Into the Deep

Into The Deep is a multi-year comprehensive strategic planning process that will enable the Diocese of Madison and its institutions to move from "maintenance to mission." Its goal is to discern how best to align our resources – human, physical, financial, etc. – to more effectively spread the Gospel far and wide and then do so. We hope that as a result of this effort more and more people in the Diocese of Madison will come to know the life-changing good news of Jesus Christ risen from the dead, through vibrant parishes, reenergized leaders, and Catholics set on fire with the love of God and neighbor!

What Does The Data Tell Us?

The Diocese of Madison engaged PartnersEdge to gather Catholic analytics and insights from within our own diocese. This data informed the strategic road map we are now following to move us from maintenance to mission in all that we do. 

The information below presents the key takeaways from the data and what the current reality in our parishes and diocese is. You can also read the complete CURRENT REALITY REPORT.

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.

Refusing to Settle

To summarize: the Current Reality Report reveals with great clarity that we face significant challenges, which require a significant and bold solution – especially if we are going to better fulfill the Lord Jesus’ universal mandate to “go make disciples” and hand on the faith that we have received and treasure to our children, grandchildren, and greatgrandchildren. Given the 8 takeaways mentioned above we must humbly recognize that the status quo isn’t sustainable. Although we’re profoundly grateful for the diligent efforts of many faithful and dedicated people over the decades, so much of what we’ve been doing in recent years hasn’t been working and many of our inherited structures, institutions, and ways of doing things inhibit rather than serve our mission and the needs of people today. So, rather than “doubling down” on once effective but now failing strategies and models from a bygone era, it is time for us to courageously “cast into the deep” by letting go of what we’ve known (as difficult as it may be), so that with God’s help we might reimagine and realign our resources, structures, and parishes for the sake of evangelization, discipleship, and mission. To that end, a diocesan-wide model of how our parishes are organized and operate was created. We hope and believe that by joining forces and coming together in new ways we will be better positioned to more fruitfully and effectively: 1) follow Jesus; 2) reclaim Sunday; 3) evangelize others; 4) engage youth; 5) equip leaders; and 6) serve neighbors across the entire diocese both now and into the future. An initial outline or sketch of this new model is as follows: Our diocese's 102 parishes (and their 135 churches + school buildings, rectories, other buildings, etc.) have been reorganized/reconfigured into approximately 30 “pastorates” or groupings of parishes – each under the leadership of a single Pastor and other priests collaborating with him and serving as Parochial Vicars (or priests in residence, if retired). St. John Vianney Parish is part of Pastorate 13 which also includes Nativity of Mary, St. Patrick, and St. William. Our new pastor is Fr. Eric Nielsen and our parochial vicars are Fr. Rick Heilman, Fr. Matthew Pearson, and Fr. Vince Racanelli. Click to see all the PASTORATES AND PRIEST ASSIGNMENTS >> STAY IN TOUCH We believe that the Into the Deep strategic planning process will help us to achieve a brighter future and a more vibrant local Church, but this process will require the participation and engagement of every Catholic in the Diocese of Madison. We would love to have you walk with us. Stay updated with Into the Deep Flocknote messages > https://bit.ly/3NhcSgI  Into the Deep Website > https://bit.ly/3dy5Ybo  Español  > https://bit.ly/3Sn3pHM  May God help all of us to follow Him...into the deep!