The 2021 Mass Attendance Count in the Diocese of El Paso was conducted during the weekends of October 16 & 17 and October 23 & 24 at all parishes, seminaries, and monasteries throughout the diocese. The count includes live-streamed and televised Masses.
As a result of the pandemic, the Diocese of El Paso searched for new ways to bring the Eucharist to the Catholic community. A number of parishes started to live-stream Sunday Masses on Facebook and YouTube and to date parishes continue to reach parishioners through technology. Local television channels CW and Azteca play pre-recorded Masses celebrated by Bishop Mark Seitz on Sunday Mornings. Televised Masses reach more than 7,000 Catholics weekly. A new form of evangelization was discovered and it appears that live-streaming and televised Masses may be here to stay.
Bishop Seitz shared, “Despite the challenges that we faced in our Church last year due to the pandemic, the Diocese of El Paso continues to move forward by the guidance of the Holy Spirit to welcome back parishioners to a life of faith, prayer, and community with one another but in a prudent way that keeps everyone safe. We recognize that the re-engagement into church life is not simple and every parishioner is dealing with the pandemic at different stages, but it is also important to remind the faithful of the importance of returning to the Eucharist and being in the real presence with God.”
The results from the annual Mass Attendance Count help parishes and the Diocese of El Paso with planning and pastoral outreach. The next Mass Attendance Count will be conducted in October, 2022.
Here are the averages from the 2021 Mass Attendance Count:
Average Number of Attendees: 51,027
Masses in English: 21,854
Masses in Spanish: 21,311
Bilingual Masses: 1,111
Other Languages Masses: 625
Virtual and Televised Masses
Live-streamed Viewers: 5,876
Televised Audience: 7,338
The Catholic Foundation extends its gratitude to pastors, administrators, parish secretaries, hospitality ministers, and volunteers for their participation in the 2021 Mass Attendance Count.
Parish contact information is available on the Diocese of El Paso website. The Catholic Foundation offers a way to contribute to your parish Sunday Collection online through the My Sunday Parish Offertory program, launched in March, 2020.
If you have questions in regarding the Mass Attendance Count, please contact Stewardship Coordinator Karina Sandoval at ksandoval@catholicfoundationelpaso.org or (915) 872-8412.
“In the Eucharist we are not the ones who desire God, God desire us.” — Dr. Timothy O’ Malley, Real Presence: What Does It Mean and Why Does It Matter?