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Sacraments Today: Belief and Practice among U.S.

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

Telephone Self-Administered (Knowledge Networks)

23

23 21 21 23

Dec-99 Apr-01 Sep-02 Jan-04 May-05 Oct-06 Feb-08

Jul-09

Celebrating the Sacraments: Important Influences


1. Parental commitment and activity within the Church 2. Enrollment in Catholic schools 3. Catholic peers 4. Self-commitment and activity within the Church 5. Spousal and family commitment and activity in the Church

Important Survey Sub-group Comparisons


Sub-groups Frequency of Mass attendance (weekly or more, monthly, less often) Enrollment in Catholic educational institutions (from primary school to college) Catholic generations (state of the Church when one comes of age) Across Time We compare to the results of previous CARA polls conducted between 2000 and 2007 where questions have been asked previously.

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

U.S. Adult Catholic Population by Generation


Catholics make up 22.7% of the U.S. adult population or approximately 51 million U.S. residents age 18 and older.
Pre-Vatican II 8.4 million: 17% Vatican II 16.8 million: 33%

Every 1% of the Catholic population in the survey represents more than 500,000 adults.

Millennial 7.4 million: 15%

PostVatican II 18.3 million: 35%

Mass Attendance by Generation


100%
45% 24% 15% 17%

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%

Once a week or more

30%

At least once a month but less than weekly A few times a year

Rarely or never

Enrollment in Catholic Educational Institutions


More than half of PreVatican II (55%) and Vatican II Catholics (56%) attended a Catholic school or college at some point. Only 40% of Post-Vatican II Catholics 29% of Millennial Generation Catholics have been enrolled at a Catholic educational institution.
Did you attend a Catholic
Percentage responding yes

Elementary, middle, or junior high school High school College or university All of the above None of the above

42% 22% 7% 3% 54%

The Sacraments

Baptism: Age at Entry into the Catholic Church


Infants, children & teens (93% of respondents)
Age Less than 1: 1 to 5: 6 to 10: 11 to 17: 90% 4% 3% 1%

Adults (7% of respondents)


Age 18 to 29: 30 to 39: 40 to 49: 50 or older: 48% 16% 21% 15%

1% of those entering the Church


before the age of 18 were baptized in another Christian faith.

75% of those who entered


the Church as adults went through the RCIA process.

Which of the following have you celebrated?


Percentage responding "yes" by Generation 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%

98%

99% 93% 89% 84%

94% 91% 85%

95%

91% 79% 69%

First Reconciliation/Confession Pre-Vatican II

First Communion/Eucharist

Confirmation

Vatican II

Post-Vatican II

Millennial

Catholic Primary School Enrollment and the Celebration of Sacraments by Generation


First Eucharist
Attended a Catholic primary school Pre-Vatican II Vatican II Post-Vatican II Millennial 99% 98% 99% 100% 99% 95% 89% 82%

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

Not Important At All

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

How important are each of the following aspects of Mass to you?


Percentage responding at least "Somewhat" by Mass attendance
100%
97% 93% 97% 97% 89% 88% 97% 89% 83% 95% 90% 92% 90%

79%

80% 60% 40% 20% 0%

85%

Feeling the presence of God

Prayer and Receiving the Hearing the Hearing the homily reflection Eucharist readings and the Gospel

The music

60% 66%

The church environment and decorations

Weekly Mass attenders

Less than weekly but at least once a month

A few times a year only

72% 64% 62%

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

Attends Mass at least once a month

Attends Mass a few times a year or less often

How often, if ever, do you participate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation or Confession?


2005 Once a month or more Several times a year Once a year Less than once a year Never 2% 10 14 32 42 2008 2% 12 12 30 45

How often, if ever, do you participate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation or Confession?


Percentage responding as such by Mass attendance Confession at least once a year or more 100% 80% 60% 40%
37% 61% 39% 63%

Confession less than once a year or never


92%

20%
8%

0% Weekly Mass attenders Less than weekly but at least once a month
Frequency of Mass attendance

A few times a year or less

Perceptions of Sacramental Obligations


68% agree somewhat or strongly that they can be a good Catholic without going to Mass every Sunday 62% agree somewhat or strongly that they can be a good Catholic without celebrating the sacrament of Reconciliation at least once a year.

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%

Neither agree nor disagree


6%

Disagree (strongly or somewhat)


6% 31% 48% 10%

by frequency of Mass attendance

Have you ever considered becoming a


Percentage of adult Catholics responding "Yes" within each gender sub-group 100% 80% 60% [Among males] 40% 20%
17% 5% 15%

[Among females]

0% Priest or religious brother Permanent deacon Religious sister or nun

Marital Status and Marriage in the Church


Among Adult Catholics Married in the Church 34% Married, not in the Church, but convalidated 3%

Married, not in the Church nor convalidated 16% Separated 1% Divorced 12% Widowed Living with a 5% partner 4%

Never married 25%

Marital Status of Respondents by Marital Status of Parents


Married (currently married or widowed) Seperated or divorced 100%
11% 3% 18% 23% 61% 49% 31% 10% 17% 45% 7%

Single Living with a partner

80% 60% 40% 20% 0%

24%

Married parents

Parents divorced or separated

Parents never married

How important would it be for you to be married in the Catholic Church?


Percentage of never-married Catholics who say they are at least a little likely to marry responding as such by frequency of Mass attendance Not at all important 100%
12%

A little important

Somewhat important
57%

Very important
57%

80% 60% 40%

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%

Weekly Mass attenders

80% 60% 40% 20% 0%

89%

93%

90%

Marriage

Baptism

Holy Communion

Confirmation Anointing of the Sick

Holy Orders Reconciliation

The question also specified: This includes, celebrating, receiving, or living the sacrament yourself or in witnessing someone else close to you experience this sacrament

Which of these Catholic sacraments is the most meaningful to you?


Percentage selecting each as "most meaningful" Holy Orders/Ordination 0% 1% Anointing of the Sick Confirmation Reconciliation/Confession Marriage Baptism Eucharist/Holy Communion 0% 10% 20%
25% 1% 3% 1% 3% 4% 3% 11% 26% 32% 39% 52%

All Catholics

Weekly Mass attenders

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90% 100%

How much do you agree with the following statements?


Percentage responding at least "Somewhat" among all adult Catholics and weekly Mass attenders
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

Weekly Mass attenders

Reversing the Trends: Increasing the Likelihood of Sacramental Celebrations


Making the case for Sacraments that are less frequently celebrated (i.e., Reconciliation and Confirmation). Increasing Mass attendance, especially among parents and young Catholics. Maximizing the opportunities for parents to enroll children in Catholic schools.

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%

Less than weekly but at least once a month

A few times a year or less

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/

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