Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 6:30 am Post subject: Atlanta Catholics increase by 30 to 40%!
Diverse Growth Will Have Significant Impact On Future Of Atlanta Archdiocese, Study Suggests
Published: May 17, 2007
ATLANTA—In the next 10 years the growth of the Catholic population in North Georgia is expected to increase by 30 to 40 percent, continuing a strong pattern of growth in the region. This increase is just one of the findings announced today by the Archdiocesan Planning Committee, which recently completed a demographic study as part of the group’s planning efforts for the Archdiocese of Atlanta.
The group’s analysis also noted the significant growth of the Catholic population in the past decade, as the percentage of growth in the number of Catholics doubled the percentage of growth in the general population.
“In the past 10 years, the number of Catholics in North Georgia has grown by 60 percent while the overall population in North Georgia has grown 32 percent,” said Mike Cote, chairman of the planning committee. “We are expecting the number of Catholics in the archdiocese to increase by another 30 to 40 percent in the next 10 years.”
The planning committee analysis also noted that 80 percent of the total population of North Georgia and more than 90 percent of the Catholics in the archdiocese live in the 20 counties of the Atlanta (Metro) Planning Region. One interesting estimate is the prediction that one in 10 Georgians will live in Gwinnett County by the year 2015.
“We are not the same archdiocese that we were 20 years ago,” Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory recently told the members of the planning committee. He clarified, “We are the same Catholic Church—but we are already a very large, growing, multicultural archdiocese in North Georgia, and we will continue to grow substantially in the next 10 years.”
The archbishop’s theme of “diverse growth” in the coming years is supported by the initial findings, released today by the planning committee, which was formed in September 2006 to study the needs, issues and growth of the Catholic Church in North Georgia.
The general population of North Georgia is also likely to become more ethnically and culturally diverse in coming years, as net migration to Georgia continues from other states and other countries.
“These changes can already be seen in parishes such as St. Pius X in Conyers (with new African immigrants) and St. Michael in Gainesville (with growth in the Hispanic segment),” said Msgr. Luis Zarama, one of two vicars general serving the archdiocese, “and in the growth of parishes in desirable recreational locations such as Blairsville and Greensboro.”
Two key changes in the ethnic mix of the North Georgia population were noted in the study. The percentage of the total population in the white, non-Hispanic segment is projected to decrease by 2015, even with an absolute increase of 800,000 people in this segment in the next 10 years. The total population for the Hispanic (any race) segment is expected to nearly double in the same time period. Additionally, the population of North Georgia is expected to become both older and younger by 2015, since the study showed that the fastest growing age groups will be people 65 and older and those 14 and younger.
Msgr. Joe Corbett, who also serves the Atlanta archdiocese as vicar general, indicated that “these changes provide tremendous insights into opportunities for us to serve more of the population of North Georgia. However, this level of growth will also create challenges regarding how to meet the increase in demand—for sacramental services, Catholic education and basic social services.”
Msgr. Corbett stated that these demographic changes are expected to have a significant impact on the Archdiocese of Atlanta. In order to maintain the same level of service available to today’s Catholic population, the archdiocese will need many more parishes and priests as well as additional Catholic schools in the next 10 years.
“Finding ways to meet the future needs of the archdiocese requires a thoughtful, inclusive and wide-ranging process—and that is exactly what the planning committee is committed to doing,” said Archbishop Gregory. “We will do what is best for the future of this archdiocese, but doing the right thing takes thorough analysis and thoughtful consideration.”
He added that the planning committee’s charter is for three years—“and we are just in our first year.”
The Archdiocesan Planning Committee is comprised of 16 members including the archbishop, vicars general, a Catholic school principal, a deacon, a pastor, and various other members of the laity who have served within their parish communities. The group has been working with a consulting firm, The North Highland Company, to identify the major needs and issues that confront the church today. Those who are serving on the committee meet monthly 10 times a year and have made a three-year commitment.
In addition to the demographic analysis, the planning committee has obtained input from a number of other sources. Cote explained, “We have data from interviews with nearly all pastors, Catholic school principals and archdiocesan department and ministry heads, as well as the results of prior archdiocesan and independent studies.”
All of these sources will form the basis for the group’s re-examining the vision and mission of the archdiocese.
“Any organization’s vision should represent an inspiring and ambitious description of its future,” said Msgr. Zarama.
The planning committee is currently identifying the key elements to use in developing a comprehensive vision statement for the archdiocese in the coming months. These elements, said Msgr. Zarama, will reflect “what we want to honor, such as our Catholic traditions, being open and inclusive,” as well as “our commitment to Catholic education and where we want to be in the future, ensuring healthy, thriving parishes, increased vocations and committed evangelization.”
Cote commented, “These vision elements will provide structure for our future decision-making process and prioritization of mission elements and guidance for our archdiocesan mission statement. We will focus our resources on activities that move us along the road toward our vision.”
“While the overall mission of the archdiocese remains the same—to bring eternal salvation to the people of North Georgia,” said Msgr. Corbett, “we need to express this mission in ways that help each of us to see more clearly what we can do to achieve this goal.”
To this end, the planning committee has identified six elements that will become the focus of the final mission statement for the archdiocese. These elements, which will help define the archdiocese’s future priorities, are sacramental availability and pastoral counseling, faith formation, education, social services and charity, evangelization, and fellowship.
These elements reflect the concerns of the church for Catholics in North Georgia during this period of growth and expansion. The Catholic Church will work to ensure the timely availability of celebrations of the Mass and access to the sacraments and pastoral counseling and to provide faith formation throughout life, expanding the availability of resources and programs to encourage, nurture and support the ongoing spiritual growth and well-being of all parishioners.
Catholic schools are another important part of the mission, with the goal of increasing the availability of affordable Catholic elementary and secondary schools to the greatest extent possible to Catholic families in a wide range of economic segments within the archdiocese.
The mission includes providing social services and charity and encouraging Catholics to actively “live” their faith by sharing time, talent and treasure with the poor and marginalized and working to improve social justice in their homes and communities. Through evangelization, the church’s mission is to energize the Catholic population to understand and embrace its role in spreading the Catholic faith to all people within North Georgia.
And in fellowship, the archdiocese will support efforts by all parishes and missions to provide a welcoming, positive community for all parishioners, while being open to all visitors.
According to Cote, “during June,” the planning committee’s focus will be on launching market research of the laity to “provide opportunities to our parish and mission congregations for direct input to the planning committee relating to their needs and the overall goals for the archdiocese.” The committee will also develop an implementation plan to prioritize their work for the next two years.
In the fall, a series of three meetings will be held to share the planning committee’s recommendations with a wider audience, which will include pastors, parishioners and staff.
Throughout the next fiscal year 2007-2008, the planning committee will use the implementation plan to continue its work through a number of subcommittees, which will be formed to further define the key mission elements and the archdiocesan operational, educational and facilities models. Additionally, final vision and mission statements are expected to be completed, and initial steps will be taken to implement the archdiocesan strategic plan in parishes, missions, Catholic schools and archdiocesan offices.
I used to live in a suburb of Atlanta, right around the time they tried to take the Mass away from us. Every Catholic household had to read The Georgia Bulletin -- your parish had to pay for it, whether you wanted it or not. I used to look forward to reading Andrew Greeley's column, for it was the most conservative thing in the entire rag.
I've been back, on and off. Things have gone down hill since I lived there.
If the Catholics are as Luke Warm in their brand of Catholicism like Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory, then they might as well be Protestant.
My bet is that if they receive in the hand, then they are probably also pro abort and contraception.
Good Priest I have talked with the "In the PAW" factor all agree.
This is +/-96% of the NO Catholic population.
The Church is better off with out them.
Qm2/ss
The Church is not better off without them. The Church is best served trying to catechize them and make them faithful Catholics. If the priests did their job they would either embrace the faith or leave it and draw a line in the sand.
I would never hope to say anyone is better off without the Church. There are many good people in the NO who are simply misled, they aren't a majority, but I believe in hope and prayer before throwing people out.
Joined: 08 Jul 2005 Posts: 164 Location: Atlanta, GA
Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 8:33 pm Post subject:
I just wish our St. Michael's Chapel in Atlanta would increase 30-40%. If we could constantly get like 250 people a week at Sunday Mass, it would be perfect. Of course anything more than 200 is pushing the seating capacity, but I'd rather have people standing in the back than looking at empty spaces in the pews.
Joined: 24 Aug 2004 Posts: 1714 Location: Virginia Beach, VA
Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 8:48 pm Post subject:
Darian Fisher wrote:
I just wish our St. Michael's Chapel in Atlanta would increase 30-40%. If we could constantly get like 250 people a week at Sunday Mass, it would be perfect. Of course anything more than 200 is pushing the seating capacity, but I'd rather have people standing in the back than looking at empty spaces in the pews.
That would be great, as Father Danel is an excellent priest. I've never been to St. Michael's in Atlanta, but I do know the priest.
Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 9:37 pm Post subject: Re: Atlanta Catholics increase by 30 to 40%!
Quote:
Throughout the next fiscal year 2007-2008, the planning committee will use the implementation plan to continue its work through a number of subcommittees, which will be formed to further define the key mission elements and the archdiocesan operational, educational and facilities models. Additionally, final vision and mission statements are expected to be completed, and initial steps will be taken to implement the archdiocesan strategic plan in parishes, missions, Catholic schools and archdiocesan offices.
The new Gospel:
"Go forth unto all nations, forming committees and subcommittees, doing market research on what people there want you to say, work up your models and strategic plans, and launch it with a vision statement. That should last for three years, until the people want you to change what you say in order to validate whatever new beliefs and lifestyles they have adopted at that point."
Percentages are deceiving, and can easily be used to generate false headlines. (hypothetical example)
Headline and story
HETEROSEXUAL AIDS INCREASES 100% in 10 YEARS
Upon detailed analysis of numbers
(there were 10 cases , and there are now 100, in a population of 200,000,000. 99 of the cases were dirty drug drug users. One case was from a blood transfusion.)
Beware of headlines that rely on percentages. Consider them a red flag, and look further into the actual numbers.
Joined: 04 May 2007 Posts: 284 Location: Western Massachusetts
Posted: Sat May 19, 2007 10:29 am Post subject:
nadieimportante wrote:
Percentages are deceiving, and can easily be used to generate false headlines. (hypothetical example)
Headline and story
HETEROSEXUAL AIDS INCREASES 100% in 10 YEARS
Upon detailed analysis of numbers
(there were 10 cases , and there are now 100, in a population of 200,000,000. 99 of the cases were dirty drug drug users. One case was from a blood transfusion.)
Beware of headlines that rely on percentages. Consider them a red flag, and look further into the actual numbers.
Yes, that's a good point. There are not as many Catholics in the South and so when the overall numbers increase it is a large increase considered as a percentage of the whole. Plus, this is the result of simple demographics, not mass conversions.
I'm going to have to add to the gloom and doom on this thread. First, as I said, the increase is simple demographics: 1) Hispanic immigration and 2) Yankee retirees from more Catholic regions of the country. In fact, in Western Mass where I am we are closing parishes because, among other things, retired Catholics are moving to the Sun Belt. And it is true that Catholicism in the South is heavily Protestantized and Charismatic. In fact, you see a lot of the mega-church mentality. It will work for awhile, but as the South becomes more secular and wealthy the lack of solid catechesis and the bad liturgy will lead to an abandomnent of the faith. We are already failing to retain the Hispanic immigrants as they either convert to evangelical Protestantism or leave the faith altogether.
Still, the temporary influx of Catholics presents a great oppurtunity for traditionalists to create a foothold in the South. Catholics want to know more about their faith and the more they seek it the more they will move towards tradition. So this is still good news, just not as good as the diocese is trying to portray it.
Qm2/ss wrote:
If the Catholics are as Luke Warm in their brand of Catholicism like Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory, then they might as well be Protestant.
My bet is that if they receive in the hand, then they are probably also pro abort and contraception.
Good Priest I have talked with the "In the PAW" factor all agree.
This is +/-96% of the NO Catholic population.
The Church is better off with out them.
Qm2/ss
The Church is not better off without them. The Church is best served trying to catechize them and make them faithful Catholics. If the priests did their job they would either embrace the faith or leave it and draw a line in the sand.
I would never hope to say anyone is better off without the Church. There are many good people in the NO who are simply misled, they aren't a majority, but I believe in hope and prayer before throwing people out.
Oh did I hit a nerve there? Sorry. I did not quote a documented statistic. I just made an empirical observation.
BTW I did not say that anyone was better off with out the Church. I said that the Church is better off with out them.
I find that the "Good People" I have run into at the NO are not willing to look and or see outside the box they are in.
Additionally I am not in favor of throwing anyone out. I am in favor of informing them that they are already OUT.
It is like saying, for instance, "I PERSONALLY AM NOT IN FAVOR OF
(YOU INSERT PHRASE HERE, like Abortion, Homosexuality, Slavery),
BUT I DO NOT FEEL RIGHT TELLING SOMEONE ELSE THEY ARE WRONG SO THEREFORE I AM PRO abortion ......"
Are you afraid of the truth? Sure sounds like it to me.
That is OK if you are, it just means that you are very similar to many other catholics who are Pro .........., because they do not want to offend someone else.
Tho shall not Kill
Homosexuality is a sin. Etc.
These are not my words.
If so many want to call themselves CATHOLIC BUT DO NOT WANT TO BE CATHOLIC, then what does that make us who actually fully do follow the Churches teachings.
First IT MAKES US STUPID IF WE ARE SILENT!!!!!
And That is right it makes us "Radical, Right Wing Traditionalists. In some arenas it makes us Anti Semites, and the worse thing that anyone could be is INTOLERANT".
If this is true then so be it. I will not give up my faith so quickly as you do so as not to offend, or to kick out.
Oh I can Just feel / smell the charity, sweet and kind like honey on rot.
The whole lot has already kicked themselves out. They did not need my say so. Nothing I have said will make, or not make it happen.
Wake up and see the dead grape vines. Or just keep watering them and putting out fertilizer.
I live for the truth of the full ORTHODOX, CATHOLIC faith that I practice.
If you do not, that is fine. Have a nice trip!
I will pray for them and you yes, but I will not buy a ticket and ride with you so that you feel better.
Life and Faith are not about "Feelings". _________________ The NO is like a box of Chocolates.............
There are not as many Catholics in the South and so when the overall numbers increase it is a large increase considered as a percentage of the whole. Plus, this is the result of simple demographics, not mass conversions.
There's some organic growth, but most of the anticipated increase is due to immigration from the south and transplants to the north.
About five years ago the Atlanta paper (AJC) ran a survey of "Christian denominations" in the area. Baptists were far and away the largest crowd; neck and neck at second place were Catholics and Methodists.
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
