A personal heartfelt appreciation.  But it is one person's experience.  
Seems author would just show up regardless! 
Some people like fixed events in their lives?
The decline in attendance he acknowledges speaks volumes, though he offers some MO why the decline.
Having traveled to approximately 1500 parishes throughout the country I saw increasingly the emptying and greying of the pews. I suspect Mitch is of the greying crowd. And a lot of seniors show up because mortal sin to miss! And getting closer to the end of life, don't want to risk the odds?
Canada in the 1960's saw a "velvet revolution" of people suddenly, dramatically stop attending without any concerted, directed effort to stop.
In Ireland, 1999, Easter Sunday mass was so sparsely attended, embarrassing for a major feast. 
Jesus did say people would worship "in spirit and truth."  (Jn. 4:24.
Maybe that's where the masses are!