Partnering With Parents

More effective

Religious Education

• ‘WE NEED TO SHIFT OUR FOCUS ON FAMILIES FROM ‘OBJECTS’ OF OUR MINISTERIAL EFFORTS TO ‘PARTNERS’.

• We simply must rekindle the family’s desire, effort and ability to be a center of religious activity.

Family or Household of Faith?

Family is a System

• Get into the home

• Build Neighborhood skills

• Build a network of civic relationships

• Develop and maintain a family perspective in your ministry

Households of Faith

• What are five characteristics of the households of faith you work with?

Rediscovering the Impact of Parents and Families

on faith practice.

Declining Participation in Christian Churches

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

USPopulationin Church

on anygiven

Weekend

1990

2009

2020

• In 2020, more than 85% of Americans will be staying away from worshipping God at Church.

What are the Implications?

Growth in No Religious Affiliation among Americans

70%75%80%85%90%

Identify asChristians

1990

2008

0%5%

10%15%20%

No faithaffiliation

1990

2008

Among Americans ages 18-29, 1:4 say they are not currently affiliated with any

particular religion.

0%

5%

10%

15%

No religious affiliation

1990

2008

Becoming More “Spiritual” and Less “Religious”

• Vast majority of Americans – approximately 80% - describe themselves as both spiritual and religious.

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

16%

18%

Over all

18-39yrs.

1998

2008

If these trends continue, how does this affect how we

minister with households?

Changing Structures and Patterns of Family Life in the United States

Delaying Marriage

The average age of first marriage of men today is 27 years old and for

women it is 25 years old. Married couples in their twenties were a majority

of their peers in the 1970s, but were atypical

in 2000.

Having Fewer Children and Later in Life

Average Number of births per woman is 2.

19% of women end their childbearing years with no children.

Median age at which mothers give birth to first child is 24.5 years old.

Birth rate is increasing for women age 35 to 39 and 40 to 44.

2005-2006

Children Living

w/ 2 parents

Children Living

w/ 1 parent

Households including

children under 18

67%

(18% decline since 1968)

28%

(16% increase since 1968)

30%

(20% decline since 1960)

Decreasing Number of Children in Two-Parent Households

0

1,000,000

2,000,000

3,000,000

4,000,000

5,000,000

6,000,000

HeterosexualUnmarried

Couples

1960

1980

2006

Increasing Number of Unmarried Couples Living

Together

(Since 1980-500% increase)

Increasing Time Caring for Children Over the Past 40 Years

Fathers: 6.5 hours/week (153% increase)

Married Mothers: 12.9 hours/week (21% increase)

Single Mothers: 11.8 hours/week (57% increase)

Fathers: 40% multitask

Mothers: 70% multitask

What do these patterns and trends say to us as we develop approaches to partnering with

parents and households?

Catholic population 65.3 million

Parishes 19,496

Marriages 257,000

Infant Baptisms 1 million

Adult Baptisms 162,000

(and entrance into full communion)

Confirmations 629,000

First Communions 893,000

Children (grades 1-8) 3.5 million

(parish religious ed.)

Adolescents 767,000

(parish religious ed.)

Catholic elementary school students 2 million

Catholic high school students 682,000

Participation Trends in the U.S. Catholic Church 2001-2008(Using figures from the Official Catholic Directory)

2001 2008

68.1 million

18,674

192,000

887,000

124,000

622,000

822,000

3.1 million

722,000

1.6 million

674,380

Diocese of Wilmington 2000

   

Catholic Population 193,000

Marriages 875

Infant Baptisms 3006

Baptisms Adults 189

Confirmations 1900

First Communions 2691

Elementary Pupils Catholic School 9830

Elementary Pupils RE 9182

Adolescents 872

Catholic High School 4645

2007

230,000

653

2727

152

2122

2772

8859

7944

1309

4748

Where Do We Go From Here?

Creating the Partnership

• Realistic Vision of Your Households

• Realistic Expectations: What is the partnership we seek? – Partners not objects

• What can we do to facilitate the partnership? – Rekindle desire, effort, ability

• What are the points of contact/entry?