This is excellent—can we get more like this for dioceses in different parts of the country? It’s really nice to have articles on matters closer to home
Thanks for this breakdown, Brendan. I appreciate your selection of visualizations...the funerals to baptisms ratio map really reinforces the bigger picture and the priest age cohort chart really clarifies why improving expenses/income ratios alone won't solve the church's problems. Is this the same dataset that Ryan Burge recently posted about Detroit?
I'm curious given the lopsided growth around the archdiocese whether there are any new parishes called for amidst all the closures? In Louisville the last published plans called for a number of consolidations in various deaneries but a new parish being added in a suburban area that has had a lot of growth. It's heartbreaking to think of some of the gorgeous historic churches that will close because they're just nowhere near the believers. Some parishes are able to sustain themselves despite a majority of congregants being outside of the immediate parish zip code; but in my experience those parishes have a strong niche charism that draws people in from so far away. It would be interesting to see whether any data backs up my observation but it's hard enough finding parish boundaries posted online, much less integrated geospatial datasets!
And please especially pray for all the catholic high schools. As a graduate of one myself, they always need prayers and faith filled communities for young men and women to transition into the post-grad world with Christ!
I guess we will find out whether banning traditional liturgical practices and purging the seminary of conservative professors solves their vocations problem.
This is excellent—can we get more like this for dioceses in different parts of the country? It’s really nice to have articles on matters closer to home
Thanks for this breakdown, Brendan. I appreciate your selection of visualizations...the funerals to baptisms ratio map really reinforces the bigger picture and the priest age cohort chart really clarifies why improving expenses/income ratios alone won't solve the church's problems. Is this the same dataset that Ryan Burge recently posted about Detroit?
I'm curious given the lopsided growth around the archdiocese whether there are any new parishes called for amidst all the closures? In Louisville the last published plans called for a number of consolidations in various deaneries but a new parish being added in a suburban area that has had a lot of growth. It's heartbreaking to think of some of the gorgeous historic churches that will close because they're just nowhere near the believers. Some parishes are able to sustain themselves despite a majority of congregants being outside of the immediate parish zip code; but in my experience those parishes have a strong niche charism that draws people in from so far away. It would be interesting to see whether any data backs up my observation but it's hard enough finding parish boundaries posted online, much less integrated geospatial datasets!
Saint Anne, pray for the Archdiocese of Detroit
And please especially pray for all the catholic high schools. As a graduate of one myself, they always need prayers and faith filled communities for young men and women to transition into the post-grad world with Christ!
I guess we will find out whether banning traditional liturgical practices and purging the seminary of conservative professors solves their vocations problem.