Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1076517
NEWS maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 30 JANUARY 2019 2 KURT SANSONE A steep decline in Sunday Mass attendance cuts across all par- ishes in Malta, the results from a census carried out by the Church show. The census was carried out in December 2017 and the detailed results were published recently by the Maltese Curia. The findings show that on the weekend of the census, only 36% of Catholics in Malta obliged to attend Sunday Mass did so. In the 2005 census, 51% of Catho- lics had attended. The census found that 111,863 people attended Sunday Mass, a drop from the 167,839 who did so 12 years earlier. The census was carried out by the Maltese diocese and covers only the island of Malta. Parishes in the Southern Har- bour region experienced the heaviest losses with a drop of 38% in Sunday Mass attendance when compared to the census re- sults of 2005. Likewise, parishes in the North- ern Harbour region saw signifi- cantly fewer people attending Sunday Mass, recording a decline of 37% over a 12-year period. The least decline was registered in the parishes in the North- ern region, where attendance dropped by 21%. Overall Sunday Mass attend- ance declined by 33% in 2017 when compared with 2005. The census covered a par- ticular weekend, covering all Masses taking place between Saturday evening and Sun- day evening. It also included Masses organised by religious groups held in places other than churches. Sunday Mass attendance is obligatory for Catholics and is deemed as a measure of engage- ment between the faithful and the Church. The figures cannot be attrib- uted to a decline in the service offered because in 12 years, the places of worship increased and the number of Sunday Masses declined by a mere 5%. The census also showed that 76% of those who attended Sun- day Mass received Holy Com- munion, while 20% did not. The rest did not answer. The census was accompanied by a survey commissioned by the Curia, which was held in the week after the census. The survey found that 54% of Catholics claimed to have at- tended Mass the previous Sun- day, a figure which contrasts with the 36% recorded by the census. However, the researchers ex- plained this discrepancy by citing social desirability bias. This is a tendency of survey re- spondents to answer questions in a manner that will be viewed favourably by others, a factor which tends to be present in such surveys. According to the survey, at- tendance was highest in the Northern Harbour region with 59% and the lowest in the West- ern region with 49%. Drop in Sunday Mass attendance hits parishes hard Sunday Mass attendance census 2017 Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers and percentages refer to the 2017 census. The parishes are grouped according to the regions determined by the National Statistics Office. 63 places of worship 162 Sunday Masses 19,299 attended in 2017 24,341 attended in 2005 1,633 attended more than one Sunday Mass on the chosen weekend 21% decline in overall attendance 57% decline in Burmarrad parish was the steepest 36% decline in St Paul's Bay parish was second steepest 6% declines in Naxxar was lowest 57% increase in Manikata was a result of a one-off youth Mass at a hotel within parish confines *The St Paul's Bay local council is split into the parishes of St Paul's Bay, Burmarrad and Qawra, while Manikata is a distinct parish despite forming part of the Mellieha local council 62 places of worship 164 Sunday Masses 18,302 attended in 2017 25,715 attended in 2005 1,577 attended more than one Sunday Mass on the chosen weekend 29% decline in overall attendance 37% decline in each of the Siggiewi, Rabat and Mdina parishes was the steepest 2% decline in Iklin parish was the lowest 8% increase in Dingli was a result of a one-off Mass at Savio College that skewed the result 34 places of worship 120 Sunday Masses 15,687, attended in 2017 23,704 attended in 2005 1,273 attended more than one Sunday Mass on the chosen weekend 34% decline in overall attendance 41% decline in Zejtun parish was the steepest 37% decline in Gudja parish was the second steepest 22% decline in Marsaxlokk was the lowest 92 places of worship 310 Sunday Masses 35,240 attended in 2017 56,261 attended in 2005 3,036 attended more than one Sunday Mass on the chosen weekend 37% decline in overall attendance 58% decline in St Joseph parish in Birkirkara was the steepest 52% decline in Gzira parish was the second steepest 50% increase in Swatar parish was the highest 1% increase in Fleur-de-Lys parish was the second highest * Birkirkara, Hamrun, Qormi and Sliema have more than one parish, while Swatar was only declared a parish in 2008. Fleur- de-Lys, Balluta and Swatar are parishes despite forming part of the local councils of B'kara, St Julian's and Msida, respectively. 72 places of worship 229 Sunday Masses 23,335 attended in 2017 37,818 attended in 2005 2,002 attended more than one Sunday Mass on the chosen weekend 38% decline in overall attendance 57% decline in Holy Trinity parish in Marsa was the steepest 53% decline in Senglea parish was the second steepest 18% decline in St Paul parish in Valletta was the lowest *Marsa, Paola and Valletta have more than one parish Northern parishes 9 parishes* Western parishes 10 parishes South Eastern parishes 11 parishes Northern Harbour parishes 23 parishes* Southern Harbour parishes 17 parishes* Naxxar parish registered the least decline in the Northern region Siggiewi parish was one of three in the Western region that registered the largest decline Marsaxlokk parish registered the lowest decline in the South Eastern region Gzira parish saw attendance drop by 52% The Holy Trinity parish in Marsa saw a decline of 57% in attendance