Normal ... but sad

The title of this post should be "Better than normal ... but, oh, so sad".



     Today is election day in many places.  I voted this morning after Mass and was number 14 at our voting place.  This November election is in an "off" year (non presidential), but there were local and state candidates up for election.  The Greensburg Tribune Review, the local newspaper, this morning said that because of exceptionally great weather, there was the possibility that turnout could be up to 35 percent of the electorate - 7 percent above the norm.  This could be a good thing.

     But when you stop to think that the greatest exercise of our rights and responsibilities in this great Republic is embraced by only 35 percent of registered voters, you need to ask "What's wrong?"  I am convinced that there is no better form of representative government than ours (even with its flaws and imperfections).  Why then this apathy?

     During the month of October the Catholic Church in the United States does an "October Count".  For years we have been counting those present at Mass every weekend in October, to monitor trends and to determine active participation.  Our attendance at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton was actually up slightly this year, averaging 909 in attendance each weekend (at a total of three masses).  The norm in most places is attendance being in the 33 to 35 percent range of registered members.  It is a lot less than the "old days" of Catholicism, but better than many other groups.  And we seem to be steady.

     But when you stop to think that the Eucharist is the greatest expression of our lived Faith, that it is the source and summit of parish life, that it is the very source of our spiritual nourishment with the reception of the Body and Blood of Christ, then the question is - "What's wrong?"  I find it fascinating that when you ask those not involved if they want to be removed from the "rolls", they are offended and say of course not.  Yet they do not feel the need nor desire to attend, except in time of crisis or at those special times of the year like Christmas and Easter.   The situation is "oh, so sad".

     We have important work to do.  The Holy Father is challenging us to look at a new evangelization - of getting the word out and getting the people back and stressing the vital importance of stepping up to the plate and being counted.