Finding Our New Place Together Parish Assembly St. Stephen Parish, Riverview Bryan Froehle, froehleb@gmail.com, 312-285-9121 April 2, 2017
From Reflection to Data and Back Again The parish is a community of interpreters The data suggests possible hypotheses for discussion This is not an end but a starting point It is all about shaping strategic direction 2
The Questionnaire Included 160 items, two of which were entirely open-ended Distributed the weekend of November 12-13 during Mass. The parent groups includes 631 completed questionnaires and the retiree groups consists of 575 completed questionnaires. Saturday, 4pm: 351 Parents: 61 Retirees: 168 Saturday, 6pm: 235 Parents: 74 Retirees: 47 Sunday, 8am: 289 Parents: 73 Retirees: 89 Sunday, 9:30am: 412 Parents: 150 Retirees: 93 Sunday, 11:30am: 446 Parents: 134 Retirees: 113 Sunday, 5:30pm, 384 Parents: 139 Retirees: 64 3 surveys were completed and returned outside of Mass A total of 2,120 responses. Data shipped December 19, package received December 27, data entry completed January 11, hard copy originals received January 20. Presentations before the Parish Pastoral Council (February 21) and Staff (March 14) Today is the start of strategic interpretation 3
Paint by Numbers The percentage very much reveals the most Compare overall responses with two subgroups, parents of school-age children and retirees General consistency across groups, few strong differences of 5-10%, consistent with expectations A Word of Caution Data is a function of what was asked, relative, no guarantee that everything to be known is known Open-ended responses help in this and more analysis of the data is always possible The data remain open to creative reads and analyses over the long term Reading the Slides The numbers on the left hand side are high to low The right hand side is low to high Please see the full questionnaire with the overall percentage results when in doubt 4
Data for Interpretation and Strategic Action
Major Sections for Interpretation One Per Slide in What Follows 1. Overall Effectiveness 2. Outreach and Evangelization 3. Worship and Sacramental Life 4. Pastoral Care 5. Faith Formation 6. Stewardship and Leadership 7. Sentiments 8. Demographics 9. Country of Origin 6
Effectiveness Hypothesis: Parish strengths seem in worship and sacramental life, less in serving community needs or witnessing for justice. Is this so? Any other initial impressions? Top Five Our parish very much well Uses music in worship, 87% Parents: 87% Retirees: 88% Supports our parish school, 76% Parents: 73% Retirees: 78% Promotes vocations to the priesthood, 73% Parents: 71% Retirees: 76% Forms young people in their faith, 72% Parents: 75% Retirees: 74% Passes on the faith, 71% Parents: 72% Retirees: 72% Lowest Five Our parish very much well Witnesses to the Church s social teaching, 54% Parents: 57% Retirees: 56% Meets families needs, 56% Parents: 54% Retirees: 58% Supports ministries that matter to me, 57% Parents: 57% Retirees: 59% Links preaching to daily life, 60% Parents: 57% Retirees: Serves the needs of the wider community, 63% Parents: 64% Retirees: 61% 7
Outreach and Evangelization Hypothesis: Direct service and pro-life work seems relatively strong; social justice, ecumenism, international less so. Is this so? Any other initial impressions? Most Important Aspects Parish food pantry/st. Vincent de Paul, 82% Parents: 81% Retirees: 85% Homeless/feeding ministry, 79% Parents: 79% Retirees: 79% Pro-life advocacy (abortion, death penalty, assisted suicide), 73% Parents: 73% Retirees: 77% Least Important Aspects Twinning parishes outside the USA, 34% Parents: 34% Retirees: 31% Mission trips, 39% Parents: 40% Retirees: 32% Twinning parishes within the USA, 42% Parents: 42% Retirees: 43% Faith traditions other than Christian, 57% Social justice advocacy, 59% 8
Worship and Sacramental Life Hypothesis: The parish is valued for relatively strong sacramental service, less so for family and community. Is this so? Any other initial impressions? Top Five Most Important Aspects Top Three Least Important Aspects Preaching, 81% Parents: 82% Retirees: 83% Ushers/hospitality, 74% Parents: 76% Retirees: 75% Music-traditional style, 71% Parents: 64% Retirees: 78% Social time after worship, 45% Parents: 45% Retirees: 44% Children s Liturgy of the Word during Mass, 62% Parents: 66% Retirees: 62% Family liturgies, 62% Parents: 67% Retirees: 67% Music-contemporary styles, 70% Parents: 70% Retirees: 68% LifeTeen Liturgies, 70% Parents: 74% Retirees: 68% 9
Pastoral Care Hypothesis: Funerals, families, retired more emphasized than individual needs of singles, divorced, men, and women. Is this so? Any other initial impressions? Most Important Bereavement ministry, 72% Parents: 73% Retirees: 72% Family ministry, 70% Parents: 71% Retirees: 67% Marriage enrichment ministry, 67% Parents: 69% Retirees: 65% Ministry for older adults, 65% Parents: 64% Retirees: 65% Lesser Importance Singles ministry, 56% Parents: 52% Retirees: 58% Divorced ministry, 57% Parents: 54% Retirees: 59% Adult day care ministry, 59% Parents: 59% Retirees: 58% Mother s ministry, 60% Parents: 61% Retirees: 57% Women s ministry, 60% Parents: 58% Retirees: 60% Men s ministry, 61% Parents: 60% Retirees: 61% 10
Faith Formation Hypothesis: Parishioners value passing on the faith to children more than deepening it within adults and teens. Is this so? Any other initial impressions? Most Important Children s faith formation in general, 84% Parents: 89% Retirees: 81% Preparation for Confirmation for youth, 83% Parents: 84% Retirees: 83% Preparation for First Communion, 82% Parents: 83% Retirees: 83% Preparation for Baptism, 78% Parents: 77% Retirees: 79% Marriage preparation, 76% Parents: 76% Retirees: 77% Least Important Home study program for families, 45% Parents: 50% Retirees: 43% Small Christian communities/faith sharing, 59% Parents: 60% Retirees: 59% Vacation Bible School (summer program), 60% Parents: 62% Retirees: 60% Bible study for high school students, 67% Bible study for adults, 68% Adult faith formation in general, 71% 11
Stewardship and Leadership Hypothesis: What is encountered in worship matters most. Is this so? Any other initial impressions? Top Very Much Important Our pastor, 91% Parents: 91% Retirees: 92% Our associate pastor (parochial vicar), 89% Parents: 86% Retirees: 92% Our deacons, 83% Parents: 82% Retirees: 82% Parish weekly bulletin, 77% Parents: 74% Retirees: 81% Least Marked Very Much Important Weekly parish emails, 48% Parents: 48% Retirees: 53% Quarterly Blessing magazine, 50% Parents: 46% Retirees: 55% Conducting this parish questionnaire, 53% Parents: 52% Retirees: 56% Our annual parish picnic, 54% Parents: 54% Retirees: 52% Communicating about building needs, 57% Parents: 52% Retirees: 61% Parish financial statements, 60% Parish website, 64% Training Parish Volunteers, 65% Our other lay staff members, 66% Parish pastoral council, 67% Our parish manager, 68% 12
Interest in Participation in Parish Activities Hypothesis: Worship, charitable service, and respect life ministries generate more interest than social, faith sharing, and formation groups. Is this so? Any other initial impressions? Most Interest Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, 42% Parents: 40% Retirees: 46% Homeless Ministries, 40% Parents: 40% Retirees: 36% Respect Life projects, 39% Parents: 37% Retirees: 41% Liturgical ministries (lectors, ushers, etc.), 36% Parents: 33% Retirees: 37% Least Interest Other men s groups, 20% Parents: 20% Retirees: 17% A parish-sponsored book club, 21% Parents: 20% Retirees: 21% Columbiettes (Knights of Columbus), 22% Parents: 20% Retirees: 21% Mentor couples in marriage enrichment, 22% Parents: 22% Retirees: 18% Men s Club, 23% Other women s groups, 25% Jail/Prison Visitation Ministry, 25% Small Christian Community/Faith Sharing, 26% Knights of Columbus, 26% Community for Women, 28% 13
Sentiment-Overall Hypothesis: St. Stephen s is a place of faith and for faith. Is this so? Any other initial impressions? Most connected to the Catholic Church as a whole (71% very much ), least to the diocese (41% very much ). Almost 2/3 feel very much connected to parish. Only a quarter think more should be done for the poor outside the USA but 2/3 think more should be done for the poor locally. Very large proportions value the sacraments and attending mass every weekend (87% very much ), and almost a third very much value attending daily mass. 87% of respondents report attending mass at least weekly. 11% report more than weekly attendance. Many more very much say Eucharistic Adoration is best on a weekday evening than a weekday afternoon (45% compared to 26%). The parish is more likely to be very much described as faithful than as being about good leadership or inspiring worship (83% compared to 73%). St. Stephen s School is about equally attractive for its faith-based education and academics (75%). The major concern is the cost (rated very attractive by only 49%). 14
Sentiment-Parents Observations: Parents of school-age children similar to parish overall. Most connected to the Catholic Church as a whole (67% very much ), least to the diocese (36% very much ). Some 59% feel very much connected to parish. Only a quarter (25%) think more should be done for the poor outside the USA but 2/3 (66%) think more should be done for the poor locally. Very large proportions value the sacraments and attending mass every weekend (87% very much ), and some 29% very much value attending daily mass. 83% of respondents report attending mass at least weekly. 7% report more than weekly attendance. Many more very much say Eucharistic Adoration is best on a weekday evening than a weekday afternoon (42% compared to 20%). The parish is more likely to be very much described as faithful than as being about good leadership or inspiring worship (80% compared to 68 or 70%). St. Stephen s School is about equally attractive for its faith-based education and academics (75%). The major concern is the cost (rated very attractive by only 45%). 15
Sentiment-Retirees Observations: A little higher on attendance and Catholic connections, a little lower on serving the poor outside the USA. Most connected to the Catholic Church as a whole (78% very much ) and the diocese (48% very much ). Some 41% feel very much connected to parish. Only 21% think more should be done for the poor outside the USA but 65% think more should be done for the poor locally. Very large proportions value the sacraments and attending mass every weekend (90% very much ), and almost a third very much value attending daily mass. 93% of respondents report attending mass at least weekly and 18 percent report more than weekly attendance. Many more very much say Eucharistic Adoration is best on a weekday evening than a weekday afternoon (40 percent compared to 34 percent). The parish is more likely to be very much described as faithful than as being about good leadership or inspiring worship (84 percent compared to about 75 percent). St. Stephen s School is about equally attractive for its faith-based education and academics (71% and 74%). The major concern is the cost (rated very attractive by only 55%). 16
Demographics-Overall Hypothesis: Opportunities for outreach and welcome. Long-term transplants, non-registered, children missing, marriage issues. Is this so? Any other initial impressions? Most respondents are women (62%). Respondent s average age is about 53. Some 31 percent of respondents are retired. Respondents report having attended the parish for about a dozen years. About 4/5 of respondents are registered in the parish. Only 15% of respondents were born in Florida. About 61% were born elsewhere in the USA and 24% were born outside the USA. 17% are active or retired military. Of those who have been married, 22 percent have either not been married in the Catholic Church or have been divorced. 15% report being married to a person who is not Catholic. 34 percent have school age children and a fifth of that number (7%) report having children in St. Stephen s School. 19% report having children in parish faith formation. 17
Demographics-Parents Observations: More international, a little more military. Most respondents are women (60%). Respondent s average age is about 47. Some 31 percent of respondents are retired. Respondents report having attended the parish for about a dozen years. About 4/5 of respondents are registered in the parish. Only 14% of respondents were born in Florida. About 57% were born elsewhere in the USA and 29% were born outside the USA. 19% are active or retired military. Of those who have been married, 20% percent have either not been married in the Catholic Church or have been divorced. 18% report being married to a person who is not Catholic. 34 percent have school age children and a fifth of that number (18%) report having children in St. Stephen s School. 18% report having children in parish faith formation. 18
Demographics-Retirees Observations: Many more military, fewer foreign born. Most respondents are women (62%). Respondent who are retirees have an average age is about 70. Some 31 percent of respondents are retired. Respondents report having attended the parish for about a dozen years. About 4/5 of respondents are registered in the parish. Only 11% of respondents were born in Florida. About 70% were born elsewhere in the USA and 19% were born outside the USA. 24% are active or retired military. Of those who have been married, 17% have either not been married in the Catholic Church or have been divorced. 14% report being married to a person who is not Catholic. 9 percent of retirees report having school age children half of that number (4%) report having children in St. Stephen s School. 5% report having children in parish faith formation. 19
Countries of Origin for Those Born Outside the USA Over 50 Countries Represented Argentina (2) Cuba (9) Haiti (8) Korea (1) Romania (1) Aruba Belarus (2) Belize Brazil Canada(3) Caribbean Central America China (1) Colombia (14) Dominican Republic (2) Egypt (1) El Salvador (3) England (1) France (1) Germany (17) Guam (1) Guatemala (3) Guyana (4) Honduras (2) Hungary (1) India (10) Iran (1) Iraq (1) Ireland (5) Italy (7) Jamaica (3) Japan (4) Kuwait (1) Mexico (6) Nicaragua (2) Panama (7) Peru (7) Philippines (67) Poland (7) Puerto Rico (32) South America (6) South Korea (1) Spain (2) Trinidad (3) Turkey (2) United Kingdom (1) Venezuela (7) Vietnam (5) 20
Connect the Dots. Picture Our Future! What do you see? How have the numbers helped you paint the picture you see? 21
A Catholic Conversation What does this suggest about us? What are our greatest gifts? What are our growing edges?
The Strategic Question What do we most need to do to grow the parish?
Finding a Place for Faith The journey is just beginning!