Chai Brady
During the height of the pandemic the majority of Irish Catholics have welcomed and engaged with online Church services, feel their faith has been strengthened and believe now there is a “great chance” to re-think the Church’s future, according to new research.
The study was conducted by the Mater Dei Centre for Catholic Education at Dublin City University, in partnership with York St John University, and 1,377 adults responded.
The online survey ‘Coronavirus, Church & You’ was launched nationwide, including the North, with 70% of respondents aged 40-60.
It found that 65% accessed church services online and 61% said the service felt the same as usual services.
Half of those surveyed had contact with clergy during lockdown, mainly by phone (38%) or online (36%).
The Director of the Mater Dei Centre for Catholic Education, Dr Gareth Byrne, said: “It was very significant that clergy have found news ways of being in touch pastorally, not just for the celebration of Masses but also for keeping in contact with parishioners and responding to their needs.”
The vast majority of people felt it was good to see clergy broadcast services for their churches while 67% said they agreed that online worship is a great liturgical tool – 62% agreed social media is a great pastoral tool and 53% agreed social media is a great evangelistic tool.
However, 85% disagreed that virtual contact was as good as meeting face to face.
Efforts
Dr Bernadette Sweetman of Mater Dei said: “The efforts of parishes across the country to maintain a sense of parish community and communal worship online should be admired. The findings of this survey suggest those efforts have been both appreciated and formative in faith. However, the physical gathering and worshipping in person together is largely irreplaceable.”
Two-thirds of people said their faith has been strengthened during the pandemic and 46% said their congregation coped well/very well, 92% indicated the faith of their congregation was either the same as or strengthened (38% said strengthened).
Regarding the future of the Church 63% agreed the lockdown is a great chance to re-think the Church’s future. The forced closure of churches has focused the faithful on proper priorities according to 39% of respondents, while 29% disagreed.
Almost half of people said they didn’t believe many people will lose faith without church buildings to gather for worship, 26% said they thought this would be the case. 72% agreed that the lockdown has helped the Church to move into the digital age.