True, but even worse is that the Catholic church decided to do this 50 years ago and I love it when people say how improved the church is, how much better the music is and...how much more room there is to sit, since taking away everything that made it Catholic to Catholics and emulated the Protestants really HAS made a success of it.

Things are so good we can afford to close parishes and tear down churches while the Mormons open a new one every day.

The mormons have strict control over the music in their churches. What a concept.

Going back to the original post... let's look at the selling of religion. Yes, you need pleasant decor and helpful sales staff (that's us). But a franchise also needs a clear concept/identity, it has to sell a product that people want, and it has to sell it at a price people are willing to pay. To the first point, the Church has abandoned the identity that made it successful. We're commented on the difference between Catholicism in the movies and Catholicism in the suburbs. If Catholicism becomes like Protestantism, why not be Protestant? This doesn't stop with music; there are all kinds of Catholic identity which have been lost (fish on Friday?) Now, a unique product will not appeal to everyone, nor does it have to...it just needs to appeal to enough people to grow the franchise. You don't want a boutique church where the 7 people who have been buying your product move on to the Next Big Thing.

To the last point: Catholicism has always been an expensive religion, in terms of time and effort (sometimes "the ultimate price"). As has been pointed out, it's not the only expensive religion out there (some, like $¢ientology, literally expensive). But people will pay the price if they recognize the value. Now, the price structure of Catholicism has gone crazy. There used to be a lot more price points...we laugh at the old lady who didn't know Latin but who showed up faithfully and prayed the Rosary...that's the blue plate special, and it's really not on the menu anymore. Then there were all those vocations, the price fixe dinner. Meanwhile, there's been general price-cutting...do away with Holy Days of Obligation, Friday abstinence, etc. But sometimes price-cutting doesn't bring people in. Sometimes it just degrades your image into that of a discount store.

And the product is God. Everyone wants that. But we have God right here and now, not somewhere out there; God in front of us, in our mouths and bellies. That's a tremendous selling point that doesn't get stressed enough. And we serve God as if He were a fast food product...if we don't take the Eucharist seriously, why should we be surprised when others say "it's just a cracker"?

In response to Abbot Jonathan Cool

Even as what would likely be considered a near snake-belly Episcopalian, I too "lament most and miss profoundly" the blatent absence of traditional choral services. In the 70s I was a chorister in a fairly low Episcopal Cathedral with a fine music ministry. Holy Communion was on the first Sunday of the month, but it was truly celebrated with beautiful music from Palestrina, Darke, Durufle, Sowerby, Langlais, Britten, and a host of other composers of great music for worship. On the other Sundays the main service was Morning Prayer, and with the same caliber of composers represented in anthems and canticles as well as settings of the Preces, etc. In those days the congregation stood throughout the Glorida in Excelsis, TeDeum, and other canticles, and, as well, has the opportunity to sing beautiful hymns.
But now things have changed and in response to those people who claim to want full participation music has been dumbed down so that the same weak settings are used each week. Choirs are disappearing as they are further excluded from the service as anthems are replaced with hymns which which purpose is to restate the readings of the day, rather than for the purpose of praising God. Attention is focused on the sermon/readings, although the it is said that the focus is "the Eucharist." Altars are moved forward displacing choirs, so that the priest can be closer to "the people" (choirs are not people???), and we all know what a great difference that fifteen or twenty feet has made. People still seem to prefer to sit in the back. I'm not happy with having to watch the bored expression on a priest's face (or her dangling earrings swinging around as she looks from the Missal to "the people" or watching them munch on the host and sip wine. Our attention has been directed away from God in order make the unprepared and unwilling to prepare feel more comfortable. I think it has gone way beyond "dumbing."

I, too, am thankful for one thing - "one does not have to "sell" the Truth - it speaks for itself to all generations throughout all ages." The mystery of God's presence and experiencing His loving touch is what brings me to worship.