Salt of the Earth: Bishops go hi-tech to reach the laity

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May 2001

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Bishops go hi-tech to reach the laity

Bishops go hi-tech to reach the laity
American Catholic lay people have an unique opportunity to tell the U.S. bishops what they want from the church, and all they have to do is log on to the Internet.

For the first time, the bishops have turned to the web to solicit input from their flock. The Committee on the Laity has posted an online survey questioning lay people's experiences with their parishes and how they impact their daily faith lives.

Ana Villamil, associate director of the Secretariat for Family, Laity, Women and Youth, says the current committee members decided to focus their three-year term on helping lay people integrate faith into their everyday lives. "They decided the best way to start would be to ask the people what they need," she says.

The survey focuses on specific aspects of church life, such as religious education, liturgy, prayer, and social outreach. It asks respondents to select areas their parishes could improve in and encourages suggestions for developing those ministries.

So far the survey has brought in more than 47,000 responses, Villamil reports. The bishops will consider the results at their June meeting and use them to determine how they can best help lay people. A summary of the results will be published online sometime after the responses have been tabulated.

Lay people can fill out the survey, which is posted in both English and Spanish, until May 13.

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