Catholic dioceses in southern United States report record growth

[_Abyssinia]

Archbishop Wilton Gregory of Atlanta said, ‘We are all in a growth mode. That’s a good thing’

The Catholic dioceses of the Carolinas and Georgia are experiencing record growth, Archbishop Wilton Gregory of Atlanta said during a meeting of the U.S. Catholic Church’s Atlanta province.

“We realised that all five of the dioceses represented here have recently opened new chancery offices,” Archbishop Gregory said in an interview with The Catholic Miscellany, newspaper of the Diocese of Charleston.

catholicherald.co.uk/news/2017/07/04/catholic-dioceses-in-southern-united-states-report-record-growth/

 

[Crusaderbear]

I’m closing in on retirement and have been cconsidering NC myself…

 

[pianistclare]

Come to Atlanta and we can hang out!

 

[7_Sorrows]

This is really good news!

 

[ctb95]

I’m so glad to hear this!

 

[Muzhik]

To me, the questions are:

1. 
   *]Is the growth coming from people moving from the North to the South or from the Southwest to the Southeast, OR
   *]Is it resulting from a higher birth rate among Southern Catholics, OR
   *]Is it due to a higher rate of conversions than in other parts of the country?
   
   SEND IN THE STATISTICIANS!!! :knight2:

 

[FirstFiveEighth]

I am from the South, and I think this growth is mainly do to “yankee” families moving south due to either retirement, chasing cheaper cost of living, or manufacturing jobs moving south. Then of course a growing hispanic population. I don’t believe it has much to do with conversion at all, or even catholics supposedly having more kids (I don’t think many today hold to humanae vitae to be honest).

All the churches I attended growing up were considered mission churches until very recently, probably within the last 15 years. The church I went to as a kid was mainly “snow birds” with no kids. The younger families I see at mass now are typically families than have moved to the area. But this is just my anecdotal evidence.

 

[jaimeleglise]

Come to Atlanta and we can hang out!

Why did I think you were in New Mexico???

 

[Crusaderbear]

That’s where those mysterious extra voters are coming from!

 

[7_Sorrows]

Why did I think you were in New Mexico???

I think she used to live there.

 

[TK421]

The Atlanta airport is a third of the size of Georgia. You’ll never make it out alive.

Besides, Claire is the most dangerous person east of the Rockies.

 

[pianistclare]

Why did I think you were in New Mexico???

HAHA Because that’s where I’m from.
And people also get confused because the hubs has a home and cattle farm in Ireland. So I’m all over the place!

 

[pianistclare]

The Atlanta airport is a third of the size of Georgia. You’ll never make it out alive.

Besides, Claire is the most dangerous person east of the Rockies.

It’s actually the easiest one to get around. (and the busiest one, due to the many international flights and being the Delta hub.

People who mispell my name should be very, very, afraid.
If you need a ride from the airport friend, Ill be there. hehehehehe

 

[pianistclare]

Anyway, the growth is due mostly to conversion.
There are many people who are “unchurched” down here, despite the efforts of the MANY Baptist churches.
People are seeking. Mega churches also do very well here, but eventually they fail to satisfy.

 

[TK421]

:bigyikes:

I never knew there wasn’t an i

 

[pianistclare]

:bigyikes:

I never knew there wasn’t an i

HA! Why would I spell my own name wrong?

 

[7_Sorrows]

:bigyikes:

I never knew there wasn’t an i

Are you familiar with St. Francis and St. Clare?

 

[esieffe]

Come to Atlanta and we can hang out!

Yep. We had to move the rite of election by the AB from the civic center to the World Congress Center, didn’t we Clare?

 

[redbaron162]

I think it has a lot to do with economic growth. Georgia’s economy is very healthy and we have a lot of northerners moving here for economic opportunity. As a born and raised Georgia boy there are a lot of Yankees moving in haha.

Our parish has had 3 mission parish’s split off from it over the last decade or so and its still almost standing room only during many masses. I think a lot of the people from the parish’s closing down up north are coming here. We have a healthy Hispanic population but they mainly stick to the Spanish Masses so I wouldn’t say they are a particular reason for the growth.

 

[pianistclare]

I think it has a lot to do with economic growth. Georgia’s economy is very healthy and we have a lot of northerners moving here for economic opportunity. As a born and raised Georgia boy there are a lot of Yankees moving in haha.

Our parish has had 3 mission parish’s split off from it over the last decade or so and its still almost standing room only during many masses. I think a lot of the people from the parish’s closing down up north are coming here. We have a healthy Hispanic population but they mainly stick to the Spanish Masses so I wouldn’t say they are a particular reason for the growth.

Well, actually it is a big reason fro the numbers. Our Hispanic Sunday school classes are double the size of the English speaking one every single year. That accounts fro far more Baptized Catholics. The Archdiocese has us account for every Baptism, and every sacrament. We Baptize at LEAST 30 Hispanics per month, compared to maybe 2 Anglo.
My priest friend and former Pastor on the far north side of Georgia says every Saturday he Baptizes a minimum of 200 Hispanic babies, over 3 group ceremonies.