Sacraments Today: Belief and Practice among U.S. Catholics

Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA)

Mark M. Gray, Ph.D.

The Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA), est. 1964

The CARA Inspiration:

"In pastoral care, sufficient use must be made not only of theological principles, but also the findings of the secular sciences, especially of psychology and sociology, so that the faithful may be brought to a more accurate and mature life of faith"

--The Second Vatican Council Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World (Gaudium Et Spes).

The Surveys

CARA Surveys commissioned by the USCCB and conducted with random samples of self-identified Catholic respondents from the Knowledge Networks’ U.S. panel:

• Including 1,007 adult Catholics in February 2008. Margin of sampling error ±3.1 percentage points.

• Including 1,008 adult Catholics in June 2007. Margin of sampling error ±3.1 percentage points.

Aside from weddings and funerals, about how often do you attend Mass?

CARA Polls, 2000-2008

39

31363533

3234

3335

3436

33

2226

23 23 2121 23

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Jul-98 Dec-99 Apr-01 Sep-02 Jan-04 May-05 Oct-06 Feb-08 Jul-09

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Telephone

Self-Administered (Knowledge Networks)

Celebrating the Sacraments: Important Influences1. Parental commitment and activity

within the Church2. Enrollment in Catholic schools3. Catholic peers4. Self-commitment and activity within

the Church5. Spousal and family commitment and

activity in the Church

Important Survey Sub-group Comparisons

Sub-groups• Frequency of Mass attendance (weekly or more, monthly,

less often)• Enrollment in Catholic educational institutions (from

primary school to college)• Catholic generations (state of the Church when one

comes of age)

Across Time• We compare to the results of previous CARA polls

conducted between 2000 and 2007 where questions have been asked previously.

Aside from weddings and funerals, about how often do you attend Mass?

34More than once a week

20 22Every week

1112Almost every week

1012Once or twice a month

2425A few times a year

32%25%Rarely or never

20082002

U.S. Adult Catholic Population by Generation

• Catholics make up 22.7% of the U.S. adult population or approximately 51 million U.S. residents age 18 and older.

• Every 1% of the Catholic population in the survey represents more than 500,000 adults. Post-

Vatican II 18.3 million:

35%

Vatican II 16.8 million:

33%

Pre-Vatican II

8.4 million: 17%

Millennial 7.4 million:

15%

Mass Attendance by Generation

21%

38%32% 33%15%

20%30% 31%

19%

18%

24% 19%

45% 24% 15% 17%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Pre-VaticanII

Vatican II Post-VaticanII

Millennial

Once a week or more

At least once a monthbut less than weekly

A few times a year

Rarely or never

Enrollment in Catholic Educational Institutions

• More than half of Pre-Vatican II (55%) and Vatican II Catholics (56%) attended a Catholic school or college at some point.

• Only 40% of Post-Vatican II Catholics 29% of Millennial Generation Catholics have been enrolled at a Catholic educational institution.

Percentage responding “yes”

54%• None of the above

3%• All of the above

7%• College or university

22%• High school

42%• Elementary, middle, or junior high school

Did you attend a Catholic…

The Sacraments

Baptism: Age at Entry into the Catholic Church

Infants, children & teens (93% of respondents)

Age• Less than 1: 90%• 1 to 5: 4%• 6 to 10: 3%• 11 to 17: 1%

…1% of those entering the Church before the age of 18 were baptized in another Christian faith.

Adults(7% of respondents)

Age• 18 to 29: 48%• 30 to 39: 16%• 40 to 49: 21%• 50 or older: 15%

…75% of those who entered the Church as adults went through the RCIA process.

Which of the following have you celebrated? Percentage responding "yes" by Generation

98% 99% 95%93% 94% 91%89% 91%

79%84% 85%

69%

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

FirstReconciliation/Confession

First Communion/Eucharist Confirmation

Pre-Vatican II Vatican II Post-Vatican II Millennial

Catholic Primary School Enrollment and the Celebration of Sacraments by Generation

66%80%Millennial73%87%Post-Vatican II85%89%Vatican II91%99%Pre-Vatican II

Did not attend a Catholic primary school

82%100%Millennial89%99%Post-Vatican II95%98%Vatican II99%99%Pre-Vatican II

Attended a Catholic primary school

ConfirmationFirst Eucharist

How important is it to you that your child or children have celebrated each of the following Catholic sacraments?

Percentage of Catholics with children responding as such

60%65% 61%

18% 16% 16%

12% 10% 13%11% 10% 10%

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

FirstReconciliation/Confession

First Communion/Eucharist Confirmation

Very Important Somewhat Important A little Important Not Important At All

When you attend Mass, how often do you receive Eucharist/Holy Communion?

2232Never2683Seldom212416Frequently or usually31%66%79%Always

Less oftenMonthlyWeekly

…by Mass Attendance

Overall, half of Catholics who have received their First Communion say they “always” receive the Eucharist at Mass. One in five say they do so “frequently or usually” and three in ten say they receive this “seldom” or never” at Mass

How important are each of the following aspects of Mass to you? Percentage responding at least "Somewhat" by Mass attendance

97%

97%

97%

97%

95%

85%

72%

93%

92%

89%

89%

90%

60% 64

%

79%

90%

88%

83%

66%

66%

62%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Feeling thepresence of

God

Prayer andreflection

Receiving theEucharist

Hearing thereadings andthe Gospel

Hearing thehomily

The music The churchenvironment

anddecorations

Weekly Mass attenders Less than weekly but at least once a month A few times a year only

Which of the following statements best agrees with your belief about the Eucharist/Holy Communion?

4337

Bread and wine are symbols of Jesus, but Jesus is not really present.

57%63%Jesus Christ is really present in the

bread and wine of the Eucharist.

20082001

Which of the following statements best agrees with your belief about the Eucharist/Holy Communion?

30%53%

65%91%

70% 47% 35% 9%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Rarely or never A few times a year Once or a few timesa month

Weekly or moreoften

Frequency of Mass attendance

Bread and wine are symbols of Jesus, but Jesus is not really present.Jesus Christ is really present in the bread and wine of the Eucharist.

"Jesus Christ is really present in the bread and wine of the Eucharist"

Percentage saying this "best agrees" with their belief by frequency of Mass attendance and generation

42% 41% 39% 39%

86%

74% 75%85%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Pre-Vatican II Vatican II Post-Vatican II Millennial

Generation

Less than monthly Mass attendanceAttends Mass at least once a month

How important are the following factors to your sense of what it means to be a Catholic? Receiving the Eucharist

Percentage responding "Very" important, by Mass attendance and generation

84%77% 79%

91%

27% 25%29% 28%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Pre-Vatican II Vatican II Post-Vatican II Millennial

Attends Mass at least once a month Attends Mass a few times a year or less often

How often, if ever, do you participate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation or Confession?

4542Never

3032Less than once a year

1214Once a year

1210Several times a year

2%2%Once a month or more

20082005

How often, if ever, do you participate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation or Confession?

Percentage responding as such by Mass attendance

61%

37%

39% 63% 92%

8%0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Weekly Mass attenders Less than weekly but at leastonce a month

A few times a year or less

Frequency of Mass attendance

Confession at least once a year or more Confession less than once a year or never

Perceptions of Sacramental Obligations

• 68% agree “somewhat” or “strongly”that they “can be a good Catholic without going to Mass every Sunday”

• 62% agree “somewhat” or “strongly”that they “can be a good Catholic without celebrating the sacrament of Reconciliation at least once a year.”

Ordination confers on the priest a new status or a permanent character which makes him essentially different

from the laity within the ChurchPercentage responding as such among all respondents and by Mass attendance

53%

72%63%

42%

38% 22% 31% 48%

10%6%6%8%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

All Catholics Weekly or more At least once a monthbut less than weekly

A few times a year orless often

Agree (strongly or somewhat) Neither agree nor disagree Disagree (strongly or somewhat)…by frequency of Mass attendance

Have you ever considered becoming a… Percentage of adult Catholics responding "Yes" within each gender sub-group

17%5%

15%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Priest or religious brother Permanent deacon Religious sister or nun

[Among males] [Among females]

Marital Status and Marriage in the ChurchAmong Adult Catholics

Never married25%

Married in the Church34%

Married, not in the Church nor

convalidated16%

Divorced12%

Widowed5%

Married, not in the Church, but convalidated

3%

Separated1%

Living with a partner

4%

Marital Status of Respondents by Marital Status of Parents

61%

49%

31%

24%

23% 45%

11%18% 17%

3% 10% 7%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Married parents Parents divorced orseparated

Parents never married

Married (currently married or widowed) SingleSeperated or divorced Living with a partner

How important would it be for you to be married in the Catholic Church?

Percentage of never-married Catholics who say they are at least “a little” likely to marry responding as such by frequency of Mass attendance

38%

32%

15%

18%

24% 22%

12% 57% 57%

13%4%9%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

A few times a year or lessoften

At least once a month butless than weekly

Weekly or more

Not at all important A little important Somewhat important Very important

How important is it to you that you receive the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick at some point?

1543Not at all important19114A little important333225Somewhat important33%53%68%Very important

Less oftenMonthlyWeekly

…by Mass Attendance

51% of adult Catholics, or a member of their immediate family, has requested the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick at a time of serious illness.

How meaningful for you are each of the following Catholic sacraments listed below? Percentage responding "Somewhat" or "Very" meaningful

89% 88% 84% 83%78%

71%66%

97% 99% 98% 97% 97%93% 90%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Marriage Baptism HolyCommunion

Confirmation Anointing ofthe Sick

Holy Orders Reconciliation

All Catholics Weekly Mass attenders

The question also specified: This includes, celebrating, receiving, or living the sacrament yourself or in witnessing someone else close to you experience this sacrament

Which of these Catholic sacraments is the most meaningful to you?

Percentage selecting each as "most meaningful"

3%

3%

1%

4%

1%

1%

0%

3%

25%

39%

26%

52%

32%

11%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Eucharist/Holy Communion

Baptism

Marriage

Reconciliation/Confession

Confirmation

Anointing of the Sick

Holy Orders/OrdinationAll Catholics Weekly Mass attenders

How much do you agree with the following statements? Percentage responding at least "Somewhat" among

all adult Catholics and weekly Mass attenders

68%61%

55%

85% 83% 81%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

I am proud to be Catholic Sacraments are essential to myfaith

I think of myself as a practicingCatholic

All Catholics Weekly Mass attenders

Reversing the Trends: Increasing the Likelihood of Sacramental Celebrations• Making the case for Sacraments that

are less frequently celebrated (i.e., Reconciliation and Confirmation).

• Increasing Mass attendance, especially among parents and young Catholics.

• Maximizing the opportunities for parents to enroll children in Catholic schools.

If you missed Sunday Mass at least once in the last six months, how well do each of the following explain, if at all, why you missed Mass?

Percentage responding at least "Somewhat" by Mass attendance

51% 48%41%

26%

38%

21%

41%

31%

21%16%

64%

50%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Busy scheduleor lack of time

Familyresponsibilities

Healthproblems or

disability

Conflict withwork

I don't believethat missing

Mass is a sin

I am not a veryreligious person

Less than weekly but at least once a month A few times a year or less

161716Availability of parish religion

education classes

211520Lack of extracurricular programs222422Perceived quality of academic program241523Competition from local public schools262425Location of school campus291427Lack of transportation and/or busing331329Child's school preferences472644Insufficient tuition assistance54%50%53%Tuition costs

Not Enrolling Enrolling

All Catholic Parents

To what extent were the following a problem when making your Catholic school enrollment decision…Percentage of each group responding "somewhat" or "very much"

Thank You

• The complete results of surveys used in this presentation are available from:

http://cara.georgetown.edu/