The Catholic Moment Article

In a recent edition of The Catholic Moment, I spoke about some of the work that has been taking place in the Bishop’s Office as part of an ongoing effort, guided by the Holy Spirit, as we strive to live the vision and mis-sion of Uniting In Heart.

In the same edition, you will recall learning that we are engaged with Partners Edge LLC, an organization serving Catholic dioceses, parishes and schools in planning and measurement, assessment and modeling.  If you’re wondering “why,” you’re not alone. Why we are working with Partners Edge is a common question, and one that we examined before engaging them.

Partners Edge is known for its ability to effectively collect and consolidate data about a diocese and then take that body of data through analyses that give a diocese concrete information about itself. This type of analytical work is commonplace among organizations, businesses and dioceses that desire to be prudent in their efforts to administer the organization for which they are responsible.

We want to equip ourselves to make good decisions based on sound and reliable data.

Why is this important to us? Let us consider some facts we’ve learned that should concern all of us.

• Nearly 80 percent of young adults leave the faith by age 21.
• 63 percent of Catholics under 18 in the United States are of Hispanic origin.
• 68 percent of Catholic parents don’t have their chil-dren in religious education.

• 85 percent of today’s eighth-graders will stop practicing their faith by age 23.
• 36 percent of millennials claim no religious affiliation.
• Only 17 percent of Catholic millennials attend Mass every week.
• Mass attendance has decreased by 27 percent over the last 20 years.
• One in five children baptized Catholic do not make First Communion.
• Three in five baptized Catholic children do not receive confirmation.

We do not have to look far to see and recognize that many people have not encountered Jesus Christ. Many have a limited knowledge of Jesus’ ministry on earth and that the Church he left to us continues his ministry even today. We cannot just assume that faith will somehow be handed on to those without Christ in their lives. We must live our faith lives and proclaim the Gospel every day. 

Now consider this information specific to our diocese.

• In 2018 we had 73 priests.
• By 2030, the number of priests is anticipated to be only 62 assuming that we have 10 ordinations over this 10-year period.
• Of our 73 current priests, 59 are actively serving in 61 parishes.
• The age range of our active priests is  27 to 73 years of age.
• 23.7 percent of our active priests will retire (at age 73) by 2030.
• Between 2009 and 2017, the total number of sacraments administered in our diocese decreased by 9.2 percent.

This information is just a sample of what we are prayerfully considering. We are looking to the Holy Spirit to guide us in ascertaining how we are being called to be stewards of the Church Christ asked us to care for, and to truly live out our call to be his disciples.

The discernment with which we are faced is what the next phase of Uniting In Heart is about.  This next phase is titled Uniting In Heart; “Behold, I Make All Things New” (Rev 21:5) and is beginning to take shape in the form of a plan. Over the next few issues of The Catholic Moment, we will continue to expand upon the data we are learning about ourselves and how that will impact the pastoral plan. By the end of June, this plan will be shared with the whole diocese at five deanery meetings which are open to all. You will find details about these meetings over the next few day in your parish bulletins, on the diocesan Web site, and during pulpit announcements.

Deacon Mike Mescall is director of the diocesan Office of Technology, Communications and Planning