The one thing that the Orthodox know that the Latin Catholics seem to forget is that Catholics don't want a mass that looks like the Fundy church up the street.
Get back to the traditions and the churches fill.
We have a very Historically Catholic parish, We are breaking out the back of our hall on Monday to begin building a new church. We need to seat the families that have joined. That amount has tripled in the last three years.
If you give them a Catholic Holy Mass, all the smells and bells. May Crownings, devotions, a sprinkling of Latin, they will come.
And our parish has an average age of 30. We have at least four "family buses" in the parking lot (6 kids and over)
"If you give them a Catholic Holy Mass, all the smells and bells. May Crownings, devotions, a sprinkling of Latin, they will come."
You know, I think at least in part, you are right. I well remember the High Masses at our local Catholic parish as a kid; long lines of altarboys and choir members, magnificent chanting and clouds of incense. There was no question but that the congregation had joined with the Cherubim and Seraphim, six winged and many eyed, in worshipping Almighty God! Those Liturgies were wonderful and so much like our Divine Liturgy of +John Chrysostomos.
Just a word to the wise, however; don't get too big.