[More faithful but less observant?]
Survey of Italian pilgrims at Padua shrine produces surprising results
CWN – October 31, 2012
A thorough survey of pilgrims visiting the shrine of St. Anthony of Padua has yielded some interesting and unexpected results.
The pilgrims at Padua are markedly younger and better educated than the average Italian Catholic parishioner. However, the pilgrims are not more likely to attend Mass on a regular basis. Nevertheless they are stronger than average Catholics in their adherence to Church teachings.
Among the Padua pilgrims, the survey showed, the number visiting the shrine to ask St. Anthony for favors was smaller than the number of those thanking the saint for a favor already granted.
Additional sources for this story: Pilgrims of the New Millennium. A Revealing Survey (L’Espresso) chiesa.espresso.repubblica.it/articolo/1350353?eng=y
“However, the pilgrims are not more likely to attend Mass on a regular basis. Nevertheless they are stronger than average Catholics in their adherence to Church teachings.”
The above is an oxymoron. A basic church teaching is attending Mass on a weekly (regular) basis.