SHARON CHIARUCCI

The numbers paint a picture of a thriving church

(Data reported in this article are based on the General Parish Report submitted by 46 parishes over the last seven months. A more complete story can be told when all GPRs are completed in May.)

Are you one of the 60 members of the San Miguel Society? Are you part of the Noblemen or the Oratory in Hawaii? Are you one of the 172 Boy Scouts or 168 Knights of Columbus? Are you a recent immigrant finding a cultural connection to your parish through the Samoan, Tongan, Chuukese, or Filipino Catholic Club? If you are, you belong to one of the more than 88 lay associations that operate in 38 of our parishes. These associations provide members with a supportive link to the larger parish community.

The 23-page General Parish Report (GPR), with more than 600 data items, is the source of information about these lay associations and many other parish characteristics. Revised in 2009 by the Office for Parish Resources and organized around the six Road Map priorities, the GPR shows how vibrant many of our parishes are. Lay ministers, paid and volunteer, lead not only lay associations but also form parish pastoral and finance councils, youth and young adult programs, outreach services, and planning and building, liturgy, and religious education committees.

Faith is expressed in many ongoing parish programs, as well as new initiatives being developed in response to strategic plan priorities. Bible study groups (57% of reporting parishes) and book clubs (18%) offer enrichment. Spirituality groups (100%) such as the Legion of Mary, Marian Clubs, the Charismatic Renewal, Neocatechumenal Way, and Singles for Christ provide opportunities for people to strengthen their faith and meet the challenges of living the Gospel in their everyday lives. Service organizations (39%) such as St. Vincent de Paul Societies, Boy and Girl Scouts, the Noblemen, and the Knights of Columbus offer opportunities for community service to those in need. All of these organizations provide avenues for ongoing adult faith formation for Catholics who want more in addition to Sunday Mass.

Leadership and faith formation are listed as top priorities by a number of parishes. Youth/young adult ministry and maintenance/repair of existing facilities are not far behind. Although homelessness did not garner a lot of top votes, almost every parish is doing something for people in need. Food pantries, many in partnership with neighboring Catholic and Protestant churches, financial assistance, and housing through the Family Promise program show that parishes take the social teachings of the Church seriously.

Some parishes are proud of their “best practices.” They encourage pastors and lay leaders to attend workshops that will strengthen their ministries. And they pay the fees! They help youth raise funds to attend the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress or World Youth Day. They take parish ministries into the community by involving youth in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, feeding the homeless in parks or on the beaches, and volunteering with other non-profit organizations.

The GPR also points to some challenges. Despite the fact that Island Catholics say they want youth involved in parish leadership roles, only 6 out of more than 650 pastoral or finance council members are under 25. Faith formation is a top priority and parishes report 255 parishioners are serving as catechists. Forty-nine percent of them are working to become certified catechists.

Maintaining church buildings, clergy living quarters, and parish meeting places conducive to their purpose rank high as parish priorities. Seventy percent* of the reporting parishes have established a planning and building committee. Fifty-two percent have done an assessment of facility needs and 44% have created a plan to address them.

Information is only as good as the data on which it is based. Forty-six parishes have submitted their GPRs and there are missing pieces of data in some of them. When all GPRs are completed by the end of May 2010, the information will help our diocese recognize parish strengths and clarify the challenges ahead. Although the GPR is designed to be an annual report, the online format of the GPR will make it easier for parishes to update data as soon as changes occur. This helps diocesan offices provide services that parishes need to achieve parish goals. We know there is more work ahead, but GPR information submitted so far paints a portrait of parishes alive with faith, committed to growth, and witnessing to Jesus by living the Gospel.