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To: Pastors, administrators, business managers, parishes and missions staff
From: The Most Reverend Gregory J. Hartmayer, OFM Conv., Archbishop of Atlanta
Since 2015, the archdiocese has requested annual counts of the number of people who attend weekend Masses during the month of October. This year that data is especially significant as we measure the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on parish life. Even as I recognize the creativity with which you have ministered to the people of God throughout this pandemic, so too do I encourage you to be creative in conducting these counts.
In order for us to have the most accurate data, please conduct the count over all five October weekends. All weekend Mass counts may be recorded at www.surveymonkey.com/r/2021MassCounts.
If you have any questions, please contact Jenny Miles in our Office of Planning and Research at jmiles@archatl.com or (404) 920-7852.
Preparing for counting Mass attendance:
- Decide if you will use ushers or another designated team to take a precise count at each Mass over weekends in October.
- Decide how your team will track the Mass count, who will complete the form, and where the form will be left after Mass.
Potential ways to conduct the Mass count. You may choose a method from the list below, or develop your own:
- Count during the homily (since everyone is seated and there is little movement at this time) or discretely between the homily and the offertory.
- Counts can be taken from the sides or back of each section(s).
- Someone could be designated to count the ministers in the sanctuary (priests, deacon, acolytes, altar servers, lectors, cantors and so forth).
- Make a seat map and mark which seats are full or empty.
- Give every attendee a bulletin or handout, setting one aside for those who don’t take one.
- Count all people entering or leaving the sanctuary.
- Dedicate a team of people to count all people entering and exiting the sanctuary or outdoor worship space.
- Phone apps or physical counting tools are available.
- Ensure that you have a tally counter at every entrance.
- Automatic people counters/heat cameras to measure all incoming and exiting traffic at any given time.
- Dedicate a team of people to count all people entering and exiting the sanctuary or outdoor worship space.
- Take a high-resolution picture during the service and count from the photo.