Factors Affecting Australian Catholics’ Return to Mass After COVID‑19 Church Closures

Philippa Martyr

doi:10.1007/s10943-022-01618-1

Factors Affecting Australian Catholics’ Return to Mass After COVID‑19 Church Closures

Philippa Martyr

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In 2020, many places of worship closed due to COVID-19 restrictions, raising questions about rates of return to worship after COVID-19. This survey-based study of 806 Australian churchgoing Catholics explores relationships between a range of variables and the rate of return to Mass attendance after church closures. Pre-closure Mass attendance rate strongly and signifcantly predicted real-life worship during church closures and higher rates of return to Mass attendance after churches reopened. Real-life worship during COVID-19 also strongly predicted return to Mass attendance, and positively mediated the relationship between pre- and post-closure Mass attendance rates. Virtual worship engagement did not signifcantly predict return to Mass attendance, but positively mediated the relationship between pre- and post-closure Mass attendance rates, with a smaller effect size.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	4245-4259
Number of pages	15
Journal	Journal of Religion and Health
Volume	61
Issue number	5
Early online date	28 Jul 2022
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-022-01618-1
Publication status	Published - Oct 2022

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10.1007/s10943-022-01618-1Licence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "Factors Affecting Australian Catholics{\textquoteright} Return to Mass After COVID‑19 Church Closures",

abstract = "In 2020, many places of worship closed due to COVID-19 restrictions, raising questions about rates of return to worship after COVID-19. This survey-based study of 806 Australian churchgoing Catholics explores relationships between a range of variables and the rate of return to Mass attendance after church closures. Pre-closure Mass attendance rate strongly and signifcantly predicted real-life worship during church closures and higher rates of return to Mass attendance after churches reopened. Real-life worship during COVID-19 also strongly predicted return to Mass attendance, and positively mediated the relationship between pre- and post-closure Mass attendance rates. Virtual worship engagement did not signifcantly predict return to Mass attendance, but positively mediated the relationship between pre- and post-closure Mass attendance rates, with a smaller effect size.",

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AB - In 2020, many places of worship closed due to COVID-19 restrictions, raising questions about rates of return to worship after COVID-19. This survey-based study of 806 Australian churchgoing Catholics explores relationships between a range of variables and the rate of return to Mass attendance after church closures. Pre-closure Mass attendance rate strongly and signifcantly predicted real-life worship during church closures and higher rates of return to Mass attendance after churches reopened. Real-life worship during COVID-19 also strongly predicted return to Mass attendance, and positively mediated the relationship between pre- and post-closure Mass attendance rates. Virtual worship engagement did not signifcantly predict return to Mass attendance, but positively mediated the relationship between pre- and post-closure Mass attendance rates, with a smaller effect size.

KW - COVID-19

KW - Catholic

KW - Australia

KW - Mass attendance

KW - virtual worship

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DO - 10.1007/s10943-022-01618-1

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Factors Affecting Australian Catholics’ Return to Mass After COVID‑19 Church Closures

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Australian Catholics’ Responses to COVID-19

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