January 17, 2016

Dear Friends,
 
St. James Cathedral has been invited to participate in a national survey on parish life and spiritual growth. The survey, the Disciple Maker Index, is conducted annually by the highly respected consulting firm, the Catholic Leadership Institute.
 
Our parish, along with a number of other parishes in area, is participating in this survey as part of a comprehensive long-term planning project for our parishes, particularly with regard to such issues as a shortage of priests, the possible need to close or consolidate parishes, and the potential for involving more lay ministers in parish leadership.
 
You might be thinking, “Didn’t we just do a survey?” And you would be correct! However, that survey, conducted in September (the results of which are now available on the parish website), was for our parish alone, and was conducted to help us develop a five year plan for the parish.
 
The Disciple Maker Index asks similar questions, but is significantly more detailed. The results of the survey will help form a picture of the entire Church in Western Washington, and will help determine how the  parishes in South Seattle are going to address the challenges that face us in the years ahead.
 
This is an important exercise and I encourage you to take a few minutes to participate in it.  I know that Archbishop Sartain will be grateful for your participation and so will I. And there will be other opportunities for your further input as this important planning process unfolds.

Click here to take the survey now (the survey link will be live from January 18 through February 10, 2016). The survey will take 15-20 minutes to complete, so be sure to allow yourself enough time to finish.
 
Thank you in advance for participating, and may you know God’s blessings in abundance during this Year of Mercy.

Father Ryan

P.S. The Disciple Maker Index is primarily an online survey. The week of January 18, a link will be sent to all parishioners for whom we have an e-mail address. (Look for an e-mail from DiscipleMakerIndex@measuring-success.com.) If we do not have your e-mail address on file, you can simply click here to take the survey.  The survey is available in English, Spanish and Vietnamese. If you do not have access to a computer or would prefer a paper copy of the survey, contact Maria Laughlin, 206-382-4284.