Do you feel as if the Mass takes too long? Do you see others who look bored or disengaged?

In this podcast episode of The Cale Clarke Show, Cale discusses an op-ed by Cardinal Dolan of New York City regarding the declining attendance at Sunday Mass in the wake of the pandemic. A survey conducted in the Archdiocese of New York revealed that the top reasons people stopped attending Mass were: they couldn’t understand the priest, their parish had been closed, and Mass was too long.

Cardinal Dolan expressed surprise at the high interest in this issue and highlighted the exhaustion felt by attendees due to excessively long Masses. He pointed out various factors that seem to be contributing to the length, including extended music rehearsals, obligatory greetings, lengthy homilies, and extended prayers and rituals like the Gloria and the Lamb of God. Some attendees also felt that Mass lacked reverence and that some people were attending out of obligation rather than genuine desire.

A caller to the show shared his thoughts, stating that Mass duration wasn’t the main issue; rather, it was about the quality of the Mass experience and attendees’ attitudes toward it. Could it be that people should prioritize the spiritual significance of the Mass over its duration? What do you think?

Check out the whole hour! 

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