Part 1 - From Attendance to Evangelization: Growing Saint Pius X in Faith
It Begins with Sunday: Building a Vibrant Saint Pius X
Pentecost 2025
This article is the first in a series aimed at offering practical steps to move Saint Pius X forward into greater vibrancy and strength as a parish. Too often, when we talk about renewal in the Church, we remain in generalities—hoping things will improve without committing to what it takes. This series will not be theoretical. It will lay out clear actions, rooted in Scripture and tradition, that every parishioner can embrace. Step one is simple but essential: committed attendance at Sunday Mass.
The Current Reality
Across the United States, Catholic churches are facing a sobering trend: fewer people are attending Sunday Mass regularly. This is not just a national issue—it has touched us here in Mobile. Even in the heart of the South, where faith and community are woven into daily life, we have seen how easy it has become for families to drift in and out of parish life.
At Saint Pius X, we are blessed with a rich heritage and a vibrant community. But the truth is simple: a parish is only as strong as the faithfulness of its people. When attendance falters, the vitality of our parish falters too. The Church is not sustained by programs or buildings, but by men, women, and children gathered around the altar of the Lord every Sunday.
Too often, Sunday Mass has become one option among many competing activities—ball games, travel, or simply the choice to stay home. Yet, for Catholics, Sunday is not just a cultural marker or a good habit. It is the day that belongs to the Lord. It is the day when Christ Himself gives us His very Body and Blood. Without that weekly encounter, we are starving our souls, and slowly weakening the faith we claim to hold.
The Letter to the Hebrews warns us plainly: “Do not neglect to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encourage one another” (Hebrews 10:25). The early Christians clung to the Eucharist in a world far more hostile than ours, because they knew their lives depended on it. If we, in a city filled with churches and freedom to worship, fail to make the same commitment, what excuse will we have?
The health of Saint Pius X Parish depends first and foremost on this: that we gather faithfully at the altar every Sunday. Faith is not maintained by accident; it requires commitment. And that commitment begins with showing up, every single Sunday, to meet the Lord who is waiting for us.