A survey done by a Church-run radio station in Manila found that Catholic churchgoers want a good sound system and better music during the celebration of the Holy Eucharist.
The survey done by Radio Veritas 846 that asked respondents what should be improved during the celebration found that 27 percent said a “good sound system” is a priority.
Most of the respondents belong to the “young adult” category, or those with ages between 21 and 39.
A good choir and song selection also matter for many churchgoers, with 24 percent of those surveyed saying music is indispensable in worship.
Most of those who prefer “better liturgical music” are categorized as adults, or those between 40 and 60 years old.
Respondents saw as another priority for improvement the priests’ homilies and the ambiance of the church.
Five percent of the respondents also want good Mass readers, while four percent seek “friendliness” of church workers.
Brother Clifford Sorita, who conducted the “Veritas Truth Survey,” said the result of the study reveals that “different age groups would have different concerns while attending Mass.”
For those with ages between 13 and 20, their concern would be the church ambiance; for those between 21 and 39 (young adults), it would be the sound system.
For those from 40 to 60 years old, their concern would be the choir and the selection of songs while with ages 61 and above, their top concern is the homily of the priest.
The “Veritas Truth Survey” was conducted on March 31, the 500th anniversary of the First Easter Sunday Mass in the Philippines.
Father Anton Pascual, president of Radio Veritas 846, said the survey is one of a series of surveys that aim to help in the work of evangelization of the Philippine Catholic Church.
“We hope that through this social research initiative we may be able to help the Church to continue to fulfill its mission beyond the 500th year festivities,” said the priest.
The respondents were selected through stratified sampling. The survey was conducted through mobile text messaging and online with a +/-3 percent margin of error.
