CARA Services

CARA Surveys and Polling

CARA Catholic Poll:

The Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) at Georgetown University is committed to acquiring the most up-to-date and accurate information and CCP Logo understanding of the opinions, attitudes, and behaviors of Catholics in the United States today. CARA is the national leader in surveying Catholics with its annual CARA Catholic Poll (CCP), an omnibus survey of U.S. adult Catholics.

Recent publications from CCP data include:

Sacraments Today: Belief and Practice among U.S. Catholics
Marriage in the Catholic Church: A Survey of U.S. Catholics
Catholics Reactions to the News of Sexual Abuse Cases Involving Catholic Clergy
The Impact of Religious Switching and Secularization on the Estimated Size of the U.S. Adult Catholic Population

CARA research has been cited in more than 600 news stories since 2000. We hope our research and the CCP can be of assistance to you. If you have any questions or inquiries please contact Mark Gray by phone at 202-687-0885 or by email.

Parish Planning Surveys:

Using CARA's Pastoral Assistance Surveys and Services (PASS) system, parishes are given the tools to survey all people in the pews on a given weekend. Using these data, CARA researchers then compile user-friendly reports for parish deicision makers. For more information about PASS, contact CARA research associate
Melissa Cidade.

Tailored Survey Design:

CARA has the capabilities to administer polls and surveys based on the needs of any Catholic organization. Whether a large, nationally represenative poll, or a small-scale data gathering project, CARA's knowledge of sound research practices and the workings of the Catholic Church give it unique perspective in to Catholics nationwide. CARA offers a wide variety of surveys, such as member satisfaction surveys, needs assessment surveys, and program evaluations to help Catholic organizations and institutions better understand their members and their mission. Each project is tailored to the unique needs of the organization. Surveys are typically composed of closed-ended questions that measure behavior, opinions, and attitudes, and sometimes include a few open-ended questions that allow respondents to express their thougths more fully. CARA designs paper surveys that can be mailed or passed out to a group, as well as surveys that can be completed online or by telephone. Contact senior CARA researcher assoicate, Mary Gautier, for more information on how CARA can meet your research needs.