16000 U.S. Catholics Respond to Pope Francis' Call for Input on Family Issues

February 20, 2014

DignityUSA

In November 2013 fifteen U.S. Catholic organizations responded to the Vatican’s call for bishops globally to survey Catholics on family issues.  While bishops’ conferences throughout Europe and Asia made their surveys public the U.S. bishops put forth no unified effort to survey the laity.  The online questionnaire was completed by more that 16000 Catholics in English and Spanish and inspired a similar survey used in Ireland. Analyzed independently by Dr. Peter J. Fagan M.Div. PhD. from the Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore Maryland the survey results highlight 7 core issues of concern: <ul> <li> Pastoral care urgently needed</li> <li> Pedagogical/evangelism challenges</li> <li> Separated divorced and remarried Catholics</li> <li> Same-sex marriage</li> <li> Women in the Church</li> <li> Sexual abuse scandals</li> <li> Skepticism and hope</li> </ul> Fifty-three percent of  survey respondents self-identified as weekly Mass-goers. This is a higher Mass attendance than the overall U.S. Catholic average of thirty-one percent in 2011 (D’Antonio et al. 2013). Deborah Rose-Milavec Executive Director of FutureChurch one of the organizing groups remarked “this finding indicates that respondents are deeply engaged Catholics who care about their Church.” In December a short summary of the quantitative data and a document containing each and every written comment and response was sent to Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri General Secretary of the Synod on the Bishops and the Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz President of the USCCB. The full analysis of this survey was delivered to the U.S. cardinals attending this week’s consistory in preparation for the Synod on the Family in October 2014 and to Cardinal Baldisseri. The report is available in full online: <a href=http://www.mycatholicfamily.org>www.mycatholicfamily.org</a> Linda Pinto Coordinator of Catholic Organizations for Renewal a leadership forum of US organizations inspired by Vatican II noted: "Canon Law (212.3) gives church citizens the ‘right indeed at times the duty in keeping with their knowledge competence and position to manifest their views on matters which concern the good of the Church.’ The tremendous response to this survey shows just how much wisdom Catholics are ready to share with Church leaders." Kate Conmy Assistant Director of the Women’s Ordination Conference remarked: “It is crushing to read that the majority (55 %) of respondents judge that the Church has been  unsuccessful in proposing a manner of praying within the family that can withstand life’s complexities and today’s culture.” Marianne Duddy-Burke Executive Director of DignityUSA an organization of LGBT Catholics and supporters said “One of the saddest things the survey revealed is how many people feel pain due to Church teaching about relationships and families. Nearly three-quarters (74.5%) of respondents said couples are aware when their relationships are not accepted by the Church and almost 70% (69.5%) said these couples feel marginalized. Over a third (35.2%) characterized their dioceses as ‘hostile and condemning’ towards same-sex couples. These numbers are tragic and heart-breaking. It indicates a deep pastoral crisis in our Church and is a good indication of why we see so many people leaving the Church.” "Once again Catholics made clear their needs and hopes for a just and inclusive Church” said Jim Fitzgerald Executive Director of Call To Action. “These significant survey findings must lead to substantial changes for the good of the church we love." Dr. Fagan concludes his 16-page analysis with summarizing the “one near-universal hope” for the respondents to this survey by quoting Pope Francis: “The Church must be a place of mercy freely given where everyone can feel welcomed loved forgiven and encouraged to live the good life of the Gospel” (Evangelii Gaudium #114).                                                                                          ### Organizational sponsors of the survey project include American Catholic Council Call To Action Catholic Church Reform CORPUS DignityUSA Federation of Christian Ministries/Roman Catholic Faith Community Council Fortunate Families FutureChurch New Ways Ministry RAPPORT Roman Catholic Womenpriests Southeastern Pennsylvania Women's Ordination Conference Voice of the Faithful Women's Alliance for Theology Ethics and Ritual (WATER) and Women's Ordination Conference.

16000 U.S. Catholics Respond to Pope Francis' Call for Input on Family Issues

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