The Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference strongly encouraged Catholics to identify themselves as Catholic for the recent census. Previous census statistics show a steady decline in the number of Catholics in Australia over the past 50 years and in the census five years ago, only 20 per cent of the Australian population identified as Catholic.
In an Australian Bureau of Statistics article: ‘Religious affiliation in Australia:
Exploration of the changes in reported religion in the 2021 Census’, it was noted that the rate of decrease has been slowed by “immigration from regions with high numbers of followers of Catholicism, such as Southeast Asia and South America.” Those who regularly attend Mass will have noticed this trend in participation at a parish level.
It will be interesting to see the percentage and location of Australian individuals who now identify as Catholic when the results of this census are made public. This demographic is important and will be informative on several levels. Governments will be interested in the results for a variety of reasons, most importantly for funding Catholic schools, hospitals, aged care and social services. In the many ministries led by Catholic lay leaders and religious orders, the results will be taken into consideration when deciding on the requirements for service provision. Bishops and Parish priests may use the results to better target parish services, in particular where best to locate priests and where to establish new parishes.
The more subtle question of what it means to be Catholic today will not be answered by the census, as the statistics gathered will provide no indication of the reason why people identified as they did. For all it will be a desire to identify and belong based on a personal decision. The same things can likely be said for people who identified as belonging to other faith traditions or none.
There will no doubt be a broad spectrum of lay individuals who identified as Catholic on their census return. It will range from those whose only connection to the church is that they were baptised Catholic and/or once attended a Catholic school, to those who attend Mass weekly and participate fully in Catholic parish life.
Those who loosely identify are sometimes referred to as ‘cultural Catholics’ as opposed to ‘practising Catholics’. There would be a multitude of reasons given by individuals as to why they do not practise their faith more actively by attending weekly Mass. A common belief held by many cultural Catholics is that attendance at Mass is merely symbolic and optional.
However, Canon 1247 of the Code of Canon Law clearly obliges Catholics to attend Sunday Mass and Holy Days. Obligations and compulsory requirements aside, the Church leaders in Rome are constantly reminding Catholics of the importance of the celebration of the Eucharist at Mass. Pope Francis encouraged Catholics: to continue your efforts to contribute to a revival of faith in, and love for, the Holy Eucharist, the “source and summit of the Christian life.” Pope Leo recently reminded Catholics about the importance of Mass attendance in the context of physical as opposed to virtual presence. During his general audience at the Vatican, he explained that “the Eucharist requires an active, in-person community gathering to truly sanctify the Lord’s Day and experience a living encounter with Christ.”
For practising Catholics, their personal faith is expressed significantly through their active participation in Sunday Mass. This is sometimes referred to as their Catholic identity and is an acknowledgement that the celebration of the Eucharist is the centre of their Catholic faith. They respond to the call to be people whose everyday living of Gospel values is also a fundamental part of that Catholic identity.
Theologian and cultural anthropologist, Fr Gerald A. Arbuckle SM argued that there may be more than one Catholic identity and described this aspect of our Catholic identity and beliefs as “being our inner peace built on faith, charity and concern for justice, especially among the most marginalised.” This interpretation of having a Catholic identity is more expansive than ticking a box on a census form as we know.
Mercy Ministry Companions operates in the name of the Church. Our Community Service, Education and Health and Aged Care ministries operate within a rich multifaith and multicultural context. There are many threads which contribute to the tapestry of our Catholic identity. As Mercy-heritage ministries, we are shaped by the life and mission of Jesus, sharing in the Mercy charism which inspired Catherine McAuley to do what she did to meet needs in her day. She worked alongside others who felt called to respond to the needs around them by engaging in Works of Mercy.
The principles of Catholic Social Teaching also shape the culture of our ministries. People of all faiths or none can relate to the principles of respecting human dignity, serving the common good, seeking social justice and reflecting subsidiarity in the ways decisions are made. They can also identify with ministry values and seek to reflect those values in their workplaces by acting with compassion, justice, hope, respect and hospitality.
The encouragement given in recent times by Pope Francis and Pope Leo for an active revival of our expression of faith is not a message for the clergy alone but rather a message to all practising Catholics. Some local parishes are attempting to revive their communities through what has been labelled ‘The Three H’s – Homilies, Hymns and Hospitality’. Homilies are within the exclusive domain of the clergy and should explain succinctly the readings and gospel, while connecting the word of God to everyday life and nourishing spiritual growth. Such aspirational targets for all aspects of a homily are to be encouraged but in practice may not always be achieved. The prayers sung through participation in hymn singing may also be aspirational if there is a lack of musical talent in a parish. If we have musical talent we should participate fully and if we don’t, we can encourage those who do!
The one aspect of renewal that is within the domain of every Catholic is hospitality. Warmly welcoming those who attend Mass, who join the worshipping community for whatever reason, is an acknowledgement of Jesus’s own example of the inclusion of all. For those of us who have had the benefit of formation in the Mercy charism, this tradition of hospitality will be second nature. Hospitality was at the heart of spirituality for Catherine McAuley. Her lifelong warm, empathetic, and non-judgemental hospitality was deeply grounded in what has been labelled as the radical hospitality practised by Jesus.
Warmly welcoming those who attend Mass is the one liturgical task that each of us can do. It has the power to welcome home ‘cultural Catholics’ who may only attend Mass at Easter and Christmas. It is a reminder that ‘God is Love’ and may also encourage them to explore more fully their own Catholic identity.
Iyla Davies OAM
Trustee Director, Mercy Ministry Companions
Photo by Mandy Henry on Unsplash