By Nancy Westlund
Herald staff

A recent survey of some 63,000 adult Catholics in the diocese shows a large majority are pleased with their parishes and parish leadership, and that they rank childrenís religious education, youth ministry and marriage preparation as top priority parish needs.

The 147-question parish survey, called ìPlanning Together for the Future,î was conducted during weekend Masses in February at all 98 parishes in the diocese.

The survey was designed by researchers at the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) at Georgetown University to guide each parish through a process of self-study during this year. The results will also assist the diocese with pastoral planning and in addressing the challenges of changing demographics and the distribution of limited clergy and personnel resources.

The parish self-study questionnaire is the first phase of a three-year process of reflection, prayer, self-study and pastoral planning announced by Bishop William K. Weigand in August 2001.

Respondents to the survey were asked to evaluate various aspects of parish life, prioritize parish needs, identify possible areas of collaboration with neighboring parishes, and examine ways to provide for ministry and worship in a time of fewer priests.

ìAll Catholics in the diocese were given an opportunity to voice their concerns and opinions about how weíre doing as church,î said Mercy Sister Eileen Enright, Vicar for Pastoral Ministry and director of the Office of Research and Planning for the diocese. ìNow we need to look at our strengths and weaknesses as parish communities and as a diocese as a whole.î

Key demographic findings from the survey show the average age of respondents is 51, with 39 percent male and 61 percent female.

The dioceseís ethnic profile from the survey includes 51 percent Anglo/White/European; 28 percent Hispanic/Latino; 16 percent Asian/Pacific Islander; 2 percent Native American/American Indian; and 1 percent African American/Black.

In a general summary of the surveyís findings, CARA researchers said that over nine in 10 of those surveyed rated overall satisfaction with their parish at least ìgood,î with almost half rating it as ìexcellent.î Only five percent did not respond.

Parish leadership and worship are rated highly, and about half of all respondents said leadership provided by the pastor as well as Masses and liturgies are ìexcellent.î

An aspect of parish life receiving the least ìexcellentî rating is outreach to inactive Catholics. Thirty-eight percent gave this aspect of parish life a poor or fair rating and 32 percent did not respond.

Parish needs that respondents give ìvery muchî priority to include childrenís religious education, youth ministry, marriage preparation, adult religious education, providing opportunities to help the needy, and social activities that develop community.

Forty to 50 percent of parishioners say they would be ìvery muchî interested in collaborating with neighboring parishes on outreach programs to the poor, youth programs, sacramental preparation programs, and a regional or area Catholic school.

To help provide for ministry and worship in a time of fewer priests, between 33 and 40 percent of respondents say they would ìstrongly supportî coordinating Mass schedules among parishes in the same area, consolidating some programs and services with those of neighboring parishes, and in isolated instances, having deacons lead communion services should a priest not be available.

When the survey was originally conducted in the diocese in February, 11,594 Catholics age 18 and over responded to the questionnaire in Spanish. Since February, a follow-up collection of Spanish-language surveys has added more than 1, 100 responses.

Among those responding to the survey in Spanish, there was an overall satisfaction with the parish and parish leadership. Masses and liturgies were also rated highly. Outreach to inactive Catholics received the lowest percentage of ìgoodî or ìexcellentî responses.

In the parish needs category of the survey, Spanish-language respondents gave high priority to childrenís religious education, marriage preparation, youth ministry and providing opportunities to help the needy.

Sacramental preparation programs, such as baptism or confirmation, and outreach programs to the poor ranked highest as options to collaborate with neighboring parishes.

Consolidating some programs and services and coordinating Mass schedules among neighboring parishes received the highest support in providing ministry with fewer priests available.

Deacon German Toro, director of the dioceseís Hispanic Apostolate, said results from the survey will be vital in implementing the dioceseís Pastoral Plan for Hispanic Ministry.

ìThis is a good tool because now people are talking in the parishes and that is very good,î he said. ìWe can use the survey to improve our pastoral plan.î

Diocesan officials received the results of the survey, conducted in English and Spanish with Catholics age 18 and older, in May. During the summer, pastors and parish leaders received their individual parish survey results and then began ìunpackingî and examining the findings.

Each parish will share a summary of the survey findings with parishioners, based on the responses to the various topics in the questionnaire.

Parish Pastoral Councils and other leadership groups may also choose to conduct parish assemblies where parishioners will help generate strategies for addressing the issues facing the parish. Parishes may also choose to use the findings to help develop a mission statement or to create a strategic plan for the parish as it plans for the future.

At Sacred Heart Parish in Sacramento, Msgr. Robert Walton, pastor, appointed an eight-member CARA committee which began meeting weekly this summer to evaluate the survey. Of Sacred Heartís 900 households, 715 people responded to the questionnaire.

The committee, which included people with expertise in strategic planning and data analysis, set about the task of looking at where the parish is today to help shape its vision for the future.

In evaluating parish life, 80 to 90 percent of respondents at Sacred Heart reacted positively. Outreach to inactive Catholics was viewed the least positive aspect of parish life.

Childrenís religious education, marriage preparation, youth ministry, adult religious education, and opportunities to help the needy were identified as top priority parish needs.

In terms of collaborating with neighboring parishes, Sacred Heart respondents indicated they would be least likely to collaborate with neighboring parishes on reconciliation, penance services and various devotional services.

Half of those responding indicated they would be comfortable sharing one pastor.

To involve the whole parish in examining survey results, Sacred Heart has planned six weekly discussion groups during this month. The groups will focus on themes of interest to the generational make-up of the parish.

In planning the group sessions, the committee utilized the three-part generational profile identified by CARA researchers: post-Vatican II generation, ages 18-40; Vatican II generation, ages 41-58; and pre-Vatican II generation, ages 59 and older.

Topics will include religious education, liturgy and prayer, community building and outreach, and issues concerning single adults, youth, seniors and married couples.

ìWe wanted to do something dynamic with this information,î said Kathy Dana, chairwoman of the parish committee. ìWe want to help our parish evolve. Thereís a lot of energy at Sacred Heart and we want to make the most of it.î

At Immaculate Conception Parish in Downieville, Chuck Washburn, chairman of the seven-member CARA committee selected by Father Godwin Xavier, pastor, said the rural parishís location and size helped shape the committeeís mission. The parish includes about 100 parishioners, including the mission churches of St. Anthony in Challenge, St. John in North San Juan and St. Thomas in Sierra City.

ìBecause we arenít a city environment, some questions donít apply to us,î he said. ìThe importance is our voice in our community as to who we are, our needs, our capabilities.î

The committeeís task was to study the results of 97 surveys during the course of four meetings, and then prepare a final report to be completed the last week of December.

A summary of some significant findings indicates that respondents from Immaculate Conception and its mission communities rated as ìexcellentî and ìgoodî their liturgies in general, while outreach to inactive Catholics received predominantly lower ratings.

A primary parish need identified was providing social activities that develop community.

In a section of questions focusing on collaboration among area parishes and missions, respondents most favored sharing devotional and seasonal services.

Respondents in general supported having deacons and lay ministers lead weekend communion services in special circumstances to help provide for ministry and worship with fewer priests.

ìIt is very positive to see people are comfortable with deacons and lay ministers,î Father Xavier said. ìGood support from both makes things work.î

At St. Dominic Parish in Benicia, which includes some 2,100 households, Dominican Father David Farrugia, pastor, said the response from parishioners, who returned 1,083 surveys, is a good aid to pastoral planning.

ìThe comments were very positive as a whole, so we decided to work on what parishioners have been missing,î Father Farrugia said.

The work of evaluating survey findings was placed in the hands of the nine-member Parish Pastoral Council. The members began meeting monthly in June to analyze the data which they summarized in a 35-page report that took more than 40 hours to complete.

ìIt was a tremendous opportunity to develop a workable parish plan,î said Russell Ho, chairman of the council. ìIt will give our parishioners an opportunity to share their talents.î

While the survey found respondents expressing overall satisfaction with the parish and parish life as a whole, Father Farrugia said St. Dominic will begin sharing results later this month with all parishioners through parish bulletins and reports placed in the vestibule.

The survey results will be then be shared with those involved in parish ministries and with the entire parish at a general meeting in late December, Father Farrugia said.

Copyright © 2001 Diocese of Sacramento - All Rights Reserved

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