Quincy, Illinois, Catholic schools implement subsidy program to encourage Mass attendance

Parishioners attend a July 2024 Mass at St. Peter Church in Quincy, Illinois. This parish is one of many participating in the “Family School Agreement” meant to increase regular Mass attendance and activity among parishioners. / Credit: Randy Dickerman

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jul 22, 2024 / 06:00 am (CNA).

In an effort to encourage families to “return to the Eucharist and be an active part of the Catholic community,” the Quincy Deanery of the Diocese of Springfield, Illinois, has implemented a “Family School Agreement” initiative effective July 1.

The initiative builds upon a 2015 agreement asking families with children who attend Quincy’s Catholic elementary schools to “commit themselves to the Catholic faith and involve themselves in the practice of that faith” by attending Mass each Sunday and on holy days of obligation.

Now, families who wish to maintain the current Active Catholic Families school tuition subsidy of $3,400 are expected to continue doing so with an added commitment of attending Mass at a minimum of 51% of the time.

“The process is simple: Families receive cards, about the size of a business card, on which they write their family name, their children’s school, and the date of the Mass they attended,” explained Christopher Gill, the chief administrative leader for Quincy Catholic Elementary Schools. “These cards are then dropped in the collection basket during Mass, and we collect the cards and record the information in a spreadsheet. [Families] can attend any of the churches in Quincy for it to be officially counted.”

Active Catholic families who meet these requirements will pay a tuition of $3,400 for one child, $4,975 for two children, and $5,500 for three or more children enrolled in these schools. Meanwhile, those who do not participate in this initiative will pay $4,850 for one child, $8,150 for two children, and $9,250 for three or more.

Parishioners from all of the churches in Quincy and several of its neighboring towns are able to participate in this initiative, which will affect how this active subsidy is allocated for the 2025-2026 school year.

“The reason for this change is to encourage people to return to the Eucharist. We have noticed a steady decline in Mass attendance over the past decade and want to reverse this trend,” Gill stated. “Last year, churches in Springfield, Illinois, implemented this new agreement with the 51% stipulation and reported a 22% increase in Mass attendance. After reviewing their data, we decided to adopt a similar approach in Quincy.”

Echoing this reasoning and support for the initiative was Father Steve Arisman, the current pastor of St. Francis Solanus Church in Quincy. Arisman shared with CNA that this initiative has “nothing to do with any kind of financial aspect in terms of giving.”

“We wanted to form disciples, and that starts with Mass,” Arisman said. “Catholic education starts with Sunday Mass, and that really is the crux of what we are doing and the element of who we are as Catholics.”

Statistics in weekly Mass attendance by Catholics across the United States have shown a decline in the last several decades, most notably dropping from 45% in 2000–2003 to 33% in 2021–2023.

In response to these declining numbers, various dioceses and parishes throughout the country have taken numerous approaches in order to promote regular Mass attendance in the post-COVID years.

For example, the Immaculate Heart of Mary School in Towson, Maryland, applies an active Catholic tuition grant of $1,745 to those who “attend Mass regularly.” While parishioners aren’t asked to keep track of their attendance with a card, they are instead expected to be registered with the parish, complete a verification form, and have their children baptized in the Catholic Church prior to Feb. 1.

Our Lady of Joy in Carefree, Arizona, encourages weekly Mass participation as well as a Catholic tuition discount to those who document their contributions by giving at least two times each month to the parish with family envelopes.

The Christ Our King-Stella Maris School in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, has taken an approach similar to that of the Quincy Deanery, offering reduced tuition to families who meet its requirements for active “parishioner status” in four different parishes in the area. One requirement consists of parishioners attending a weekend Mass 75% of the time throughout the year.

Acknowledging that some “difficult conversations” may arise regarding this initiative from those who are “not living the faith,” Arisman shared his belief that “these will be really great conversations to have.”

“[This initiative] will show how we can truly reach out to these families,” he said. “It asks questions on what we can do to connect them better with Christ, the church community, and the Mass. When we challenge these families and call them to see something more in telling them how important the Mass really is, then they respond to that.”

He continued: “We need to challenge people with love and charity, and the expectation of calling them to something more without making them feel bad. We need to help them see the priority that Mass should be, while also being welcoming and hospitable ourselves.”

Aaron Weiman, whose family of nine consists of four elementary-aged children and are active within St. Francis Solanus, has seen the “fruitful” effects of this initiative so far.

“There is a lot of excitement around getting families back to church who need a little bit more of a push to get there, and then once they’re there to focus on keeping them engaged in their faith formation,” he told CNA. “It’s been exciting to look around and to see so many new faces and families in Sunday Mass this past month.”

Though the initiative still remains in early stages, Weiman expressed his hope for its continued effects throughout the Quincy area.

“[The Family School Agreement] seems to be focused on the spiritual renewal of our families that are involved in the Catholic schools and that we want in the parishes,” he continued. “The hope is that we instill our faith and make our area stronger as Catholics.”