.- The
number of people attending Mass in the Archdiocese of Boston has risen
slightly since widespread church closings began in 2003, archdiocesan
officials reported.
Last year,
319,559 Catholics attended mass regularly, up from 316,811 in 2003.
During the same period, the number of parishes fell from 357 to 303.
The bulk of the closings occurred in 2004, but mass attendance that
year was 321,908 — higher than in 2005.
The 2005
statistics show that just 17 percent of Catholics in the Archdiocese of
Boston regularly attend mass, compared with 34 percent of Catholics
nationwide who say they attend church weekly, reported the Associated
Press.
The steady
attendance through the closings was a validation of the archdiocese's
closing plan, Kathleen Heck of the archdiocese told the Associated
Press. Fifteen parishes remain to be closed.
As well, the
archdiocese's current Catholic population dropped more than 11 percent,
falling below two million for the first time in 15 years, Church
officials said.
However,
diocesan officials admitted that the methods used to tabulate
attendance numbers are not scientific, nor are they consistent from
year to year.
Mass attendance up in Boston despite church closings
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