Our Current Reality

What does the data tell us?

Over several months, PartnersEdge, LLC, and the Into the Deep Strategic Planning Team have been working hard gathering and analyzing various data sets, including demographic data, parish and school data, financial and giving data, sacramental and priest data, historical data, etc. This professional, comprehensive, and thorough effort has led to the creation of a Current Reality Report, which spells out with great clarity and insight our current reality in the Diocese of Madison.

8 Key Takeaways from Our Current Reality

1. The total population across the Diocese is growing.
2. We are losing Catholic people, especially our younger people; and we are aging.
3. Fewer and fewer people are attending Mass.
4. Significantly fewer people are receiving Sacraments.
5. Faith Formation enrollment is in a free fall, while School enrollment is holding relatively steady.
6. We have significantly fewer priests than in the past, but - praise God! - we project to be relatively stable into the future.
7. People who give donate about 2% of their income; with fewer older people giving more these days.
8. At present, we are facing financial challenges impacting our mission and our employees.

General Demographic Trends 

• Between 2010 and 2021, the total population across the diocese grew 8.5%, and it is projected to grow another 4.3% by 2026.
• In 2021, Millennials (those ages 24-41) comprised the largest generational cohort (24.2%) within the Diocese of Madison.
• By 2026, Generation Z (those ages 23 and under) will comprise the largest generational cohort (24.1%) within the Diocese of Madison.
  • This means that by 2026 nearly half of all people in our diocese will be either Millennials or Gen Z-ers.
• Dane Co. continues to see the greatest population growth, with growth elsewhere along major roads & in population centers, & stagnation or decline in rural areas.

Catholic Demographic Trends

• Between 2013 and 2021, the total number of registered Catholic parishioners across the diocese declined 17.3% (to about 138,000).
• During that same time, parishioners ages 0-17 declined 29.7%.
  • Parishioners ages 18-40 declined 11.8%.
  • Parishioners ages 41-64 declined 23.9%.
• The only age group that grew, and modestly at 4.0%, were parishioners ages 65 and older.

Mass Attendance Trends

• Between 2013 and 2021, Mass attendance declined 39.8%.
• Between pre-COVID Years 2013 and 2019, Mass attendance still declined 16.3%.
• As of 2019, only 31.4% of total registered parishioners attended Mass regularly.
• As of 2019, Sunday Masses were less than 1/3 full (attendance wise) on average across the diocese.
• Fewer and fewer people have been attending Mass for many years; COVID simply accelerated this decline.

Sacramental Trends

• Between 2013 & 2021:
  • Baptisms declined 39.3%.
  • First Communions declined 39.8%.
  • Confirmations declined 9.3%.
  • Weddings declined 21.4%.
• Between 1960 and 2021:
  • Baptisms declined 79.7%.
  • Weddings declined 63.1%.

• In recent years, we have had significantly more funerals than baptisms across the diocese, which is not a recipe for success or a healthy future.
• All of this means, then, that fewer people are receiving God’s grace in their lives.

Youth Formation Trends

• Between 2013 and 2021, faith formation enrollment among students in grades K-12 declined 48.3%.
• Between pre-COVID Years 2013 and 2019, faith formation enrollment among students in grades K-12 declined 37.2%.
• Since 1965, Catholic school (K-8) enrollment has declined 74.4%.
• Thankfully, over the past decade or so, Catholic school enrollment has declined minimally, and it projects to hold relatively steady over the next 5 years.

Priest Trends

• Since 1960, the total number of Priests in the Diocese has declined by 63.3%.
• While priest numbers should remain relatively stable into the future, even at present there are not enough to maintain the status quo – many priests have delayed retirement just to keep things “working.”
• Also, priests are forced to become pastors within 1-2 years of ordination and usually without as much training as would be helpful before being tasked with many administrative responsibilities and burdens.
• Existing structures often prevent the diocese from being able to assign priests to parishes/ministries according to their gifts and talents.
• And many priests have insufficient time for pastoral ministry, spiritual work, etc.

Giving Trends

• In 2021, 52.9% of all registered households gave to their parish and/or diocese.
• Since 2012, the number of Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, & Gen X givers have all declined.
• The Silent Generation, whose average age in our diocese is 84, are currently the second largest giving cohort across the diocese (after the Baby Boomers), contributing about 30% of all giving to our parishes and diocese.

Financial Trends

• Across the diocese our parishes are averaging a $34,000 operating deficit.
• Presently, 61 parishes (out of 102) operate with a net deficit.
  • Of these, 38 contribute to Catholic schools.
• The diocesan average percent investment in ministries and people is trending down while investment in facilities and buildings is trending up.
• Many parishes and schools struggle with proper employee compensation and benefits, and because of this employee retention.