The National Catholic Reporter had a cover story in August exploring the financial and political problems facing our Boston Archdiocese. Speaking admiringly of Archbishop Sean O'Malley, the piece adds some perspective to a process that will have dropped the number of Boston parishes from 402 to 274 over a twenty year period. Particularly with the Church's increased dependence on lay guidance, groups like ours and Voice of the Faithful have a key role to play in answering questions like why Boston area weekly Mass attendance has fallen to 16% of self-identified Catholics, and in searching for ideas on how we can strengthen our churches across Massachusetts.

As stated in the introduction to the Decree on the Apostolate of Lay People, Apostolicam actuositatem, a Second Vatican Council document issued in November 1965, "The need for this urgent and many-sided apostolate is shown by the manifest action of the Holy Spirit moving laymen today to a deeper and deeper awareness of their responsibility and urging them on everywhere to the service of Christ and the Church."