CHARLOTTE — Don’t miss your chance to help shape the future of the Diocese of Charlotte by taking part in a special survey exploring your faith journey and your parish’s role in facilitating your spiritual growth.
The “Disciple Maker Index” survey is gathering data from practicing and non-practicing Catholics across western North Carolina, asking about your spiritual growth and your parish’s role in it. The online survey closes this Sunday, April 6.
Every Catholic adult in the diocese is invited to participate – whether you’re deeply involved, go to church only occasionally, or feel disconnected.
The online survey takes just 15 minutes and is available in 19 languages. Not sure where to find the survey? Click here: https://charlottediocese.org/dmi-survey. All responses are confidential and will be used to enhance the life and service of the local Church.
The Disciple Maker Index survey uses a five-point scale instead of open-ended questions to provide a standardized “snapshot” of a parish, said Tricia Cellucci, a consultant with the Catholic Leadership Institute. The apostolate, specializing in leadership training and pastoral governance, is conducting the survey for free as part of a broader strategic plan for the diocese and Bishop Michael Martin as he enters his second year.
The format will help the diocese and parishes contextualize results and better serve spiritual needs, Cellucci said. Parishes can compare results nationally, identifying strengths and opportunities for growth.
“The data are not intended to provide all the answers,” she said. “Rather, the data are intended to start conversations at a parish level as to why parishioners responded in such a way and what it means.”
Bishop Martin is emphasizing the importance of this dialogue and notes that the CLI initiative builds on work done in 2022-2023 for the Synod on Synodality that Pope Francis launched for the Church worldwide.
“The Disciple Maker Index is a gift to the diocese and its parishes,” the bishop said. “Even more importantly, it engages the people of the diocese, and those who are somewhat disengaged from the faith, to help them think about their faith and tell us about their experience.”
“This process is a way of participating in synodality, for the local Church to hear about people’s experience,” he said. “It is an occasion to look at our current circumstances and discern how the
Holy Spirit is calling us to walk together, listen and learn from each other as each one of us is called to be missionary disciples of Christ.”
After the survey closes April 6, CLI will tabulate the results, then host DMI webinars in May and June for pastors and leaders to analyze their survey data and develop parish priorities.
Parishes also will share their results with parishioners.
This summer, Bishop Martin will review the data alongside independent research and other feedback CLI is gathering from priests, diocesan employees and other stakeholders.
By fall, he plans to present a strategic pastoral vision to guide the diocese’s future growth and help the people of the diocese better proclaim and live the Gospel.
— Patricia L. Guilfoyle