INFORMATION BULLETIN No 85

NOVEMBER 2007

 

Dear Brothers in Ministry

Parishes with excess of 10,000 Catholics

Why Catholics stop going to Mass

Attendance Comparison

Change in Mass Attendance

Sources of Data

 

Dear Brothers in Ministry

 

No doubt you will remember the national Census of August last year. Most will remember the Mass count in May this year; quite a number, the National Church Life Survey, while perhaps a smaller number will be aware of the research on why people have stopped attending Mass, conducted by the Australian Bishops’ Pastoral Projects Office under the direction of Mr Bob Dixon . Recently in Hobart I heard Bob Dixon pull together the results of the four projects, providing in-teresting data on the shape of the Catholic Church here and into the future. He’s worth listening to.

 

The seven ‘church-based’ reasons and the three ‘participant-based’ reasons given in the research pro-ject on why people have stopped attending Mass are listed inside. The research methodology used was ‘qualitative’ in nature, based on a small number of detailed interviews. In essence, the results correspond with reasons given in other research projects of recent years, but providing more depth. There is, surely, a sense of urgency for us in dealing with these issues.

 

I promised up-to-date information on parishes with more than 10,000 Catholics when the new census data became available. The new list of 71 (up from 47 in 2001) is printed on the back. The larger numbers do not necessarily reflect higher attendance! And if the numbers are higher, can we thank perhaps amalgam-ations, or migrants and their children? You will, no doubt, draw your own conclusions.

 

Best wishes for the end of year events.

      

Frank Devoy

Director

PARISHES WITH IN EXCESS OF 10,000 CATHOLICS BY NEW CENSUS DATA:2006

 

Cath Population    Parish-Diocese

Rank

28061                    Burleigh Heads - Brisbane                 

20054                    Narre Warren - Sale                         

19312                    Maroochydore - Brisbane                    17939                    Camden - Wollongong                     

17566                    Caloundra - Brisbane                           

17224                    Sth Tuggeranong - C’berra-G             

17213                    Salisbury - Adelaide                        

 

16967                    Surfers Paradise - Brisbane               

16946                    Southport - Brisbane                        

16042                    Caboolture - Brisbane                         

15705                    Werribee - Melbourne                        

15388                    Gladstone Park - Melbourne            

15127                    Bonnyrigg - Sydney                             

 

14971                    Mill Park - Melbourne                      

14955                    Laverton - Melbourne                          

14805                    Croydon - Melbourne                           

14699                    Nowra - Wollongong                          

14652                    Craigieburn - Melbourne                      

14501                    Browns Plains - Brisbane                     

14183                    Castle Hill - Parramatta                      

14081                    Keilor Downs-Kealba - Melbourne          

14025                    Bundaburg – Rockhampton                  

 

13703                    Epping - Melbourne                             

13471                    Sunnybank - Brisbane                          

13334                    Mt Pritchard - Sydney                       

13314                    St Albans West - Melbourne              

13195                    Smithfield - Sydney                          

 

12907                    Orange - Bathurst                            

12221                    Shellharbour City - Wollongong        

12180                    Queanbeyan - Canberra/G                    

12117                    St Albans (p/t Syd’ham) Melbourne    

12090                    Grovely - Brisbane                            

12046                    Sunbury - Melbourne                          

12034                    Para Hills/Modbury - Adelaide           

 

11915                    Redcliffe - Brisbane                            

11908                    Port Macquarie - Lismore                  

11896                    Toukley - Broken Bay                         

11895                    North Harbour - Broken Bay             

11878                    Plumpton - Parramatta                     

11717                    Oxenford - Brisbane                          

11405                    Berwick  - Sale                              

11382                    St Clair - Parramatta                        

11283                    Menai - Sydney                                   

11131                    Goodna - Brisbane                              

11068                    Tea Tree Gully - Adelaide                 

11060                    Liverpool - Sydney                        

 

10924                    Inala - Brisbane                                 

10857                    St Marys - Parramatta                        

10814                    Ocean Reef - Perth                           

10753                    Kenmore - Brisbane                          

10664                    Petrie - Brisbane                               

10661                    Beenleigh - Brisbane                            

10644                    Tweed Heads - Lismore                     

10599                    The Entrance - Broken Bay                  

10576                    Gladstone - Rockhampton                    

10567                    Coffs Harbour - Lismore                 

 

10451                    Bossley Park - Sydney                   

10421                    Lakes - Broken Bay                            

10416                    Greystanes - Parramatta                  

10359                    Rowville - Melbourne                         

10359                    Launceston - Hobart                          

10308                    East Lake Macquarie – Newcastle     

10250                    Woy Woy - Broken Bay                         

10195                    Dubbo St Brigid’s - Bathurst              

10171                    Yangebup - Perth                             

10162                    Bellerive-Lindisfarne - Hobart           

10158                    Elizabeth - Adelaide                           

10098                   Mackay North - Rockhampton                

10077                   Cranbourne - Sale                            

10016                    Lane Cove - Sydney                        

10016                    Wyong - Broken Bay                          

 

  9996                  Burpengary-Brisbane  

  9977                  Hervey Bay-Brisbane                                   

  9922                   Wodonga - Sandhurst                     

  9894                   Rosemeadow - Wollongong          

  9880                   Girrawheen - Perth                     

  9850                   Morphet -Adelaide                          

  9805                   Quakers Hill - Parramatta

9805                   Springvale-Melbourne

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Sources of Data

 

1. For information on Reasons why Catholics stop going to Mass see: “Catholics who have stopped going to Mass: Final Report February 2007.”

 This can be obtained from Pastoral Projects Office, Australian Catholic University , Locked Bag 4115, Fitzroy 3065; also available on their website: www.ppo.catholic.org.au

2. Data on Change in Mass attendance can be obtained from Mr Bob Dixon at the above address.

3. Data on Attendance comparison for Australian-born and Overseas-born, see address by Bishop Joseph Grech, delivered to Migrant Chaplains and their Assoc-iates at their Second National Conference, North Sydney, 29th October 2007; due to be posted on website: www.acmro.catholic.org.au