Meeting Notes: Wednesday, September 28, 2005
Father conducted an opening prayer service using a St.
Therese Novena Rose Prayer and readings from both St. Peter and the Gospel
according to Matthew.
Introductions were done around the table (see contact sheet)
Aaron discussed the goals listed on the back of the
handout. Goals will be changed as needed as we continue.
Father discussed the requirements of a person on the task
force and also discussed the following sequence of events:
 |
people leaving the faith |
|
low church attendance |
|
lots of churches in the area that aren’t filled (less
churches may result in people seeing them as more valuable) |
|
3,000 college students who say the are Catholic but do
not attend mass |
|
we need to show vibrance in our parish for the Bishop’s
report |
|
No diversity in families - not enough family
participation (Not a large contingent of parents and children) |
|
Two-thirds of our parish doesn’t come (stats show parish
is young?) |
|
summer masses are larger |
|
1,700 people in parish only one quarter attend majority
regulars |
|
790 families belong but 400-500 people attend mass |
|
Church is not as much of a social option(setting) anymore |
|
People stop coming as families grow |
|
kids make decision |
|
kid problems (crying) |
|
mixed marriages |
|
too many distractions |
|
Large number of divorced people - not able to receive
sacraments |
|
sacraments - people want what they want |
|
it’s not easy to go once you’ve stopped (becomes a habit) |
|
people perceive the Catholic Church as wealthy - they
don’t need $ |
|
Only one priest - if they can’t relate to him they leave |
|
Why are we Catholic? - fear, faith, Eucharist |
|
nothing used to happen on Sunday (stores, practice,
parents work, mall) |
|
Teens - “nothing relates to me” |
|
Bulletin is to small |
|
three separate entrances and exists, separates people,
lacking physical facilities |
|
young kids don’t go to church because parents don’t go |
|
fear among priests that we won’t find help form the
people when parishes change/close |
|
groups must last through change and work with new pastor |
|
poor communication among parishes - too divided |
|
crying room |
|
radio broadcast is growing - Protestants and Catholics
(listen and then drawn to church) |
|
survey - “What is your expectation of church” |
|
Sunday evening mass (music and homily relate to kids,
food) (last ditch mass, shortage of priests) |
|
probably can’t alternate priests |
|
probably drop a mass and to go to Sunday night |
|
alternate Sunday mass 11 and 7 |
|
Newman Center is for college students |
|
survey who would come to a night mass |
|
Other church functions should be posted in Bulletin
(calendar) |
|
limit entrances/exits |
|
one CYO for the city |
|
more collaboration between churches |
|
moving towards St. Joe’s w/penance and confirmation |
|
25% of parish is from Fredonia |
|
Put personal spiritual stories in bulletin |
|
Baccalaureate mass for all parishes or ask to be invited
to others |
