Why do more Filipinos now go to Sunday Mass?

CLARK FIELD (PLDT/WeRoam) — The Philippine population has ballooned to around 85 million. Minus the 10 percent who are toiling abroad, that leaves 77 million of us stuck in these 7,000-plus islands.

Statistics have it that some 83 percent of us Filipinos, or around 64 million, are baptized Catholics. If reports are correct that 65 percent of Christians — or about 42 million — go to church every week, the few churches that we have must be bursting with devotees.

Some churches are indeed crowded on Sundays, but that could really happen not because of folk religiosity but because there are not that many places of worship to accommodate the throng going to Mass.

Still, one is tempted to take the statistics on Mass attendance with a grain of salt since it is hard to imagine 42 million Filipinos flocking to church on a Sunday.

It is true that a great number of Filipinos have been reduced to praying or beseeching the Lord for deliverance from grinding poverty, but 42 million packing churches on a Sunday looks a bit incredible.

*  *  *

SPAIN LAGGING: Many devoted Catholics would be surprised to learn that in Spain, whence came our Catholic faith, less than 20 percent of Spaniards attend Mass regularly, and those who do are mostly the elderly.

The most significant legacy of Mother Spain to this former colony is Catholicism. It produced such great religious orders as the Dominicans and Jesuits and sent its missionaries to uncharted areas across the horizon to spread the faith.

But Spain now suffers like the rest of Western Europe from a declining influence of traditional Catholicism in its secular life.

Spain is in the bottom half of a list showing the percentage of Catholic attendance in Sunday Mass. Listed in descending order: Nigeria, 89 percent; Ireland, 84; Philippines, 68; N. Ireland, 58; Puerto Rico, 52; South Africa, 56; Poland (homeland of the late Pope John Paul II), 55; Portugal (rival of Spain in the exploration of the Old World), 47; Slovakia, 47; Mexico (through which Spain ruled the Philippines), 46; and Italy (where the Vatican is nestled), 45; and so forth down the line.

*  *  *

POLAND INSPIRES: If we Filipinos are 83 percent Catholic, how is it elsewhere? The figures I saw had the Vatican with 100 percent (but of course!), San Marino 99.83 percent, Italy 97.2 percent, Poland 95.4 percent, and Mexico 95.3 percent.

Note John Paul’s native Poland. In many places in Europe where there has been a marked decline in church (all denominations) membership, the number of practicing Catholics grew because of the influx of Polish immigrants who bring along their fervent Catholic faith.

Poland is also one of the few places that have an inspiring number of vocations, in contrast with many countries where the fewer young men are becoming priests and girls entering the nunnery.

*  *  *

CATOLICO CERRADO: In our hometown of Mabalacat (population: 200,000 +), just across the fence of this former home base of the US 13th Air Force, we once took pride in being Catolico cerrado.

As in other small towns, the church was a major influence in the life of the community. There was regular catechetical apostolate, and several mandated religious groups were active and served as pressure blocs. Manangs lingered long enough in church to look like fixtures.

At dusk, six o’clock sharp, the big church bells would ring and everybody — at home, in the streets, everywhere — paused, faced the direction of the church and prayed the Angelus guided by a powerful public address system mounted on the church roof.

When a new religious sect tried to establish itself in town, their tent or worship hall was stoned. Or Catholic fanatics would join the sparse crowd drawn to the lectures and raised nasty questions to disrupt the proceedings.

Non-Catholic “interlopers” did not last one week. The harassment forced them to pack up. It was intolerance to the max, but many of us Catholics then saw nothing wrong with it. In fact, we felt righteous doing it.

That was then. Now we let a thousand religious flowers bloom.

*  *  *

BLAIR CONVERTED: A big news item just before last Christmas was the conversion of former Prime Minister Tony Blair, an Anglican, into the Catholic Church.

Blair joined his wife, Cherie, and his children in the Catholic Church. His conversion came as no surprise because of his regular attendance at Sunday Mass with his family.

Some commentators said that his entry into the Church was delayed by his desire not to appear overly religious in an increasingly secularized society. They noted that fewer than half of the ministers in the ruling Labor Party government admit to believing in God.

A survey of the Daily Mail showed that only eight of 22 ministers were willing to say they were Christians, while two admitted to being atheists. Some ministers refused to answer the question about their religious belief.

The Telegraph reported recently that Catholics now outnumber Anglicans in Sunday worship attendance. A survey carried out by the Christian Research organization showed 861,000 Sunday Mass participants versus 852,000 people in the Anglican Church services.

*  *  *

ePOSTSCRIPT: Read current and old POSTSCRIPTs at www.manilamail.com. Email feedback to manilamail @pacific.net.ph or [email protected]