Diocese of San Angelo

Survey and Listening

Session Results

Prepared by Dominic Perri and Jeffry Odell Korgen

Essential Conversations Group

DemographicsWHO TOOK THE SURVEY?

Survey Participants

10%

4%

14%

23%

18%

13%

11%

7%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

Unknown

80-99

70-79

60-69

50-59

40-49

30-39

Under 30

AGE

Survey Participants

4%

22%

28%

24%

17%

6%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%

No Response

Post graduate degree

Undergraduate degree

Some college

High school diploma

Less than high school

EDUCATION LEVEL

Survey Participants

5%

0%

1%

2%

43%

49%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

No Response

Black, African-American

Native American

Asian

Hispanic, Latino, Spanish

White, Caucasian

RACE

Survey Participants

4%

67%

28%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

Unknown

Female

Male

SEX

Role of Faith in Life

48%

29%

16%

4%

1% 2%

My faith is at the center of my life

and I base all my important

decisions on itMy faith is one of several central

elements in my life

I want my faith to be more central

in my life than it is now

I am exploring and trying to

determine what role my faith

plays in my lifeFaith is not an important part of

my life

Unknown

Parish

Focus

THE SURVEY ASKED

RESPONDENTS HOW

IMPORTANT IT IS FOR THEIR

PARISH TO FOCUS ON

SPECIFIC ITEMS IN THE COMING FIVE YEARS

Parish Focus: Overall ResponsePercent Responses Indicated

Not at all important

A little important

Somewhat important

ImportantVery

important

Importance Index

1Teach children about the

Catholic Faith1 1 5 37 56 93

2Teach adults about the

Catholic Faith0 1 9 47 44 91

3Focus on youth and young

adults1 2 9 41 47 88

4 Support my spiritual growth 1 2 13 45 42 87

5Provide outreach to those

in need1 3 13 48 35 83

6Offer strong welcome and

hospitality1 4 14 43 39 82

7Prepare leaders in our

parish1 3 18 46 32 78

8Offer vibrant weekend

(Sat-Sun) Mass2 3 17 37 40 77

9Preach more effectively at

Mass2 4 17 37 40 77

10Provide support to married

couples1 3 22 48 26 74

11Provide support to single

adults1 4 24 49 23 72

12Reach out to non-

practicing Catholics2 6 19 43 29 72

13Offer more times for

Confession7 12 28 32 21 53

14Use technology more

effectively5 12 32 35 16 51

Greatest Variance by Survey

Language

76 76

48

8486 8682

95

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Offer vibrant weekend (Sat-

Sun) Mass

Preach more effectively in

Mass

Offer more times for

confession

Support my siritual growth

Percent indicating “important” or “very important”

English Spanish

Greatest Variance by Race

37

68

62

41

63

8380

56

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Offer more times for confession Preach more effectively in Mass Provide support for married

couples

Use technology more effectively

Percent indicating “important” or “very important”

White Hispanic/Latino

Note: Too few Asians, Native Americans, or Black/African-Americans completed the survey to provide meaningful comparisons.

Greatest Variance by Faith Intensity

76

55

7171

38

64

75

56

6862

48

83

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Offer vibrant weekend (Sat-Sun) Mass Offer more times for confession Provide support to single adults

Percent indicating “important” or “very important”

Faith is the center of my life Faith is one of several elements in my life

I want faith more central in my life Determining what role faith plays in my life

Note: Too few respondents chose “Faith

is not important in my life to produce a

useful category.

Greatest

Variance by

Education

63

83

72

51

78

89

54

83 85

48

72

83

39

67

86

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Offer more times for

confession

Preach more effectively

at Mass

Focus on youth and

young adults

Percent indicating “important” or “very

important”

Less than high school High school diploma Some College

Undergraduate degree Graduate degree

Greatest Variance by Age

62

50

7674

57

6870

43

64

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Reach out to non-practicing

Catholics

Offer more times for confession Provide support for single adults

Percent indicating “important” or “very important”

Young Adults (under 40) Middle Aged (40-59) Seniors (60+)

Diocese of

San

Angelo

Focus

THE SURVEY ASKED

RESPONDENTS HOW

IMPORTANT IT IS FOR THEIR

DIOCESE TO FOCUS ON

SPECIFIC ITEMS IN THE COMING FIVE YEARS

Diocesan Focus: Summary of ResponsesPercent Responses Indicated

Not at all important

A little important

Somewhat important

ImportantVery

important

Importance Index

1

Be more effective in forming

the next

generation in the Catholic

faith

1 1 5 33 62 95

2

Provide training to priests so

they may

more effectively lead our

parishes

0 2 7 34 57 91

3Promote healthy marriage

and family life1 1 7 47 44 91

4

Promote respect for the right

to life 1 2 9 39 48 87

5

Promote vocations to the

priesthood,

diaconate, and religious life0 1 12 49 37 86

6

Be a voice for justice, peace

and human life 1 3 14 42 39 81

7 Provide training for lay leaders 1 3 20 49 27 76

8Reach out more to non-

practicing Catholics1 5 19 44 31 75

9

Provide resources to help

people

resist the use of pornography

3 5 24 42 25 67

Greatest Variance by Survey

Language

64

84

71

79

91

80

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Provide resources to help people

resist the use of pornography

Promote respect for the right to life Reach out more to non-practicing

Catholics

Percent indicating “important” or “very important”

English Spanish

Greatest Variance by Race

59

68

757680 80

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Provide resources to help people resist the

use of pornography

Provide training for lay leaders. Be a voice for justice, peace, and human life

Percent indicating “important” or “very important”

White Hispanic/Latino

Greatest

Variance by

Faith

Intensity

91

7377

82

58

70

85

687476

5966

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Promote respect for the

right to life

Provide resources to help

people resist the use of

pornography

Reach out more to non-

practicing Catholics

Percent indicating “important” or “very

important”

Faith is the center of my life

Faith is one of several elements in my life

I want faith more central in my life

Determining what role faith plays in my life

Greatest

Variance by

Education

63

85

63

76

89

7676

92

76

67

83

67

82 7986

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Provide resources to help

people resist the use of

pornography

Promote respect for the

right to life

Provide training for lay

leaders

Percent indicating “important” or “very

important”

Less than high school High school diploma Some College

Undergraduate degree Graduate degree

Greatest Variance by Age

69

77

92

77

86

93

71

85

64

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Reach out to more non-practicing

Catholics

Promote vocations to the priesthood,

diaconate, and religious life

Promote healthy marriage and family

life

Percent indicating “important” or “very important”

Young Adults (under 40) Middle Aged (40-59) Seniors (60+)

Personal

Importance THE SURVEY ASKED

RESPONDENTS HOW

IMPORTANT SPECIFIC

ITEMS ARE TO THEM

Personal Importance: Summary of ResponsesPercent Responses Indicated

Not at all

important

A little

important

Somewhat important

ImportantVery

important

Importance Index

1

Learn more about how

to pray 1 1 6 36 58 93

2

Learn more about

Church teachings 0 1 7 45 47 92

3Serve the poor

1 2 8 38 51 89

4

Attend social events

that allow me to

get to know my fellow

parishioners

1 2 10 36 52 88

5

Learn to speak about

and share my faith with

others in my life0 2 12 41 39 80

6Connect my faith to

work/life1 3 18 41 37 78

7

Participate actively in

the religious

education of my

children

1 2 8 38 51 74

Greatest Variance by Survey

Language

74

8480

91

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Connect my faith to work/family life Serve the poor

Percent indicating “important” or “very important”

English Spanish

Greatest Variance by Race

73

84

80 80

66

68

70

72

74

76

78

80

82

84

86

Participate actively in the religious education of my children Serve the poor

Percent indicating “important” or “very important”

White Hispanic/Latino

Greatest

Variance by

Faith

Intensity

7886

90

7180 82

7884 86

62

76

66

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Connect my faith to

work/family life

Learn to speak about and

share my faith with others

in my life

Serve the poor

Percent indicating “important” or “very

important”

Faith is the center of my life

Faith is one of several elements in my life

I want faith more central in my life

Determining what role faith plays in my life

Greatest

Variance by

Education

65

87

76

90

79

93

70

848479

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Participate actively in the religious

education of my children

Serve the poor

Percent indicating “important” or “very

important”

Less than high school High school diploma Some College

Undergraduate degree Graduate degree

Greatest Variance by Age

70

92

79

92

77

85

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Connect my faith to work/family life Learn more about Church teachings

Percent indicating “important” or “very important”

Young Adults (under 40) Middle Aged (40-59) Seniors (60+)

A Future Full of HopeListening Sessions and Focus Groups: Themes

Diocese of San Angelo

A Future Full of Hope Listening Sessions and Focus Groups

1. Eight Bilingual Regional Parish Listening Sessions: San Angelo, Abilene, Brownwood, Big Spring, Midland,

Odessa, Ft. Stockton, Ozona.

2. 15+ Focus Group Sessions: Catholic Social Services,

Prison Ministries, Rural Life, Priests, Deacons, College

Students, Youth, Seniors, Pastoral Ministries Advisory

Committee, Conference Day, Women’s Conference,

Young Adults, Catechists, Men’s Conference.

Themes of Listening Sessions and Focus Groups

Parish Listening Sessions: ThemesWhat’s going well—to be maintained, developed…

Eucharistic Adoration

Rosary

Promise of Social Media, Technology

Small group experiences for faith development

Retreats

International Priests (with accent reduction and

cultural training)

Pro-Life Values and Activities

Parish Listening Sessions: ThemesResponding to deeply held concerns

Develop a stronger culture of WELCOMING.

Engage youth in new and vibrant ways.

Engage young adults in new and vibrant ways.

Engage parents in ways that teach them about the Faith and strengthens the Domestic Church, helping them catechize.

Increase cooperation/collaboration among parishes

Develop more adult Bible study and other faith formation

For spiritual growth.

To defend the faith.

Parish Listening Sessions: ThemesResponding to deeply held concerns

Implement more transparent policies (sexual and financial abuse noted), and widely communicate results.

Assist “shared parishes” with aspirations of unity and with intercultural conflict.

Help parishioners encounter Jesus, develop their relationship to Christ, and equip to evangelize.

Establish consistency in sacramental policies and reform legalistic sacramental policies. Make it easier to meet Jesus.

Offer special pastoral care to single parents, parents of disabled children, elderly, the poor (named by Spanish speakers only).

Parish Listening Sessions: ThemesSpecific, deeply felt local needs within the Diocese

Rural areas gravely feel the effects of the priest

shortage.

Sacraments

“Shared Parish” phenom even harder

Need for biblical Self-defense in Bible Belt areas.

Meet the challenge and opportunity of the strong

influx of new people in oil-producing areas.

Thank You for Viewing!

This Ends the Slide

Presentation

Prepared by Dominic Perri and Jeffry Odell Korgen

Essential Conversations Group