Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference releases study on Mass attendance

The Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference released a study on October 7 showing that many Catholics who do not attend Sunday Mass regularly still maintain their religious beliefs. The report, titled "Absent from the Table: Catholics in Australia Who Do Not Regularly Attend Sunday Mass," was conducted by the National Centre for Pastoral Research through an online survey of 1,973 adult Catholics in 2024 and interviews with 67 participants between March and July 2025.

According to the study, 74% of respondents attended Mass less than once a week, with 36% attending occasionally, 19% monthly, and 19% not at all. Despite this, 77% said Jesus is the Son of God, 64% reported praying regularly, and approximately two-thirds said their faith is very important to them. While 55% affirmed the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, 24% viewed the elements as symbolic and 21% were unsure.

Researchers identified 14 reasons for irregular attendance, including a lack of priority given to Mass, crises of faith, family issues, and liturgical concerns. Participants also cited challenges with parish priests or clergy, the misuse of power and authority in the Church, and clergy sexual abuse as factors that affect trust. The report notes that because the findings are based on a self-selected sample, they may not be fully generalizable to all Catholics in Australia.