Archd. Philadelphia : the spread of Flash “Mass Mobs” to help dying parishes

From Fr. Z’s Site

In many cities there are beautiful but languishing parish churches. Some people are stirring things up to help put them back on the map, inject some life into them.

“Flash Mobs” attend a Mass at one of this tired churches to bring attention to them.

I like the idea.

Now I read that it has spread to Philadelphia.

From CNA:

Philly Catholics join ‘Mass Mob’ trend to support churches

Philadelphia, Pa., Mar 16, 2014 / 06:02 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Catholics in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia have planned their first “Mass Mob” in the north of the city, seeking to rally scores of people to a beautiful but sparsely attended church.

“It’s an opportunity for people from all over the archdiocese to come together as a community,” Mass Mob Philly organizer Ben DiFrancesco, a 28-year-old software engineer, told CNA March 14.

“It’s an opportunity for people to enjoy these big, beautiful, old church buildings that they maybe normally don’t get to see at their regular parish.”

DiFrancesco is one of the organizers who are using social media to encourage as many people as possible to attend Mass at St. Francis Xavier, The Oratory, in Philadelphia’s Fairmount neighborhood on the morning of March 23. They are asking attendees to arrive at 11:15 a.m., 15 minutes before the Sunday Mass begins.

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Read the rest there.

I send out Fr. Z Kudos to them.

However, I recommend another step.

Want to save these churches?

Implement Summorum Pontificum. Bring back to them the older, traditional form of our rites and sacraments. Bring solid, no-nonsense, hard identity preaching. Foster true sacred music. At the same time, reach out within a traditional presentation of the faith, to Spanish speakers, even if the parish has already a strong ethnic identity.