204,000 Fewer Students

The July 14, 2006 issue of the West Nebraska Register carried a story by Jerry Filteau from the Catholic News Service. The story highlighted figures from the 2006 Official Catholic Directory. According to the article,

There were some 729,000 high school students enrolled in parish religious education programs, 26,00 fewer than the previous year. Elementary students in religious education numbered nearly 3.5 million, but the total was 81,000 below the previous years figure.

In all, the number of Catholic children receiving faith formation in Catholic schools or religious education programs last year was 204,000 lower than the year before.

As a diocesan director, I would like to discuss this drop in participation. Several questions do come to mind. Are there any other studies that report the same drop in participation? If the Catholic population in the U. S. is increasing, as the article says, why is participation in religious education programs dropping? Are there fewer children to share the faith with or are families opting not to send their children? If they are opting not to send their children, I wonder why. Is the drop in participation uniform across the country, the same in rural and urban areas and the same across cultural lines? So many questions.

Don

Diocesan Director Survey

I received a survey from Mary Ann Ronan, President and Neil A. Parent, Executive Director today regarding NCCL and the Diocesan Director’s Forum. I hope all those who received the survey will take time to complete the online survey and submit it. The survey questions are:

• What are your most important considerations in determining whether to attend NCCL’s annual conference?
• In looking to services from NCCL, which are the top three you look for?
• What are your top two or three major concerns/needs as a diocesan director?
• NCCL has a forum specifically established for diocesan directors. In what
ways can the forum function to make it the most beneficial to you?
• If NCCL could focus its energies and resources on only one issue
this coming year, what would that be for you?

I would find it helpful to discuss our answers to these questions. Share your responses with us on the DDRE forum email list. If you are not yet a member of the list please join us on the DDRE Forum email list. To join the list you will need to register with Google Groups. If you have any difficulty joining the group please let me know at DDREForum@gmail.com
Don

Jeanne Brady

Many of you knew Jeanne Brady from her days as Diocesan Director of the Christian Formation office for the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, from her work with NCCL's Annual meeting or time on the Rep Council. Jeanne died last Friday, June 30, from cancer. Jeanne Brady's funeral arrangements have been made.

Visitation is on Wednesday, July 5th from 6 - 9 pm at Prince of Peace Church, 16000 W. 143rd, Olathe, KS 66062

Funeral Mass is on Thursday, July 6th at 10 am, Prince of Peace Church, Olathe, KS. Burial at Resurrection Cemetery.

If you wish to make a donation in Jeanne's honor, she was working with English as a 2nd language program after her retirement. Donations can be sent to:
Project Finish
1477 E. 151st Street
Olathe, Kansas 66062