"We're living through the greatest loss of faith in the history of the Catholic Church," a refrain reverberating thru Catholic America. Likely, you are familiar with the statistics:
25% percent decline in Mass attendance.
15% of churches closed and/or consolidated.
65% of Catholics do not believe in the Real Presence.
Catholicism, the largest Christian creed followed closely by fallen away Catholics.
America's religious decline is not new. Experts claim, "Christianity has been on decline since the removal of prayer from public schools in 1962."
Catholic school enrollment declined concurrently. Yet prayer was not removed from Catholic schools. Predictably, Mass attendance followed. What changed?
Catholic authorities proffered explanations and recommendations; none of which stemmed the tide . . . a sure sign the root cause was not rightly identified.
As a cradle-Catholic father, grandfather, and amateur student of Mass, I offer an assertion supported by my love of Catholicism, logic . . . and a book!
"What changed" was the equivalent of removing the pillar of prayer from public schools . . . Mass was removed from Catholic catechesis - school, CCD, RCIA, adult formation, ambo, and domestic church.
A cursory look at a Baltimore Catechism, the 1950-60s field manual for Catholics, reveals a 30-page segment, "Catechism of the Mass," immersing students in liturgical details.
A cursory look at current Catholic curricula reveals a paucity of information on Mass ranging from a few paragraphs in school texts to "take home" trifolds for CCD, RCIA, etc.
Is Mass that important? Did you know Mass . . .
Is the most perfect way for man to praise and give thanks to God?
Is the only sacrifice perfect, pleasing, and acceptable to God?
Is the most sacred function of the Church, surpassing all others in efficacy?
Is the Church's greatest prayer?
Is an offering for the whole Mystical Body of Christ?
Is the highest form of prayer for the faithful?
Is the Church's #1 effort to save souls?
Is the same sacrifice Christ made on the Cross?
Is the perfect answer to prayer as it brings mercy and salvation Christ won for us?
Is required attendance every Sunday and six Holy Days a year but Communion only once?
Is the Source and Summit of our Faith?
Seemingly, Mass is the answer to everything integral to Catholicism. Why is it not taught in Catholic education settings?
How do we reverse the tide?
Pope John Paul II: "Mass is Heaven on Earth. What we celebrate on Earth is a mysterious participation in the heavenly liturgy."
If Catholics realized Mass is tantamount to Heaven on Earth, would we be witnessing "the greatest loss of faith in the history of the Catholic Church?" Emphatically, "No." As one Priest opined, "We'd have to double Masses and they'd be SRO."
We would witness the greatest flood of student enrollment and Mass attendance since the inception of Catholicism in America. We would have to double Catholic school classes and reopen shuttered schools and churches.
Catholics must re-assess school, CCD, RCIA, adult formation and domestic church catechesis to make space for a deep dive into Mass.
To fulfill the need, I submit a book series, "Heaven on Earth: The Order and Meaning of Mass: "
"Heaven on Earth" second edition text for adults.
"Curriculum" for students and educators.
"Workbook" of lesson reviews for students.
"Heaven on Earth" is not a theological or academic treatise but a user-friendly, step-by-step guide to Mass for the faithful unlike anything available elsewhere.
Author's Promise: "You will never ever go to church, attend Mass, or receive Communion the same way again."
