According to Mike Snyder of the Houston Chronicle the metropolitan areas of the cities of Houston and Dallas led the nation in population growth in the period of July 2008 to July 2009. Dallas was first with Houston second. The increase was 146,530 and 140,784 respectively. It was about three years ago that the Vatican made the Diocese of Galveston-Houston an Archdiocese and appointed the new Archbishop as a Cardinal. Three years ago the Diocese of Dallas received a new Bishop in the person of His Excellency Kevin J. Farrell. Last week it was announced that the Holy Father had appointed two Dallas priests as Auxiliary Bishops for the Diocese of Dallas to help the Ordinary with the effects of the growth.
For the years 2005 through 2010 the Mass attendance figure for the Diocese of Dallas is twenty nine percent. For Holy Days it is seven and a half percent. It is believed that these low figures were the same for the years prior to 2005 although this has not been substantiated. It is held also that these low figures are and were in place for other Dioceses in our country. The summary of statistics for the Diocese of Dallas as presented by the Texas Catholic Newspaper, ( the diocesan newspaper ) shows the following for 2009.
Est. Catholic population: 1,127,985
Registered Catholics - 564,789
Oct. Mass attendance - 166,117
The difference between the estimated Catholic population and the registered Catholics is 563,000 or 50% of the estimated Catholic population. The estimated figure is given by the census bureau and is due primarily to Hispanic immigration. The Hispanic people are Catholic for the most part but in the earlier years on coming into this area of the country they did not register or attend Mass in our parish Churches. Will the appointment of two additional Bishops do anything to correct that since it is the Mass attendance of registered Catholics that reveals the 29% figure? If the attendance of regular parishioners is so low perhaps is it not due to a weakness in catechetics and a reluctance and failure of the clergy, (Bishops and priests) to preach the Catholic faith in its richness and fullness? How will the adding of two new bishops correct that.?
These thoughts are offered as a public inquiry to the laity as well as to the clergy. We believe the facts are correct and a dialogue might be helpful.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
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1 comment:
Fr. Corcoran makes a very astute observation!
Most of the Catholic priests in this Diocese do not bother to preach the Roman Catholic Faith, and they are very poor at preaching what they do try to preach ---- they were apparently very poorly trained in the seminary.
Dave Brown
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