estimated that actual weekly attendance in the 1950s was closer to 49-62%, depending on the parish. This number, while higher than today’s rates, was far from what many argue as “full” churches. I know you don’t believe that 42% of Catholics nationally attend Mass in any given week and you’re right. But why do we believe 74% did in 1958?

Today, surveys indicate that 23% of self-identified Catholics attend Mass weekly, with actual attendance fluctuating around 31%, spiking during Advent and Lent. The takeaway? While there has been a decline, the gap is not as extreme as traditionalists claim. We shouldn’t lie to ourselves and others with the notion that somehow Mass attendance was so much greater pre-Vatican II versus post-Vatican II. Yes, there is a decline that we should all be concerned with, but this decline actually began in the early 50’s if not before. More importantly, the decline is—suggesting deeper societal and cultural shifts were already at play.

Reverence and the Myth of a Golden Age

A second claim made by traditionalists is that reverence at Mass has deteriorated significantly post-Vatican II. While abuses in the liturgy undeniably exist, historical accounts show that liturgical abuses, irreverence, and laxity were present long before the Novus Ordo.

Even in the supposed "golden age" of the Latin Mass, the level of engagement varied. Many attended Mass out of cultural obligation rather than deep spiritual devotion. Historical accounts reveal that even during the height of the Tridentine era, there were significant concerns about distractions, inattentiveness, and poor catechesis.

Furthermore, scandals within the Church—particularly those involving clergy—did not originate in the modern era. We can see as far back as the 16th century, when a Dutch philosopher Erasmus lamented abuses within the priesthood, and Church documents from the 17th and 18th centuries confirm that misconduct was an ongoing problem. The argument that Vatican II introduced or exacerbated moral failings among the clergy ignores the long history of human weakness within the Church.

Mass Attendance and Vocations: A Direct Correlation

What is indisputable, however, is the connection between Mass attendance and priestly vocations. Historically, vocations have flourished in families where Mass was central to life. The priesthood is inherently Eucharistic—without the Mass, there is no priesthood.

• In the 1950s, when roughly 50-60% of Catholics attended Mass regularly, seminaries were full.
• By the 2000s, as Mass attendance dropped below 30%, vocations declined proportionally.
• Surveys of newly ordained priests consistently show that most come from families that attend Mass weekly, underscoring the direct link between participation in the sacramental life and answering the call to priesthood.

If fewer families prioritize Mass, fewer young men are exposed to the priesthood firsthand, fewer hear the call, and fewer respond. The decline in vocations is not due to the Novus Ordo itself, but rather the widespread abandonment of regular Mass attendance and family catechesis.

The Path Forward

Blaming Vatican II or the Novus Ordo for the Church’s challenges oversimplifies a complex issue. The decline in attendance and vocations began before the council and is tied more to broader cultural shifts, secularization, and weakening Catholic identity.

If we are serious about restoring reverence, increasing vocations, and revitalizing the Church, the solution is not merely a return to the Latin Mass—it is a return to the Eucharist as the center of Catholic life. This means:

• Encouraging weekly Mass attendance as an obligation of love, not just duty.
• Strengthening catechesis so that Catholics understand and revere the Eucharist.
• Restoring a culture of prayer, sacrifice, and commitment to the faith.

The future of the Church depends not on nostalgia for the past, but on a renewed, authentic devotion to Christ in the Eucharist—regardless of whether the Mass is celebrated in Latin or the vernacular.

God Bless