Catholic World News News Feature

Irish Mass attendance below 50% June 01, 2006

Not quite half of Ireland's adults attend Mass each week, according to a survey conducted by the state's RTE broadcast network.

The survey found that 13% of Irish people attend daily Mass, and another 35% go to Mass every Sunday. The total of 48% attending Mass at least weekly represents a sharp drop from 1990, when a survey put the figure at 81%. However, RTE reported that a steady decline in Mass attendance over the past 15 years appears to have leveled off.

The survey showed that 60% of respondents identified themselves are "religious," while only 3% said they were "convinced atheists." A majority of 58% opposed removing Christian symbols from public buildings, while 19% supported that idea.