Comparing statistics for 2009 and 2008

The 2009 Annual Financial "Report to the Community" mentioned in an earlier blog item is a four-page insert in the Febsruary 19 issue of the Universe Bulletin.  Below are some of the statistics from that report along with the statistics from the poreviouse year’s report which were on the blog last February. The figures for 2009 are in bold type compared with those from 2008 in regular type.

Size: 20th largest diocese in the United States.(formerly 17th largest) Founded: April 23, 1847
Area: 3,414 square miles. Includes eight counties: Cuyahoga (Cleveland), Summit (Akron), Lorain (Lorain-Elyria) Lake (Painesville), Geauga (Chardon), Medina (Medina),
Wayne (Wooster), and Ashland (Ashland)
Cathedral: Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. Established in 1848.

Catholic Schools:
Total schools 131 / 134
Elementary schools 109 / 112
Secondary schools 22 / 22
Preschool sites 64 / 69
Head Start sites 11 / 14

Enrollment in Parish Religious Education
Total enrollment 50,681 / 52,998
Pre-K students 2,862 / 2,852
K-8 students 33,389 / 35,147
High School students 13, 288 / 13,804

Parish Catechetical Programs
Students Served 44.537 / 47,016
Volunteer Catechists 3,272 / 3,381
Generations of Faith Programs 54 / 49

Ministry Personnel
Active Diocesan Priests 261 / 257
Special Ministry Priests 28 / 32
Retired priests 103 / 96
Religious Order Priests 99 / 119
Brothers 52 /53
Women Religious 1,070 / 1,109
Permanent Deacons 212 / 204
Certified Pastoral Ministers 271 / 263

Sacramental Services
Catholic Population Served in Diocese 744,000 / 753,255
Percentage of Catholics in the 8 counties 27% / 28%
Number of parishes 201 / 224
Number of nationality parishes 51 / 51
Number of infant/Child Baptisms in 2008 7,009 / in 2007 7,483
Number of Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults in 2008 1.072 / in 2007  1,289
Number of First Communions 9.139 / 9,734
Number of Confirmations 9,045 / 9,063
Number of Marriages 2.592 / 2,783
Number of Deaths 7.955 / 7,814

Catholic Charities
Individuals served by Catholic Charities Health and Human Services 326.414 / 299,861
Nights of Shelter provided 48.702 / 65,366
Meals served through Catholic Hunger and Shelter network 2,829,781 / 2,830,175
People treated for Chemical Dependency 4,143 / 2,321
Children participating in CYO athletics 32,072 / 29,559
Unemployed Persons Trained 1,626 / 1,310
Number of children placed in adoption 495 / none listed for  2008
Children with disabilities attending day camp 604 / 166

This year’s report notes that in the nine years since 2000, much has happened and there are fewer Cadtholics attending Mass. Nevertheless, parish offertory has grown 9.5 percent. In 2009, despite very difficult economy, parish offertory declined just 1.5 percent from 2008.
Fiscal years ending June 30:
2000 $100,100,000
2005 $104,700,000
2008 $111,200,000
2009 $109,600,000