Office:      202-687-8086
Fax:         202-687-8083

Address:  2300 Wisconsin Avenue NW
               Suite 400
               Washington, DC 20007 
Email:    gautierm@georgetown.edu

Diocesan Demographics.  Contact Dr. Mary Gautier, Senior Research Associate, to discuss ways these services can be tailored to assist bishops and other diocesan planners.

• Diocese at a Glance is a new report series created by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate. This 12-page diocesan demographic summary illustrates and explains socio-economic characteristics of both the Catholic and total population living in a diocese. Maps, graphs, and tables clearly illustrate data at the national, provincial, diocesan, and county levels. The report presents data on the size and distribution of the Catholic population in a diocese and province. Census data on population race and ethnic composition, household income, poverty rates, age, and residence provide insight into the community as a whole in which the Catholic Church ministers. This report is intended for a wide audience and is easily reproduced for distribution to diocesan planners, clergy, and lay Catholics alike. In addition to a printed report, dioceses are provided with an electronic .pdf file that may be uploaded to a website, as well as picture files of all maps.

• CARA’s Priest Projection program has been used in more than 60 dioceses over the past 15 years. Known for its precise methodology that proves to have startling accuracy over time, the priest projections are an invaluable tool for clergy planning. The projection uses data from a single questionnaire that is provided by CARA, collecting information on the current age of diocesan priests, priest retirement age, recent ordinations, and seminarians currently in formation. The result is a report with an executive summary, followed by tables and charts with low, medium, and high projections of the number of priests who will be available to serve in a diocese through 2030. The three factors most likely to affect the number of diocesan priests available for active ministry  are the number ordained/incardinated each year, the retirement age, and whether some priests continue to serve after retirement. The Priest Projection report presents 18 likely projections created by different combinations of these three factors. This allows the diocese full flexibility in using the projections as these details evolve over time.

• Demographic Portraits are full-length (45-80 page) reports that explore demographic characteristics of the diocesan population, with an emphasis on the Catholic population. This report uses data from The Official Catholic Directory, Glenmary’s Religious Congregations and Membership, CARA’s National Parish Inventory, and the Census Bureau to create a comprehensive tool that is indispensable in diocesan planning. Historic trends in the size of the Catholic population are presented and projections of the Catholic population are created. The size of the presbyterate in a diocese over time is also explored, and when accompanied by a priest projection report, projections of the ratio of Catholics per priest are also provided. Detailed data at the parish level are available from CARA’s National Parish Inventory. This full-color report utilizes maps and easy-to-understand charts and tables. Parish locations are superimposed on all maps displaying Census or Catholic characteristics, and vicariate or deanery boundaries can be provided as well. Every Demographic Portrait report is tailored specifically to each diocese’s demographic and planning needs.