Catholics in the Diocese of San Bernardino are coming back to Church in increasing numbers, continuing an upward trend that began three years ago.
According to Mass counts conducted by the Diocesan Office of Pastoral Planning during the weekends of April 13-14 and April 20-21 this year, church attendance in the diocese increased by 12 percent over the previous year’s count. It was the second straight year Mass counts rose by that amount.
“In some parishes and areas, the communities are really growing,” says Aaron Colin, Director of Pastoral Planning for the Diocese. “I’m hearing from some pastors that they are having to add Masses.
Pastors in the Diocese say the numbers match what they are seeing in the pews on weekends, and they offer different theories on why the increase continues. Father Chris Subosa, Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Rancho Cucamonga, and Father Alwyn Anfone, Administrator of St. Peter and St. Paul Parish in Alta Loma, both cited the National Eucharistic Revival as a motivating factor. The Revival is a three-year initiative of the U.S. Bishops designed to refocus the Catholic faithful on the centrality of the Eucharist and Jesus’ true presence in it. Reconnecting with the Eucharist has meant returning to regular Mass attendance for some, the two priests say.
“I think it touched the hearts of many people,” said Fr. Subosa, who had served as Pastor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Ontario prior to July 1. “Deep in their hearts they long for the Holy Eucharist.”
For other pastors, the stress of the times has drawn people back to Mass.
“Overall, people are looking for God,” says Father Alex Rodarte, administrator of St. Joseph Parish in Upland, “especially with what’s going on with political polarization, talk of World War III, not being able to pay for stuff.
“They’re looking for a place where they can find hope.”
Added Father Ted Drennan, VF, Pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle in Riverside, “people are looking for stability.”
The COVID-19 pandemic, which led to the complete closure of churches in the diocese for three months in 2020, caused a steep drop in Mass attendance that year. Since then, Mass counts have steadily risen, though they are still not back at pre-pandemic levels.
“Every weekend I hear Confessions from people coming back for the first time since COVID,” shares Fr. Rodarte.
The recent Mass counts report that a total of 179,384 people attended weekend Masses. The Diocese claims a Catholic population of approximately 1.4 million, a number based on demographic information provided by MissionInsite. The larger number essentially reflects those who self-identify as Catholic, not those who may be registered in a parish and/or attend Mass regularly. The estimated 1.4 million Catholic population places the Diocese of San Bernardino as the nation’s 10th largest.
The local Mass attendance numbers also show that Spanish-speaking communities in the diocese continue to grow rapidly. For the second year in a row, more people attended Spanish language Masses than English language Masses in the diocese, according to the Pastoral Planning report.