Events

Archdiocese Seeks Feedback From Parishioners About Their Faith Life

This is a partial excerpt from a ChicagoCatholic.com article. Click HERE to read the entire article. 

By Joyce Duriga | Editor
Wednesday, February 15, 2023

On Ash Wednesday, Feb. 22, archdiocesan parishes will roll out the Disciple Makers Index Survey to all parishioners with the goal of learning where parishioners are in their faith journeys and how the local church can help them grow in that faith.

People can access the 75-question survey, which organizers say should take 10 to 15 minutes to complete, through a QR code. Paper copies will also be available at parishes. The survey closes on March 31, before the start of Holy Week.

Priests will take a Priests Leadership Inventory Survey at the same time.

“This is an opportunity for us, working with Catholic Leadership Institute, to do a great assessment in our parishes of two things: give parishioners an opportunity to reflect on their own spiritual growth and to provide feedback on the efforts of the parish to help them grow,” said James Klein, senior advisor to the archdiocese, who is helping to coordinate the effort.

The Archdiocese of Chicago is part of a pilot project that includes 15 other dioceses across the country. Funding comes from Lilly Endowment Inc.

“It gives us a great opportunity to assess where we’re at,” Klein said. “The timing is such that it’s very good for us coming out of COVID, coming out of Renew My Church restructuring and how to best move forward in the context of Renew My Church.”

Participants can remain anonymous and surveys are available in 19 languages. Parishes will receive results in early June, along with training on how to understand the information, determine next steps and communicate the results to the parish.

“One of the great things about this, it not only gives parishes the opportunity to look at themselves, but it also provides a real benchmarking opportunity versus other parishes,” Klein said. “You can cut it by demographic groups within your parish. … This survey has now been taken by a million Catholics in the United States, so we have a great opportunity to benchmark against others and other parishes.”

Click HERE to read the rest of the article, and for the Survey Link (which will NOT be live until after Ash Wednesday).