Professional Documents
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Catholics
Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA)
Mark M. Gray, Ph.D.
The Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA), est. 1964
The CARA Inspiration: "In pastoral care, sufficient use must be made not only of theological principles, but also the findings of the secular sciences, especially of psychology and sociology, so that the faithful may be brought to a more accurate and mature life of faith"
--The Second Vatican Council Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World (Gaudium Et Spes).
The Surveys
CARA Surveys commissioned by the USCCB and conducted with random samples of selfidentified Catholic respondents from the Knowledge Networks U.S. panel:
Including 1,007 adult Catholics in February 2008. Margin of sampling error 3.1 percentage points. Including 1,008 adult Catholics in June 2007. Margin of sampling error 3.1 percentage points.
Aside from weddings and funerals, about how often do you attend Mass?
CARA Polls, 2000-2008 Percentage responding "every week" or more often 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Jul-98
36 33 39 35 34 33 34 33 32 31 26 22 35 36
23
23 21 21 23
Jul-09
Aside from weddings and funerals, about how often do you attend Mass?
2002 Rarely or never A few times a year Once or twice a month Almost every week Every week More than once a week 25% 25 12 12 22 4 2008 32% 24 10 11 20 3
Every 1% of the Catholic population in the survey represents more than 500,000 adults.
90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Pre-Vatican II Vatican II Post-Vatican II Millennial
15% 21% 38% 32% 33% 19% 20% 18% 31% 24% 19%
30%
At least once a month but less than weekly A few times a year
Rarely or never
Elementary, middle, or junior high school High school College or university All of the above None of the above
The Sacraments
98%
95%
First Communion/Eucharist
Confirmation
Vatican II
Post-Vatican II
Millennial
Confirmation
Did not attend a Catholic primary school Pre-Vatican II Vatican II Post-Vatican II Millennial 99% 89% 87% 80% 91% 85% 73% 66%
How important is it to you that your child or children have celebrated each of the following Catholic sacraments?
Percentage of Catholics with children responding as such 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%
11% 12% 18% 60% 10% 10% 16% 65% 10% 13% 16% 61%
First First Communion/Eucharist Reconciliation/Confession Very Important Somewhat Important A little Important
Confirmation
When you attend Mass, how often do you receive Eucharist/Holy Communion?
by Mass Attendance Weekly Always Frequently or usually Seldom Never 79% 16 3 2 Monthly 66% 24 8 3 Less often 31% 21 26 22
Overall, half of Catholics who have received their First Communion say they always receive the Eucharist at Mass. One in five say they do so frequently or usually and three in ten say they receive this seldom or never at Mass
79%
85%
Prayer and Receiving the Hearing the Hearing the homily reflection Eucharist readings and the Gospel
The music
60% 66%
66%
Which of the following statements best agrees with your belief about the Eucharist/Holy Communion?
2001 Jesus Christ is really present in the bread and wine of the Eucharist. Bread and wine are symbols of Jesus, but Jesus is not really present. 63%
2008 57%
37
43
Which of the following statements best agrees with your belief about the Eucharist/Holy Communion?
Bread and wine are symbols of Jesus, but Jesus is not really present. Jesus Christ is really present in the bread and wine of the Eucharist. 100%
70% 47% 35% 9%
80% 60% 40% 20% 0% Rarely or never A few times a year Once or a few times a month Frequency of Mass attendance Weekly or more often
53% 30% 91% 65%
"Jesus Christ is really present in the bread and wine of the Eucharist"
Percentage saying this "best agrees" with their belief by frequency of Mass attendance and generation 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% Pre-Vatican II Vatican II Post-Vatican II Millennial Generation
42% 41% 86%
Less than monthly Mass attendance Attends Mass at least once a month
74% 75%
85%
39%
39%
How important are the following factors to your sense of what it means to be a Catholic? Receiving the Eucharist
Percentage responding "Very" important, by Mass attendance and generation
100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0%
27% 25% 29% 28% 91% 84% 77% 79%
Pre-Vatican II
Vatican II
Post-Vatican II
Millennial
20%
8%
0% Weekly Mass attenders Less than weekly but at least once a month
Frequency of Mass attendance
Ordination confers on the priest a new status or a permanent character which makes him essentially different from the laity within the Church
Percentage responding as such among all respondents and by Mass attendance Agree (strongly or somewhat) 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0%
All Catholics Weekly or more At least once a month A few times a year or but less than weekly less often
53% 42% 38% 8% 22% 72% 63%
[Among females]
Married, not in the Church nor convalidated 16% Separated 1% Divorced 12% Widowed Living with a 5% partner 4%
24%
Married parents
A little important
Somewhat important
57%
Very important
57%
18% 32%
38%
24%
22% 9% 4% 13%
20%
15%
0% A few times a year or less often At least once a month but less than weekly Weekly or more
How important is it to you that you receive the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick at some point?
by Mass Attendance Weekly Very important Somewhat important A little important Not at all important 68% 25 4 3 Monthly 53% 32 11 4 Less often 33% 33 19 15
51% of adult Catholics, or a member of their immediate family, has requested the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick at a time of serious illness.
How meaningful for you are each of the following Catholic sacraments listed below?
Percentage responding "Somewhat" or "Very" meaningful All Catholics 100%
97% 99% 88% 84% 98% 83% 97% 78% 71% 66% 97%
89%
93%
90%
Marriage
Baptism
Holy Communion
The question also specified: This includes, celebrating, receiving, or living the sacrament yourself or in witnessing someone else close to you experience this sacrament
All Catholics
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90% 100%
80%
68%
85%
83%
81%
60%
61% 55%
40%
20%
0% I am proud to be Catholic Sacraments are essential to my faith I think of myself as a practicing Catholic
All Catholics
If you missed Sunday Mass at least once in the last six months, how well do each of the following explain, if at all, why you missed Mass?
Percentage responding at least "Somewhat" by Mass attendance
100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% Busy schedule or lack of time Family responsibilities Health problems or disability Conflict with work I don't believe I am not a very that missing religious person Mass is a sin
51% 41% 31% 21% 16% 48% 41% 26% 21% 38%
64% 50%
To what extent were the following a problem when making your Catholic school enrollment decision
Percentage of each group responding "somewhat" or "very much" All Catholic Parents Tuition costs Insufficient tuition assistance Child's school preferences Lack of transportation and/or busing Location of school campus Competition from local public schools Perceived quality of academic program Lack of extracurricular programs Availability of parish religion education classes 53% 44 29 27 25 23 22 20 16 Enrolling 50% 26 13 14 24 15 24 15 17 Not Enrolling 54% 47 33 29 26 24 22 21 16
Thank You
The complete results of surveys used in this presentation are available from:
http://cara.georgetown.edu/