Health of the American Catholic Church
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A booklet created for New City Catholic Church that uses information graphics to illustrate the current problems facing the Catholic Church in the United States.
Transcript of Health of the American Catholic Church
The Health ofthe American Catholic Church
new citycatholic church
TableofContents
Introduction 1
RetentionandGrowth 6
DeclineofClergyandCatholicEducation 14
LackofEngagementandSpirituality 24
Conclusion 30
The American Catholic Church is dying.
2
Itislosingtheenergythathassustaineditforthepast2000years,andasaresultislosingmembersandclergyatanastoundingrate.
Ifthisdecreaseinmembershipandvocationscontinues,theremaycomeadayinthenottoodistantfutureinwhich
the Catholic Church in America...
The Health of the American Catholic Church 3
ceases to exist.
4
The Health of the American Catholic Church 5
Inthefollowingpagesareanumberofstatisticsthathelptovisualize
the issues facing the American Catholic Church today.
6
Imagine the American Catholic population were represented by 100 people
Only 68 will have retained their faith after 1 generation
TheretentionrateamongAmericanCatholicsisoneoftheworstamongallreligioustraditions.
The Health of the American Catholic Church 7
Theretentionratedetermineswhatpercentageofpeopleretainthefaithoftheirparents.Itisagoodindicatorofhowwellareligionismaintainingmembersoveranextendedperiodoftime.
WithintheUnitedStatesCatholicChurch,theretentionrateis68%,oneoftheworstamongallreligioustraditions.
Only 46 will have retained their faith after 2 generations
Only 31 will have retained their faith after 3 generations
8
1965
2009
The Health of the American Catholic Church 9
TherehasbeenasubstantialdecreaseinMassattendanceduringthepastfivedecades.ThepercentageofCatholicswhoattendweeklyMasshassteadilydeclined25%inAmericathroughoutthepastfivedecadesfrom67%in1965toanall-timelowof42%in2009.
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31.4% 23.9%
31.4%ofAmericansareCatholicaschildren
23.9%ofAmericansareCatholicasadults
10%oftheAmericanadultpopulationisformerlyCatholic.
The Health of the American Catholic Church 11
roughlyten peopleleavetheChurch
Forevery one person thatjoinsthe
Catholicfaith...
TherateofpeopleleavingtheCatholicfaithisabouttentimestherateofthosejoiningthefaithcausingCatholicisminAmericatohaveanetlossof7.5%overthecourseofasinglegeneration.
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TheCatholicChurchislosingitsAmericanidentityasAmericanbornmemberscontinuetoleavethechurch.
AlthoughthepercentageoftheAmericanpopulationthatisCatholichasremainedalmostconstantsince1965,themake-upoftheChurchhaschangeddrastically.TheAmericanCatholicChurchislosingitsAmericanidentityasAmerican-bornmembersleavethefaithandarereplacedbyimmigrants,especiallythosefromLatinAmerica.
The Health of the American Catholic Church 13
1965 1975 1985 1995 2005 2009
24%
23% of American Catholics are not American born
23% 23% 23% 23% 22%
PercentageoftheAmericanpopulationbelongingtotheCatholicChurch
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FewermenarejoiningthepriesthoodwhichhasresultedinaseriousshortageofpriestswithintheAmericanCatholicChurch.
1965
1975
1985
1995
2005
2009
58,632
58,909
57,317
49,054
42,839
40,666
TOTALNUMBEROFCATHOLICPRIESTSINAMERICA
The Health of the American Catholic Church 15
1965
1975
1985
1995
2005
2009
994
771
533
511
454
472
TOTALNUMBEROFPRIESTLYORDINATIONS
OverthepastfiftyyearsthenumberofCatholicpriestsinAmericahasdecreased31%,leavingtheAmericanCatholicChurchwithadangerousshortageofchurchleaders.
16
1965
1975
1985
1995
2005
2009
179,954
135,225
115,386
90,809
68,634
59,601
TOTALNUMBEROFRELIGIOUSSISTERS
The Health of the American Catholic Church 17
Evenmoreevidentthanthedecreaseinpriestlyvocations,isthedeclineofwomenbecomingreligioussisters.Althoughthedecreaseinthenumberofpriestsduringthepastfivedecadesisastounding,thedeclineinthenumberofreligioussistersinAmericahasdecreased67%duringthissametimeperiod.ThisdecreasehasleftCatholicschoolswithoutinstructorsandpastorswithoutadditionalhelp,causingmanyCatholicschoolstocloseandmanyparishesandhospitalstobeshort-staffed.
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CatholiceducationisdeclininginAmericaaswell.Asaresultofthedecreaseinreligioussisters,aswellasotherfactors,thenumberofCatholicelementaryandsecondaryschoolsinAmericahasfallen,causingthenumberofstudentsenrolledinCatholicschoolstodecreaseaswell.
NUMBEROFCATHOLICSCHOOLSINAMERICA
1975 1985 1995 2005 2009
elementaryschools
secondaryschools
8,41
4
7,76
4
6,96
4
6,12
2
6,0
281,
220
1,32
5
1,28
0
1,42
5
1,62
4
The Health of the American Catholic Church 19
ENROLLMENTINCATHOLICSCHOOLSINAMERICA
29.4% decrease in Catholic secondary school enrollment since 1975
38.7% decrease in Catholic elementary school enrollment since 1975
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1965 1975 1985 1995 2005 2009
17,637 18,515 19,244 19,331 18,891 18,280
The Health of the American Catholic Church 21
ThenumberofparishesinAmericahasremainedconsistentoverthepastfivedecades.Althoughthenumberofpriestshasdeclinedsignificantlyoverthepast50years,thenumberofparishesinAmericahasactuallyincreasedslightly.Thismeansdiocesanpriestsarehavingtostretchthemselvesthinasmoreandmoreparishesareforcedtobecomeaonepriestparishorsharepriestsamongmultipleparishes.
22
Manyparishesmustsurvivewithoutaresidentpastor.AsaresultofthedecreaseinthenumberofpriestsinAmericaandincreaseinthenumberofparishes,thenumberofparishesthathavenoresidentpastorhasincreasedmorethan600%.Until1985,therewerenoparisheswhereabishopentrustedthepastoralcareoftheparishtoadeacon,religioussisterorbrother,orotherlayperson;nowthereare517suchparishes.
1965 1975 1985 1995 2005 2009
0 0
93
314
447
517
NumberofParisheswhereaDeacon,ReligiousSisterorBrother,orOtherLayPersonisResponsibleforPastoralCare
The Health of the American Catholic Church 23
100parisheswithoutaresidentpriestaspastor
549 parishes
702
1,051
2,161
3,251
3,400
1965
1975
1985
1995
2005
2009
=
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never seldom severaltimesayear
onceortwiceamonth
atleastonceaweek
= = = = =
Do community volunteer work through the church
Participate in social activities, such as meals, club meetings, or other gatherings
Parishesfailatgettingmembersengagedinthechurchcommunity.
The Health of the American Catholic Church 25
WiththedangerousfallinthenumberoftotalpriestsandreligioussistersinAmerica,layinvolvementinchurchesmustincreaseforparishestocontinuetofunction.OneofthebestwaystoincreaseinvolvementistogetmembersengagedinthechurchesthroughBiblestudies,churchactivities,andserviceinthecommunity.Eventhoughthisinvolvementiscrucialforsuccessinaparish,mostchurchesfailtogetmembersinvolvedinthechurchcommunity.
Participate in a choir or other musical program
Work with children or youth in the church
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AmajorityofCatholicsfailtoengageinactivitiesintheirparishthatencouragesspiritualgrowth.Totheblameofindividualparishes,theoverallUnitedStatesCatholicChurch,andindividualparishioners,mostAmericanCatholicsfailtoengageinparishactivitiesthatwouldhelpthemgrowspiritually.Asaresult,manymembersofparishesaroundtheUnitedStatesarespirituallydead,causingthesememberstoleavethechurchforanotherfaithornofaithatall.
The Health of the American Catholic Church 27
71% of American Catholics
never or seldom participate in prayer groups, Bible study groups or religious education
programs outside of mass
onlyhalf
of American Catholics SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO Sunday school or another
religious education program
only 25% of catholics share their faith with others more than a few times a year
1 in 5 catholicssay they pray a few times a month or less outside of Mass
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REASONS FOR LEAVING CATHOLICISM
71% say they left in part because their spiritual needs were not being met
32% say they left in part because they were dissatisfied with the atmosphere at worship services
20% say they left in part because the perceived lack of community made them uncomfortable
Of people who were raised Catholic and are now Protestant, ...
The Health of the American Catholic Church 29
ManyCatholicsleavetheChurchafterfeelingtheirspiritualneedswerenotbeingmet.Catholics,likeallChristians,arespirituallyhungry,butmanytimestheCatholicChurchfailstomeettheseneedsandasaresultthesemembersleavetheChurchtohavetheseneedsmetelsewhere,manytimesinProtestantchurches.TheCatholicChurchneedstodoabetterjobatfulfillingthesespiritualneedsandencouragingmemberstocontinuetheirspiritualitybeyondMass.
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ItiscleartheAmericanCatholicChurchisnotonlysick,butdying.
The Church needs new life.
NewCityhas acknowledged these facts and is ready to provide resources to parishes to help them change the way they share the Gospel in an effort to help grow Christ’s Kingdom and Church once again in a nation that is in such desperate need of help.
Find how New City can help give your church new life at:
newcitycatholicchurch.com
is hereto help.
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Sources
Page Description Source
6–7 RetentionRate “U.S.ReligiousLandscapeSurveyReligiousAffiliation:DiverseandDynamic.”ThePewForumon Religion&PublicLife.Feb.2008.<http://pewresearch.org/pubs/743/united-states-religion>.
8 MassAttendance Saad,Lydia.“Church-GoingAmongU.S.CatholicsSlidestoTieProtestants.”GallupPoll.Apr.2009. <http://www.gallup.com/poll/117382/church-going-among-catholics-slides-tie-protestants.aspx>.
10 DecreaseBetween “U.S.ReligiousLandscapeSurveyReligiousAffiliation:DiverseandDynamic.”ThePewForumon ChildhoodandAdulthood Religion&PublicLife.Feb.2008.<http://pewresearch.org/pubs/743/united-states-religion>.
11 Joining/LeavingRatio Campbell,DavidE.,andRobertD.Putnam.TheChangingFaceofAmericanCatholicism. 2008.MS.UniversityofNotreDame.
13 Percentageof “FrequentlyRequestedCatholicChurchStatistics.”CenterforApplied AmericanPopulation ResearchintheApostolate.2009.<http://cara.georgetown.edu/bulletin/>.
13 American-bornPercentage “U.S.ReligiousLandscapeSurveyReligiousAffiliation:DiverseandDynamic.”ThePewForumon Religion&PublicLife.Feb.2008.<http://pewresearch.org/pubs/743/united-states-religion>.
14 TotalNumberof “FrequentlyRequestedCatholicChurchStatistics.”CenterforApplied PriestinAmerica ResearchintheApostolate.2009.<http://cara.georgetown.edu/bulletin/>.
15 TotalNumberof “FrequentlyRequestedCatholicChurchStatistics.”CenterforApplied PriestlyOrdinations ResearchintheApostolate.2009.<http://cara.georgetown.edu/bulletin/>.
16 TotalNumberof “FrequentlyRequestedCatholicChurchStatistics.”CenterforApplied ReligiousSisters ResearchintheApostolate.2009.<http://cara.georgetown.edu/bulletin/>.
18 NumberofCatholic “FrequentlyRequestedCatholicChurchStatistics.”CenterforApplied SchoolsinAmerica ResearchintheApostolate.2009.<http://cara.georgetown.edu/bulletin/>.
The Health of the American Catholic Church 33
Page Description Source
19 EnrollmentinCatholic “FrequentlyRequestedCatholicChurchStatistics.”Center for Applied SchoolsinAmerica Research in the Apostolate.2009.<http://cara.georgetown.edu/bulletin/>.
20 NumberofCatholic “FrequentlyRequestedCatholicChurchStatistics.”Center for Applied ParishesinAmerica Research in the Apostolate.2009.<http://cara.georgetown.edu/bulletin/>.
22 ParishesWhereSomeone “FrequentlyRequestedCatholicChurchStatistics.”Center for Applied OtherthanaPastoris Research in the Apostolate.2009.<http://cara.georgetown.edu/bulletin/>. ResponsibleforPastoralCare
23 Parisheswithouta “FrequentlyRequestedCatholicChurchStatistics.”Center for Applied ResidentPastor Research in the Apostolate.2009.<http://cara.georgetown.edu/bulletin/>.
24–25 EngagementinChurch “U.S.ReligiousLandscapeSurveyReligiousAffiliation:DiverseandDynamic.”The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life.Feb.2008.<http://pewresearch.org/pubs/743/united-states-religion>.
27 SpiritualitywithinCatholicism “U.S.ReligiousLandscapeSurveyReligiousAffiliation:DiverseandDynamic.”The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life.Feb.2008.<http://pewresearch.org/pubs/743/united-states-religion>.
28 ReasonsforLeavingCatholicism “FaithinFlux:ChangesinReligiousAffiliationintheU.S.”The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life.April2009.<www.pewforum.org>
