I asked 31 parents of the children in our religious education program the following questions:

1. Why do you send your child to a religious education program?
2. Why do you think over 80% of children in America do not return to church after their Confirmation?
3. What could our church or religious education program be doing better in order to better serve you or your child?

Note: Market research often confirms what we already know or suspect, but inevitably, research surfaces a few insights that make light bulbs go off — illuminating a way forward that we might not have seen otherwise.

___________________________________________________________________

Question #1.  Why do you send your child to a religious education program?

A1. To provide a moral compass for my children.

A2. To know more about God.

A3. To get familiar with the Bible. To share/not be selfish. To learn to participate in group discussions. To be a better person. To help others in need.

A4. Because belief in God is important to us in times of trouble or in hard times.

A5. To answer lots of life’s ‘Why’ questions.

A6. To know where we [should] be going and what we need to do.

A7. To learn about the Catholic faith. To complete the Confirmation preparation process.

A8. I don’t know enough about the Catholic religion to guide my children myself.

A9. To learn about kindness.

A10. Because my child does not go to a Catholic school and I want him to be raised Catholic.

A11. To reinforce my child’s English-study ability.

Question #2.  Why do you think that well over 70% of children in America do not return to the church after their Confirmation?

A1. I left the church after high school because of immoral activities conducted by a priest.

A2. Maybe they are ‘fresh’ for the new life. They will return to the church, it’s just a matter of time.

A3. They don’t have time once they go to high school and college.

A4. Too busy a life … friends, partying. Teens are rebellious, doubtful. Too much temptation.

A5. I believe the church is about family and community. [Today] families and communities have been distracted or disrupted by technology. [That being said] the church has to evolve. I think we are always influenced by the people around us; as Catholic communities dissolve, so will Catholicism.

A6. The Bible is not relatable to current events. There should be curriculum to use in daily life … using simple/understandable words.

A7. Many parents have very demanding jobs and are too tired or not in the mood to [take children to church].

A8. The Catholic church does not have a strong program for youth after Confirmation. No regular follow up. No networking/youth activities across different Catholic communities.

A9. Need to use new technology to communicate to youth.

A10. As children get older, they are exposed to other religious and philosophical concepts.

A11. Tutoring!

A12. I believe that it is not so much that they loose the faith … but more because they loose track of what is important in life.

A13. The Catholic church has too many rules to be followed.

A14. The activities provided [by the church] are too traditional, not up to date.

A15. … social media has made people too fickle!

A16. Lack of faith focus in the family/household.

A17. When children are young, they follow parent’s instructions. When the grow up, they have their own life. Parents cannot force them to go to church if they don’t want to.

A18. The demands of their jobs. Jobs take priority.

A19. Church is boring/not fun.

A20. Prefer spending the time hanging out with friends. [Likewise], if friends don’t go they don’t go.

A21. [Parents set the example.] If parents don’t go to church, unlikely that their grown children will go to church.

Question #3.  What could our church or religious education program be doing better in order to better serve you or your child?

A1. Integrate volunteer activities into CCD … help the homeless, distribute food. Have parent and child activities.

A2. Teach the children how to pray.

A3. More ‘family’ events … community involvement.

A4. Parent and child counseling so that they have a better relationship.

A5. The Catholic church needs to find ways to bring families together to re-establish the Catholic community. As these communities grow, so will people’s faith. People are always influenced by other people.

A6. Use current events/trends that [children] can relate to, either by social media or [face to face] conversation … keep it simple!

A7. Establish a continuing [religious] education/fellowship program for youth for after Confirmation. Network Catholic youth communities. Utilize technology to [engage] youth who cannot travel to a meeting or fellowship.

A8. Make [religious education] more fun. Trips to see the world. More activities [and less lecturing].

A9. Strengthen the bond between the children.

A10. [Consider having] a monthly play where children act out Bible stories.

A11. Engage kids more using social media, maybe establish [online] prayer groups.

A12. Need more Bible sharing/study groups for children … [this] helps build a spirit of community, cooperation and teamwork.

A13. More opportunity for children to express/share their opinions.

A14. The church must do a better job of promoting itself.

___________________________________________________________

Research Notes:

• Parents were asked not to identify themselves on the questionnaire and to be completely honest.
• Parents had 30 minutes to answer the questions.
• Similar/same answers are not repeated.
• Some answers were edited to correct the grammar, abbreviate the response or fill in implied but unwritten references.
• All answers are those of the parents.

END