A diocese by diocese comparison. How does your diocese stack up? (US dioceses only)

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My Diocese (an Archdiocese) is way down in the cellar. If you ask me, performance indicators and a regular measure of success is vital to any organization. It is also woefully absent in the Catholic Church. If you fail to plan you plan to fail, this is a message many bishops never receive.

Nohome
 
This diocese is as ecumenical as it can get. Many parishes (not all) resemble Lutheran or other denominations other than Catholic.

The pastor here wears vestments WITHOUT religious symbols (embroidered Cross; JHS; ) instead are bland and plain…some of the chausables are either tweed or plaid. On entrance those Protestant songs are sung with great vibrance especially our quasi-Lutheran pastor.

This diocese has advocated homosexuals into the seminaries here…it was purposeful. Lots of backlogged lawsuits pending for “abuses.”

How does my diocese stack up ? YOU TELL ME !
 
The link wouldn’t open for me, but I would imagine my diocese to be in the bottom third.
 
10th from the bottom in rank…worst part is the way we’re handling it. Instead of trying to fix the problem, we’re closing vital and active (above-average Mass attendance) parishes if they’re “small” and merging them (and their money) into large “1.3 million dollar” parishes–the ones that are 1/2 full. Our diocese is in disarray and disruption and I would ask everyone to pray for us.
 
Statistical surveys/rankings such as the one under discussion here raise two questions:
1.What is the value of the results? (Or, to put it another way, “What do we do with this information?”)
2.What is the validity of the analysis? (Or, “Are the right dimensions being measured?")

In the case of the first question, it’s not clear what a diocese such as Hartford is supposed to do to “move up” in the rankings aside from launching major recruitment programs for vocations and converts. Reducing the merit of a diocese to a numbers game (a la corporate or other secular organizations) has its hazards. Among these are an overemphasis on quantity versus quality, an inclination to increased disunity or factionalism within the Church, and the temptation to judgementalism. This last is particularly pertinent in the case of this study, since the accompanying text makes it clear that one of its purposes is to be a sort of “report card” for the bishop in each diocese.

For purposes of discussion, though, suppose there is a legitimate reason for the general population of the Church to be given these comparative data. Are the dimensions being measured really the most meaningful in terms of evaluating the progress a diocese is making in accomplishing its goal of eternal life for the souls entrusted to it? Or are there other “data points” that should be evaluated? For example, in addition to (or in place of) some of the statistics being collected, might we not look at things like the following?
a)The average number of persons attending each Mass;
b)The weekly number of hours spent hearing confessions per priest;
c)The number of weekly non-emergency Communion calls made per priest; or
d)The number of non-sacramental home visits monthly per priest.

The real value of a survey is its effectiveness in encouraging the reader to take specific, positive action. If the subject study does that, fine. Otherwise file it away for the next round of Trivial Pursuit – Catholic Edition.
 
Well our Diocese is in FAST decline. :eek: But it is no surprise.

On the bright side our new priest gave a homily about when and if you are worthy to receive the Eucharist today. Last week he reminded people that Holy Days of obligation and Sunday Mass were not optional.👍 Every time I wonder about this new priest he gives me something to ponder about.
 
The study is biased. The Chicago Archdiocese is one of the most prolific, active and wealthiest in the nation. It’s not even mentioned, unless I didn’t see it. It should be in the upper 5, at least!
 
Servulus said:
Statistical surveys/rankings such as the one under discussion here raise two questions:
1.What is the value of the results? (Or, to put it another way, “What do we do with this information?”)
2.What is the validity of the analysis? (Or, “Are the right dimensions being measured?")

In the case of the first question, it’s not clear what a diocese such as Hartford is supposed to do to “move up” in the rankings aside from launching major recruitment programs for vocations and converts. Reducing the merit of a diocese to a numbers game (a la corporate or other secular organizations) has its hazards. Among these are an overemphasis on quantity versus quality, an inclination to increased disunity or factionalism within the Church, and the temptation to judgementalism. This last is particularly pertinent in the case of this study, since the accompanying text makes it clear that one of its purposes is to be a sort of “report card” for the bishop in each diocese.

For purposes of discussion, though, suppose there is a legitimate reason for the general population of the Church to be given these comparative data. Are the dimensions being measured really the most meaningful in terms of evaluating the progress a diocese is making in accomplishing its goal of eternal life for the souls entrusted to it? Or are there other “data points” that should be evaluated? For example, in addition to (or in place of) some of the statistics being collected, might we not look at things like the following?
a)The average number of persons attending each Mass;
b)The weekly number of hours spent hearing confessions per priest;
c)The number of weekly non-emergency Communion calls made per priest; or
d)The number of non-sacramental home visits monthly per priest.

The real value of a survey is its effectiveness in encouraging the reader to take specific, positive action. If the subject study does that, fine. Otherwise file it away for the next round of Trivial Pursuit – Catholic Edition.
Click to expand...
Interesting and constructive comments. In general, I feel that the study itself admits that its methodology doesn’t lead one to conclusions that merit much attention.

I like your suggestions about home visits, sacramental or not, but I know of no one who keeps logs of that. I once knew one priest who kept of log of sick calls. No, make that two. Anyway, with the number of Catholics per priest statistic, I know that in my case (1500 families official, 2000+ families in actuality, for one priest), most calls are emergency calls and most home visits are to the sick and the dying, and the “rest of the week” is funerals. It’s a matter of triage.

Some things I would like to see added:
  • the retention rate of newly ordained priests.
  • the retention rate of older priests.
  • the general health of priests (average age of death for a priest here in my diocese in 1995 was 56, and may have increased since).
Around here, it was the tradition that the weekly mailer would simply say, for our address books: Fr. So-n-so, delete. So we complained that that was rather undignified (was he transferred, is he off to study, on sabbatical, or has he left the ministry?), and the practice was dropped entirely. Nowadays, we find out through the grapevine, or we notice when a priest is no longer in the directory.
  • Padrecito
 
Wow! Very surprising! We are #7! Not bad from 47 to 7! I’m impressed.
 
Other statistics I’d like to see:

  • of seats in Catholic schools in the diocese per capita (e.g. 1 seat per 1000 Catholics of school age).​

  • of vocations that come from Catholic schools in the diocese. This would be a good indicator of how much of the education is “Catholic”.​

  • price per student in Catholic school compared to secular schools, public and private. This would be a good indicator if Catholic schools are only serving wealthy Catholics or all.
  • percentage of students who receive scholarships.
And taxes:
  • percentage of parish offertory taxed by the diocese.
  • percentage of parish offertory taxed to pay for Catholic schools.
  • percentage of parish offertory taxed for bishop/chancery appeals.
And insurance, which has skyrocketed since the scandal:
  • health insurance cost per priest/full-time parish/diocesan employee.
  • auto insurance cost per priest.
  • property insurance rates and payments.
  • liability insurance rates and payments.
Seriously, given that the parishioners in the pews are the ones paying the taxes and the insurance, it would be an eye-opener if they see how much of their dollar in the offertory goes to pay for the results of the Scandal.
  • Padrecito
 
peary said:
The study is biased. The Chicago Archdiocese is one of the most prolific, active and wealthiest in the nation. It’s not even mentioned, unless I didn’t see it. It should be in the upper 5, at least!
Click to expand...
It’s mentioned in the table at the end of the document which lists all dioceses in alphabetical order. The Archdiocese of Chicago was ranked #96 in 2005, up substantially from their rank of #150 in 1995. They were ranked #77 in change in active priests and #38 in ordinations, but a dismal #149 in number of adults received into the church. It is also considered the 4th largest diocese in the nation, with 2,348,000 Catholics.

Keep in mind, that the tiny number of adults received into the church may have something to do with the fact that Chicago already has one of the highest percentages of Catholics in the nation.
 
Rolltide said:
It’s mentioned in the table at the end of the document which lists all dioceses in alphabetical order. The Archdiocese of Chicago was ranked #96 in 2005, up substantially from their rank of #150 in 1995. They were ranked #77 in change in active priests and #38 in ordinations, but a dismal #149 in number of adults received into the church. It is also considered the 4th largest diocese in the nation, with 2,348,000 Catholics.

Keep in mind, that the tiny number of adults received into the church may have something to do with the fact that Chicago already has one of the highest percentages of Catholics in the nation.
Click to expand...
I think with many dioceses, Chicago and others, many of the ordinations are of foreign-born priests (men who immigrated to the US to study and serve in the priesthood here). Without them, the number of ordinations would likely be halved.
 
I think Chicago received 15 or 16 ordained men from Mundelein this past May. They also have a new program for foreign priests from Poland and, I think, Africa.
 
Please pardon my ignorance but where would I look to find the comparisons you are discussing? Thanks
 
Let’s hear it for Diocese of Alexandria, LA!!!👍 That’s the diocese that covers my hometown and my hometown was the original see-city (Natchitoches). However, I’m in Diocese of Shreveport, which, sadly, had one of the biggest drops going from 11 overall to 77!😦 Our bishop retired last year. Please pray for us to get a vigorous new shepherd!
 
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