In 2013, the total numbers of people coming to weekly Masses were 600. In 2024, numbers have declined to about 261. We’ve lost over 300 people in 11 years! According to Pope Benedict XVI and the then Cardinal Jorge Bergolio (Pope Francis), one of the many reasons people stop coming to Mass and practicing their Catholic faith is because they experience their Catholic faith as lacking sufficient relevance for their lives (Aparecida Document, Paragraph 225).
In Mt 13:52, Jesus said “Every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.” I believe now is the time to introduce music that may be of more relevance for many who come to already come to Mass and for those who we are commanded by Jesus to reach (Mt. 28:19). Did you know there is award-winning contemporary (modern) Christian worship music that powerfully engages people – especially many young people?
From Pentecost Sunday (19th May), we will phase in a more contemporary style of recorded music at the 11 am Mass. This Mass was chosen because it is the family Mass, where more young people are likely to attend with their family, albeit they are welcome at all masses. The hymns/songs may be traditional, or they may be more modern, but the style will be more contemporary (eg, guitars, piano, keyboard, drums, violins, etc). The plan is to phase this in with two Sundays of the more contemporary style in June and two Sundays in July. From August onwards each 11am Sunday mass will be exclusively a contemporary style. In time, our hope is to build up a music group in the parish to replace recorded music. At our 9 am Sunday Mass, the plan is to have more traditional hymns and Mass settings, and ideally with organ accompaniment hopefully in time. The Saturday 6 pm Mass will have simple sung Mass settings, and no hymns, maybe with musical accompaniment in time too.
Please support our need to bring out of our “treasure what is new and what is old.” Do not let our particular musical ‘preferences’ be more important than the ‘needs’ of the people we are trying to reach. Please, invite your favourite non-churchgoing loved ones to the mass that you feel will best connect with them.