More Canadians are expected to attend church this Christmas than watched the Grey Cup, Super Bowl or Stanley Cup final, according to a new holiday poll.
The Angus Reid Global survey found that while only 13 per cent of Canadians attend church weekly, 32 per cent planned to show up for a special Christmas service.
That amounts to more than 10 million people.
By comparison, the Grey Cup, Super Bowl and Stanley Cup final got average Canadian audiences of 4.5 million, 7.3 million and 2.6 million, respectively.
The Archbishop of Vancouver, Reverend J. Michael Miller, said the poll reveals a common yearning for a spiritual aspect to Christmas.
“Christmas has lots of secular elements to it,” Miller said. “But underneath, you’re darn right there’s still a deep religious sentiment among many, many people in our country.”
Some of the surge could be credited to Pope Francis, whose pronouncements have painted the Catholic Church in a more progressive light.
“His going to the sick, his caressing the disabled, his breaking a bit of the tradition. People like that,” Miller said.
Vancouver parishes also spent $5 million on advertisements last year calling on lapsed Catholics to come back.
Though the Angus Reid poll found about two-third of Canadians planned to stay away from church for Christmas, the vast majority are embracing the holiday’s traditions.
Eighty-eight per cent are exchanging gifts, 77 per cent are putting up a tree and 94 per cent are having Christmas dinner. Only 39 per cent said they’d be saying grace at the table.
Miller said anyone who wants to show up at church should do so, even if they haven’t been around since last Dec. 25.
“If they have that inkling, they should listen to that voice,” he said. “You’ll be welcome. You’re invited. Everybody’s invited to celebrate Christmas, it’s a time to rejoice.”
The Angus Reid survey was conducted online on Dec. 10 among 1,508 adult members of the Angus Reid Forum. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 per cent.
With a report from CTV British Columbia’s Tom Popyk
