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

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

General Demographic Trends 

The population in the Diocese of Madison will continue to grow in the next 5 years with greatest growth in Dane Co. and along major roads and population centers. Many of our rural areas will see stagnation or slight decline. By 2026, Generation Z (born 1997 - 2012) will be the largest generational group (24.1%) with Millennials (born 1981 - 1996) right behind them.

Catholic Demographic Trends

The number of practicing Catholics is decreasing, especially among younger generations. Parishioners over 65 comprise 21% of the Catholic population. This age category is the only segment growing, and it’s growing only slightly. The data shows us that if we want to grow the Catholic Church in our diocese into the future, we must realign our resources so that we are better positioned to engage and form the hearts and minds of young people.

Mass Attendance Trends

Fewer and fewer people are attending Mass. And those who do increasingly experience emptier pews, diminished worship, and a lack of real community. Therefore, we must work to change things. Through better coordination between parishes of Mass (and Confession times) and apostolate and formation opportunities, we want 50% of our liturgies to be at greater than 50% capacity. This will help those who attend Mass to experience deeper community with the saints and angels in heaven and with one another, something that is especially important for engaging younger people.

Sacramental Trends

Significantly fewer people are receiving sacraments today than in the past. Infant baptisms have declined about 80% over the past 60 years. Today there are more funerals than baptisms across the Diocese of Madison. Our data shows that we are experiencing a breakdown in the Body of Christ through dwindling participation in the sacraments. We must disrupt this trend for the good of our local church, the diocese, as well as for the eternal salvation of souls.

Youth Formation Trends

Faith formation enrollment is in a free fall. Enrollment among K-12 students has dropped over 48% in the past decade.

Priest Trends

There are significantly fewer priests than in the past. However, the projected number is relatively stable into the future, which is a strength for our diocese. The Diocese of Madison is in better shape than others with regard to numbers of priests. We desire to help care for the priests we do have, however, by reimagining their workload to better reflect our current reality. More collaborative assignments, schedules, and shared responsibilities will help our priests.

Giving Trends

People who give donate 2% of their total income to the Church. Fewer older people are giving more these days.

Financial Trends

At present, we are facing financial challenges impacting our mission and our employees. Across the Diocese our parishes are averaging a $34K operating deficit ($68K if they support Catholic schools; $4K if they do not). 61 parishes operate with a net deficit. Of these, 38 contribute to Catholic schools.
For those parishes investing in Catholic schools, an average of 48.5% of their offertory is contributed to the school annually. The diocesan average percent investment in admin/ministries is trending down while investment in facilities/buildings is trending up. Many parishes and schools struggle with employee compensation and benefits.