General Assessment and Outlook for the Future of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis
(This is a portion of a document which Bishop Coyne will present to Pope Benedict XVI while on his ad limina visit)
Growth
The official registered number of Catholics in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis remains virtually unchanged since the last Quinquennial Report, but a growing Hispanic population, the majority of whom are from Mexico, is a source of growth.
Catholics in central and southern Indiana number approximately 228,000, but we estimate there are more than 82,000 Spanish-speaking Catholics who are mostly new to the archdiocese. Many of these Hispanic Catholics are not registered members of a parish, but regularly attend Mass. The majority of Hispanics live in or near Indianapolis. The archdiocese has 19 parishes that celebrate Mass in Spanish and provide ministries for people who speak Spanish. A shortage of priests who speak Spanish will be an on-going challenge to ministering to this growing Hispanic population.
During the period covered by this report, nearly all of the 151 parishes have made major improvements or are in the process of making improvements to aging church buildings and schools and other parish facilities thanks to a very successful capital fundraising campaign called Legacy for our Mission. This capital campaign raised more than $116 million. The money raised for capital improvements from the Legacy for Our Mission campaign will continue to have a positive impact on the archdiocese for some time into the future.
Financial
The financial condition of the archdiocese is sound even as we are challenged in dealing with a weakened economy. For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2010, net assets of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis and certain entities of the archdiocese (including Catholic Cemeteries Association, The Criterion, Fatima Retreat House, CYO, St. Mary’s Child Center, Catholic Community Foundation, Catholic Charities and related eliminations) exceeded $138.7 million. Cash and cash equivalents and investments exceeded liabilities by more than $48 million. While there are some parishes that are struggling to pay bills and are currently running a deficit, efforts are being made to consolidate assets and parishes in order to decrease the number of such parishes.
The Catholic Community Foundation, a separate corporation established by the archdiocese to invest and administer individual endowment funds for the benefit of participating parishes, schools and agencies, has total assets of $146.4 million. The annual archbishop’s appeal, the Christ Our Hope Appeal, raises between $4 million and $5 million annually above Sunday and Holy Day collections. The archdiocese is making progress at promoting Planned Giving and encouraging parishioners to remember the archdiocese in their estate planning.
The only significant financial issue is an underfunded clergy retirement plan, which is currently being addressed.
Education
More than 42 percent of the parishes in the archdiocese have a Catholic school. There are currently 68 archdiocesan Catholic schools – 57 elementary schools and 11 high schools. Forty-three of the elementary schools also operate pre-schools. Our schools enroll more than 22,000 students and are staffed by more than 1,800 teachers and administrators. Our high school graduation rate is 98 percent and our elementary schools have been awarded the federal government’s national Blue Ribbon School status for excellence in education more times than any other diocese in the United States. Our students routinely score well above students in the public schools on the state of Indiana’s standardized achievement tests.
Religious Education and Youth/Young Adult Ministry
Each of the 151 parishes and missions is encouraged and expected to have a comprehensive, cradle-to-grave evangelization and religious education effort in place. All archdiocesan elementary schools require classroom religious instruction on a daily basis. High school students are required to take one religious studies/theology course each semester. All teachers are required to participate in professional development programs offered through the archdiocese. All teachers and administrators (as well as those in parish religious education programs) will soon be required by the archdiocese to participate in a catechist certification process overseen by the archdiocese’s Office of Catholic Education.
Each year a standardized religion assessment is administered to students in grades 3, 6, 8 and 11. Catholic school students as well as those in parish catechetical programs take this assessment entitled Faith 2000. Parents, catechists and administrators receive feedback on individual students’ doctrinal knowledge as well as group information on the religious attitudes and faith-related practices of these children and youth. Parents are encouraged in their role as primary educators of their children and catechetical leaders are asked to use the assessment results when making decisions about their catechetical program from one year to the next.
Our parish-based religious education programs serve more than 25,000 parishioners each year. Of these parishioners, 12,305 are instruction in pre-school through grade 8 catechetical programs. In 2010, nearly 14,000 parishioners attended adult education programs operating in 92 parishes. We also continue to provide support and direction to SPRED, a national Catholic program designed to meet the spiritual needs of developmentally disabled persons.
In 2006, the position of Archdiocesan Director of Youth Ministry was placed administratively within the Office of Catholic Education. Alongside the Director of Catechesis, this staff member serves parish youth ministers who provide evangelization, catechesis and additional aspects of ministry for teens involved with parish youth ministry efforts as well as several major archdiocesan trips or activities. The Director of Youth Ministry also collaborates with campus ministers in Catholic high schools and focused significant time in 2010 preparing to host the National Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis—a gathering of over 23,000 teens and chaperones from throughout the United States in conjunction with the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry. The Archdiocese of Indianapolis will host the National Catholic Youth Conference for the United States again in 2013 and could become the permanent host site for the event.
Parish Planning
The archdiocese has undertaken a new initiative called Connected in the Spirit, a parish planning project structured to have parishes plan for the future in concert with other parishes. Connected in the Spirit will be carried out in each of the 11 deaneries in the archdiocese. The planning process already has been completed in one deanery resulting in the planned closing of four of the deanery’s 14 parishes. The planning process is currently underway in another deanery. With 11 deaneries in the archdiocese this process will take some time to complete.
The over-all goal of Connected in the Spirit is to enhance the vibrancy of parish life in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis so that parishes will be signs of faith, hope and love to all God’s people. Due to demographic shifts, the diminishing number of priests, and the financial situation of many parishes, a process was needed to lessen stress and remove obstacles so all parishes could be strong ones.
This planning process will help the archdiocese and its members be good stewards of our human and financial resources and discover ways to reorganize parishes, so that current parishioners and future ones will be well served.
Priestly Vocations and Permanent Deacons
We have ordained 16 new priests in the past five years and currently have 28 seminarians studying for the priesthood. In 2004, the Bishop Simon Bruté College Seminary was established in Indianapolis with seven men in formation, and was raised to the status of a seminary in 2006. Today, the Bishop Bruté Seminary has 35 college seminarians from eight dioceses, including nine for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, and it continues to grow. We expect to expand the seminary in the next year. Our major seminary, Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology, has 18 seminarians for the archdiocese.
In June of 2008, the archdiocese ordained its first class of 25 permanent deacons and an Office of Deacons was established. These deacons are now serving in parishes throughout the archdiocese as well as charitable ministries where they minister in local hospitals and jails. Our second formation class of permanent deacons consisting of 16 men are now preparing for ordination in June of 2012. A period of inquiry and discernment will begin in September of 2012 in order to form a third deacon formation class.
Legal Issues
The Archdiocese of Indianapolis does not have a significant number of abuse cases. Up to this point, every effort has been made to settle cases before they get to court. There are presently about six cases remaining to be settled. Money has been set aside accordingly for the possibility of future settlements.
Conclusion
The Archdiocese of Indianapolis is a dynamic, growing Church committed to the poor and the marginalized. The clergy and people of the archdiocese continue to pray for His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI as he prepares to send us our next shepherd.