Catholics Come Home Savannah Summary Report

Transcription

1 Cathlics Cme Hme Savannah Summary Reprt INTRODUCTION In Advent 2010, the Dicese f Savannah in cllabratin with the Archdicese f Atlanta partnered with Rswell, Gergia-based Cathlics Cme Hme, Inc., a nnprfit lay Cathlic rganizatin, n a televisin initiative t invite inactive Cathlics t return t the faith. Between December 17, 2010 and January 23, 2011, almst 5000 cmmercials aired in English and Spanish thrughut the Dicese f Savannah. Ads were seen n majr bradcast and cable statins Suth Gergia including statins in Savannah, Macn, Augusta, Albany and Clumbus and additinally n cable systems in utlying areas. These included 4300 English-language cmmercials and 500 Spanish ads alng with 548 Spanish language cmmercials n radi. The cst t the Dicese f Savannah was $160,000. Cathlics Cme Hme brught a new essential awareness bth in ur priests and ur peple that we shuld be abut the task f evangelizing and mst especially t invite back thse wh are nt presently at the banquet table. The prjectin f Cathlics Cme Hme is a lng term fcus. We must keep n extending the hand f welcme nt just tday and tmrrw but it shuld becme part f all f ur jurneys t be aware f thse wh have left and t make every effrt t bring them hme. -Bishp J. Kevin Bland

2 PREPARATIONS 1. Bishp J. Kevin Bland and staff members cnducted 7 wrkshps fr Ministers f First Impressins in the seven deaneries f the Dicese and ne fr dicesan staff t prepare t welcme returning Cathlics. Almst 700 parish leaders, including 42 priests participated. 2. T cmplement the TV cmmercials, 150 DVDs f the ads, 35,000 brchures in Spanish and English, 100 car magnets, 3,000 prayer cards in Spanish and English and abut 700 handbks n Cathlics Cme Hme were distributed t parish leaders. The brchures included inserts fr each f the seven deaneries with a listing f cntact infrmatin fr the parishes in each deanery. 3. A ttal f 26,600 pstcards were sent t hmes in the dicese t prmte the 2010 Cathlic Cmmunicatin Campaign cllectin. The half f the cllectin that stays in the dicese funded wrkshps and ther preparatins fr the launch f Cathlics Cme Hme. 4. A special Web site was created: with a twfld purpse: t give suggestins t parishes n hw t invite nnpracticing Cathlics hme and t invite frmerly active Cathlics t return. The site included welcme back vides frm Bishp Bland in Spanish and English and a link t the Cathlics Cme Hme Web site 5. News releases were sent t the secular media in the dicese. The dicesan newspaper, the Suthern Crss, published articles and ads prmting Cathlics Cme Hme, including a center spread n the initiative. The Savannah Mrning News, The Augusta Chrnicle, WTOC-TV, Fx News and thers published/aired stries. 6. The 2010 Bishp s Annual Appeal, which included funding fr Cathlics Cme Hme, cllected almst $2.5 millin. In Octber 2010, letters were sent t 4063 families in the dicese wh had nt given t the Bishp s Annual Appeal explaining the Cathlics Cme Hme initiative and asking if they wuld like t supprt the initiative. A ttal f $15,000 was given. In December a letter was sent t 3997 families wh gave t the BAA telling them f the pending launch f the TV cmmercials. Gifts in respnse t this letter ttaled $10,500. 2

3 Survey Reprt - Cathlics Cme Hme Impact A survey was sent t pastrs, Parchial Vicars, and Cathlics Cme Hme Crdinatrs in March Survey Results Overview 34 surveys returned 20 parishes represented 4 did nt identify parish 5 parishes had multiple respndents 5 respndents frm Cathedral f Jhn the Baptist 4 respndents frm Thmasville/St. Augustine 2 respndents frm Duglas 2 respndents frm Hly Spirit Macn 16 f the respndents wh identified themselves were pastrs r parchial vicars General Impressins Viewing frequency 10 saw the cmmercials mre than 5 times 9 saw the cmmercials 2 t 5 times 8 saw the cmmercials at least nce 7 never saw the cmmercials Of this number 2 said they d nt watch TV, but saw the DVD Cmmercial Message 25 strngly likes the cntent/message 3 liked the cntent/message 2 were neutral abut the cntent/message The verall message f Cme Hme 24 thught it was cmmunicated very well 5 respnded smewhat 1 respnded nt clearly Parish Preparatin fr Cathlics Cme Hme 31 said their parish prepared fr CCH 26 used bulletin annuncements 27 used annuncements frm the pulpit 20 used a welcme table One parish added 8 weeks f newspaper ads 5 used banners Others said website, newsletter, prayer at Mass 1 did nthing special I received very psitive cmments frm active parishiners as well as frm members f the Macn cmmunity. The TV spts were very infrmative and placed ur Church and faith in a very psitive light. We have had tw individuals return t church after being away years. Father Mike Ingram, pastr f Hly Spirit Parish, Macn, Gergia 3

4 Survey Reprt - Cntinued Frmal Prgram fr thse returning 10 are planning a prgram r classes including Matt Kelly s bk Rediscvering Cathlicism Dicesan Bklet Deacn s class RCIA 21 are nt implementing any prgrams r classes Observatins frm CCH campaign Increase in Mass attendance 7 said Yes 8 said n 19 were unsure Increase in cnfessins 5 said yes 14 said n 15 were unsure Increase in inquiries abut Cathlic marriage/annulments 5 said yes 12 said N 17 were unsure An increase in peple cntacting the parish abut returning t the Church 13 said yes 18 said n 3 were unsure Increase in attendance at current Faith Frmatin classes 3 said yes 17 said n 14 were unsure New r expanded evangelizatin prgrams directed t thse wh are returning 8 said yes 12 said n 14 were unsure Was CCH a benefit t yur parish 4 chse Great Benefit 20 chse Benefit 10 chse N Benefit The preparatin sessin at the deanery level was perhaps the mst psitive part f the whle prcess fr us. The day brught a sense f hpe fr the Church and ur ability t mve ut f the past with its hurts and int the future. Father Bb Pandl, pastr f St. Christpher Church, Claxtn, Gergia. 4

5 Survey Reprt - Cntinued Shuld the dicese use CCH ads again 21 said yes 12 said n 1 was unsure Thse wh marked n added the fllwing cmments: Been there, dne it, mve n Very expensive Need deeper, mre fundamental evangelizatin May be helpful t ther cngregatins, did nthing fr urs We ve dne it, it is cstly Did nt see any benefit Further use f time and effrt n CCH may better be spent n adult faith frmatin Wnderful t d yearly, but the ads are t expensive Our regin did nt see cmmercials Parish Impact The CCH campaign created a sense f pride in my parishiners 21 said yes 2 said n 10 were unsure My parishiners are excited abut evangelizatin because f CCH 9 said yes 3 said n 21 were unsure My parish is mre welcming as a result f CCH 18 said yes 3 said n 12 were unsure My parish has been* 12 said very engaged in CCH 17 said smewhat engaged in CCH 4 said nt engaged in CCH One respndent did nt fill ut this prtin f the survey I attended Cathlic schl thrugh the eighth grade. When I married a man wh was nt Cathlic, he pulled me away frm the church. We later divrced. The Cathlics Cme Hme ads were reassuring. They make yu feel like yu were missed. I decided t cme back hme t my rts. Tina Prvst, recently returned Cathlic t Hly Crss Parish in Pembrke, Gergia. 5

6 Survey Reprt - Cntinued General Cmments I fund the excitement generated within the CCH cmmittee and the subsequent presence f a welcming table, engaged ushers, and parishiners praying the CCH prayer quite heartening. We put a lt f heart and effrt int this campaign. We did everything the dicese asked us t d. I think the prgram was very gd. I thught the dicese wuld have been mre direct r explicit in requiring parishes t take specific steps t make the prgram a success. My sense is that everyne was waiting fr specific instructins as t what t d, ffer, etc. The ads were great!! Even thugh I persnally never saw the cmmercials n the channels I watch, I did think they were all very gd. As a result f CCH we implemented several welcming strategies we are using tday. We have a new cmmittee starting nw t get ready fr the year. I wuld like t use this space t mentin that fllwing the CCH media campaign my parish cnducted a survey t ask lcal Cathlics what they wuld like t have in terms f the lcal Cathlic cmmunity. It addressed wants and needs in terms f the present and future. We are still gathering results, but it is ur hpe that nn-practicing Cathlics will ntice the advertisement and understand that ur parish is interested in their input. I like the effrt n the part f the dicese. The cmmercials were awesme and we will cntinue t find new ways t use them. My family and I watched tried t find a cmmercial I never saw ne. I have nly heard f 2 peple in ur parish wh say they saw ne cmmercial. (Thmasville) I received very psitive cmments frm active parishiners as well as frm members f the Macn cmmunity. The TV spts were very infrmative and placed ur Church and faith in a very psitive light. We have had tw individuals return t church after being away years. We have a single mm with 3 daughters wh seem t be a little mre apprehensive abut returning. We are ding all we can t make them feel welcme and lved. It s hard t determine f any lapsed Cathlics are returning. A few new faces, but were frm ut f twn. I have seen mre strangers at Mass, but ther than that we have had n added interest. The preparatin sessin at the deanery level was perhaps the mst psitive part f the whle prcess fr us. The day bught a sense f hpe fr the Church and ur ability t mve ut f the past with its hurts and int the future. I wuld have liked t see mre spts n ur church tday- sme spts highlighted the church f 50 years ag. 6

7 Feedback The messages f Welcme Hme Cathlics hit direct t my heart. I knw that withut the faith and supprt f priests and ther individuals at ur church family at St. Anne s I wuld be terribly lst... I find that we have neighbrs nt practicing the faith and I am cmmunicating with them regarding the beliefs and lve f Gd. They are als interested in attending Mass mre ften. Beverly Grden, parishiner f St. Anne s in Richmnd Hill, Gergia. A Lutheran pastr raved abut ur Cathlics Cme Hme campaign in his sermn t the cngregatin! He held it up as a psitive example and what a gd effrt it is. Arlene Distel, Cathlics Cme Hme Crdinatr at the Cathedral f St. Jhn the Baptist, Savannah We were s pleased that 19 peple came t ur first Welcme Hme sessin at Sacred Heart! I pray all parishes have a similar respnse. Katharine M. Dugas (Katee) Sacred Heart Parish, Warner Rbins I definitely think the cmmercials made a big difference, in the turnut fr the Cathlics Returning Hme prgram. They are a very effective methd in reaching ut. This is the secnd year the parish has ffered the Cathlics Returning Hme prgram. Last year befre the Cathlics Cme Hme initiative began in the Dicese f Savannah the turnut ranged frm 12 in the fall and 7 at Easter. This year nt nly returning Cathlics signed up fr the prgram, but sme nn-cathlics wh had seen the ads came als. Anne Pacsa, Directr f Develpment, Sacred Heart Parish, Warner Rbins We have 10 participants in ur Awakening Faith sessin and all have seen the cmmercials. Three said they came because f the cmmercials and five thers said the cmmercial and bulletin annuncements. Tw were tld by friends. They all were impressed by the cmmercials and felt they were being called back t their Cathlic Faith. Tw f the participants have started ging t Mass, ne went t cnfessin. Jim Zilar, Cathlics Cme Hme Team Leader, St. Jseph s, Macn 7

8 Feedback- Cntinued Fllwing is a cmment frm my Ingleside Baptist Church friend, Barbara Mre: I saw the cmmercial fr this n TV and I was s warmed by it that if I were a fallen away Cathlic, I wuld be returning as quick as pssible. That cmmercial made ME feel s gd! Kelley R. Stewart Asset Recvery MidSuth Cmmunity FCU A parishiner frm St. Anne Church, Clumbus said she first saw the cmmercials while visiting in Atlanta last year and they inspired her t return t the Church n Ash Wednesday I have been attending Mass and preaching the wrd f Gd t everyne I knw since then. Thanks. It is nice t be back hme. Recently, I sat dwn t have dinner with 8 parishiners wh were recnciled t the Church because f ur Cathlic Cme Hme Campaign. It was the graduatin event f a wnderful prgram that Deacn Ken Maleck led t help these parishiners n their jurney back t ur faith cmmunity. Als present at the meal were thse Cathlics wh thrugh their friendship supprted the returning Cathlics n their jurney hme. I felt blessed t be part f this special and jyful gathering. What surprised me was that the cmmercials as gd as they were, nly had a great impact n a cuple f the Cathlics wh were returning. The big influence n mst was the lving utreach frm their friends, family, and c-wrkers. The Campaign alng with its pwerful cmmercials had given these practicing Cathlics the curage and inspiratin t reach ut and share the lve f Christ with thse in their lives wh n lnger felt clse t His Church. One individual had been away frm the Church fr ver fifty years. All f them felt they had fund a very warm and lving faith cmmunity that welcmed them hme. This is evangelizatin at its best. Father Gerry Ragan, pastr f St. Mary n the Hill Parish in Augusta, the largest parish in the dicese. 8

9 Pew Cunt- Taken n tw weekends in February as a fllw-up t the annual Octber pew cunt. Parishes reprting pew cunts Octber 2010 February 2011 Difference % Difference 1 Alapaha, St. Ann Americus, St. Mary Bainbridge, St. Jseph Blakely, Hly Family Camilla, St. Jhn Vianney Crdele, St. Theresa (82) (31.30) 7 Cuthbert, St. Luke 12 9 (3) (25.00) 8 Dnalsnville, Incarnatin Multrie, Immaculate Cnceptin Tiftn, Our Divine Saviur (13) (2.84) 11 St. Jseph 1,266 1,229 (37) (2.92) 12 St. Mary n the Hill 3,436 2,961 (475) (13.82) 13 Hly Family St. Anne 1,595 1, St. Benedict the Mr (12) (10.81) 16 Pine Muntain, Christ the King Dublin, Immaculate Cnceptin Eastman, St. Mark Frt Valley, St. Juliana Kathleen, St. Patrick Macn, Hly Spirit (7) (2.08) 22 Macn, St. Peter Claver McRae, Hly Redeemer Sandersville, St. William Warner Rbins, Sacred Heart 1,669 1, Pt Wentwrth, Our Lady Of Lurdes (34) (5.87) 27 Richmnd Hill, St. Anne 1,039 1, Blessed Sacrament Cathedral 1,341 1, Resurrectin (6) (1.93) 31 St. Benedict the Mr St. Frances Cabrini Sts. Peter & Paul Springfield, St. Bniface (18) (4.27) 35 Tybee Island, St. Michael Alma, St. Raymnd (2) (3.85) 37 Baxley, St. Rse f Lima (65) (25.39) 38 Claxtn, St. Christpher (9) (5.11) 39 Hazlehurst, Gd Shepherd (49) (23.67) 40 Metter, Hly Family (116) (55.24) 41 Millen, St. Bernadette Pembrke, Hly Crss Sandhill, Our Lady f Guadalupe Sylvania, OLO Assumptin (2) (3.23) 45 Brunswick, St. Francis Xavier (139) (16.77) 46 Darien, Nativity f Our Lady Duglas, St. Paul Fitzgerald, St. William Flkstn, St. Francis f Assisi Hinesville, St. Stephen Jesup, St. Jseph St. Simns Island, St. William 865 1, Waycrss, St. Jseph Willacchee, Hly Family Clumn Ttals 24,096 25, Number f Parishes reprting in February: 54 % Peple Average increase in parishes reprting 5.63% 17 Actual verall increase 0.00% 923 9