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AN INTERESTING WORLD RESEARCH STUDY OF EVERY CHURCH IN ONE SAMPLE CITY, FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO SEE INFORMATION ABOUT CHURC H
CaP.
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* - Means it's interesting.
1. NUMBER OF PEOPLE: 173.
2. NUMBER OF CHAIRS: 300.
3. Type of person: -.
4. Socio-Economic Status: -.
5. Amount of kids: 26.
6. Ages of people: Young to Old.
7. % are men.
8. Weekly offering published: None listed.
9. Lateness of people getting to church: -.
10. Any other interesting information: The total amount for this church for the weekend is 674. Which is one of the top 10 churches in Toowoomba in size. In all Catholic churches, almost no one goes to 2 services on the weekend, even the volunteers.
11. TIME THERE AND DATE OF VISIT: 14 March 2004 6pm-7pm.
12. Length of service: 50 minutes.
13. This and other service times: 6pm Vigil, 8am, 9.30am, 5.30pm;
14. Preacher: Father John Quinlan .
15. Feeling of building: Good vibe.
16. Estimate style of belief: -.
17. Dress code so as not to stand out: Casual to smart.
18. How to get there: The church is not on Holberton St. Travel along Holberton St, turn west up Ascott St, turn first south.
8am OUR LADY OF LOURDES 153 Holberton St (Up Ascott.St)
1. NUMBER OF PEOPLE: 193.
2. NUMBER OF CHAIRS: 300.
3. Type of person: -.
4. Socio-Economic Status: -.
5. Amount of kids: 15 kids were aged 0-17yo. Mostly 5 - 12yo.
6. Ages of people: Mostly middle age to older.
7. -% are men.
8. Weekly offering published: None listed.
9. Lateness of people getting to church: Several.
10. Any other interesting information: -.
11. TIME THERE AND DATE OF VISIT: 22 Feb 2004. 8am - 10.15am.
12. Length of service: 40 mins.
13. This and other service times: 8am, 6 vigil, 9.30am, 5.30pm;
14. Preacher: Father John Quinlan .
15. Feeling of building: Appealing building. It's about 30yo.
16. Estimate style of belief: They have 4 home groups here. In one of their official Catholic magazines I noticed there was a huge discussion and debate within the Catholic church concerning the use of scripture within the church. They said the "Dei Verbum" report was the most influential thing to happen. Also centrally involved was the term "Magisterium" for those who want to personally research this in Google etc.
17. Dress code so as not to stand out: Casual to smart.
18. How to get there: The church is not on Holberton St. Travel along Holberton St, turn west up Ascott St, turn first south.
9.30am OUR LADY OF LOURDES 153 Holberton St (Up Ascott.St)
1. NUMBER OF PEOPLE: 158.
2. NUMBER OF CHAIRS: 300.
3. Type of person: -.
4. Socio-Economic Status: -.
5. Amount of kids: 46 aged 0-17. Mostly 5 - 12yo.
6. Ages of people: Mostly families and kids and middle age.
7. 48 were men (Including children.).Thus one third are men.
8. Weekly offering published: None listed.
9. Lateness of people getting to church: Several.
10. Any other interesting information: This is the first time I have experienced NO wine being given to anybody. This is a first for me. I have not experienced that in ANY other church before. No wine was given, only the bread which was a wafer.
11. TIME THERE AND DATE OF VISIT: 22 Feb 2004. 8am - 10.15am.
12. Length of service: 40 mins.
13. This and other service times: 9.30am, 6 vigil, 8am, 5.30pm;
14. Preacher: Father John Quinlan . 17 children did a simple music skit.
15. Feeling of building: Some people commented to me how much they like their church.
16. Estimate style of belief: Apparently, some Catholic churches are built today without ANY kneeling platform. This one has. However, I noticed this church spent very little time "on their knees". Consecutively 1min 30 secs and 2 mins for the whole mass. It's to do with saving time. I have noticed that every individual priest often changes things around.
17. Dress code so as not to stand out: Casual to smart.
18. How to get there: The church is not on Holberton St. Travel along Holberton St, turn west up Ascott St, turn first south.
34. Amount of home groups: 4.
35. How to access home groups: Phone numbers on wall.
37. Intention to build: None. There was on older church building on the property which was used before this 30yo building.
39. Estimate age of building: Around 1974.
40. Dowdiness of building outside: Not at all.
41. Inside?: Inside is very clean and polished but warmly so.
43. Sunday School availability: Yes. This is the only Catholic Sunday School I remember coming across out of the dozens of Catholic churches I have been in. It's also very unusual to get so many children attending any Catholic church. A parishioner said "There is a primary co-educational school on the grounds. There has been 650 students, our priest John Quinlan is very involved and knows every child by name!"
45. % kids attend: About 50% attended.
46. Noise of kids at back: Good.
48. Where do kids school? Our Lady of Lourdes Newtown which is on the same block of ground.
5.30pm OUR LADY OF LOURDES 153 Holberton St (Up Ascott.St)
1. NUMBER OF PEOPLE: 150. (123 at 30 May 2004)
2. NUMBER OF CHAIRS: 300.
3. Type of person: -.
4. Socio-Economic Status: -.
5. Amount of kids: 26.
6. Ages of people: The 26 children aged from - 4 x 1 yo; 3 x 17yo, 4 x 15, 10, 8, 5, 12, 5, 7 8, 9, .
7. 38% are men. Did an accurate count of a minimum of 55 men including childen.
8. Weekly offering published: None listed.
9. Lateness of people getting to church: [email protected]; 6 at 5.35pm; 4 at 5.38pm. .
10. Any other interesting information: Every year the Catholic church worldwide does a full census or head count which was today. This may mean it is the most accurate day of the year for a head count. This is the best Creche facility I have ever seen. Has 8 metres x 2 metres high of clear glass behind a huge room with some 18 seats in 3 rows facing the church.
11. TIME THERE AND DATE OF VISIT: 15 Feb 2004. 5.30pm - 6.30pm. (5.32pm - 5.55pm 30 May 2004, left 3 minutes after sermon.)
12. Length of service: 33 minutes!!! (No sermon.)
13. This and other service times: 5.30pm; 6 vigil, 8am, 9.30am, (131 people on 22 Feb 2004.)
14. Preacher: Father John Quinlan . He said about 800 go to mass each weekend here.
15. Feeling of building: Great vibe, very warm.
16. Estimate style of belief: John Quinlan said from the pulpit on the day of pentecost 30 May 2004 approximately this "Does everyone remember what you were taught at your confirmation about the gift of the Holy Spirit? There were 7. Does anyone remember what they were? One is Piety. Two is the Fear of God.. (etc..) That's the seven but there were other gifts of the Holy Spirit in the bible such as speaking in tongues and the casting out of devils and these were a sign for the early church."
17. Dress code so as not to stand out: Casual to smart.
18. How to get there: The church is not on Holberton St. Travel along Holberton St, turn west up Ascott St, turn first south.
THE LARGEST CHURCH IN TOOWOOMBA
1. # of people: 235.
2. Available chairs: 820 (Comfortably). (Note: Catholic church says it can hold 1200 people.)
3. Type of person: Simple, hardy people.
4. Socio Economic Status: Medium Low.
5. Kids: Some 45 below 18yo including a group of 20 St Saviour girls. 6. Ages: Mostly 40-60yo; 15% under 40yo; 10% 60+.
7. Men: 50% checked.
8. Offering: -.
9. Late arrivals: 40 at 6.01pm; 14 at 6.03pm; 4 at 6.04pm; 3 at 6.06pm; 3 at 6.08pm; 6 at 6.10pm.
10. Interesting info: -.
11. Date & Time spent: 16/9/01 5.50pm-7pm.
*12. When service finished. 6.53pm (53min mass).
13. This & other service times: 6pm Sat; 5.30pm. 7am. 9am.
14. Preacher: Visiting priest Fr Peter Schultz.
15. Feeling: ok.
16. Their belief: -.
17. Dress code: Casual.
18. Travel towards the corner of James and Hume Sts, travel west toward Neil St, ample parking on West side of Cathedral, using James St entrance not Neil St.
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CASE STUDY. WHY DO PARISHIONERS ARRIVE LATE IN SOME CHURCHES? IS IT A SIGN THAT THEY ARE UNHAPPY? AT ST PATS 51 OF THE 231 PEOPLE ARRIVED LATE. DO PEOPLE ARRIVE LATE AS THEY ARE SUBCONSCIOUSLY UNHAPPY? Or do parishioners leaving EARLY show a sign of unhappiness? This needs further research by others. Is the answer to apply a heavy hand? Is the answer market research to find out why people may be unhappy?
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**10. Interesting info: About Sept 2000 services were cut back from 3 services to 2 services on the Sunday morning.
***11. Date & Time spent: 5/11/00 where 231 came. (250 came to 7am Mass 14/5/00) This does make them the biggest church in Toowoomba.
*12. When service finished. Sermon finished in 11 mins. (Most Masses finish in 25-38 mins, rarely 55 mins.)
13. This & other service times: 7am. 9am, 5.30pm, 6pm Sat.
***14. Preacher: Fr Maher. Also, on the 5/11/00 Fr Maher and I had a personal meeting, he has a large photo of him in his office bungie jumping. He told me Priests only get paid $8000/ year but also get a car, food, chef and alcohol (for some parishes only), his and the Bishops house, called a manse, is a small brick house to the left of the Cathedral. (Almost all Protestant Pastors do NOT live next to the church anymore but get a a salary package o $6-8,000 in lieu of a manse and live wherever they like.) He was surprised to learn some local Pastors can have salary packages of $43,000/yr.
15. Feeling: Still hollow, cold, antiquated.
***16. Their belief: Fr Maher said the church was not fundamentalist nor narrow minded but liberal. He laughed and said "We have a lot of pillar Catholics here, they hide behind the pillars. The first 4 rows are committed, that's about it."
17. Dress code: Very casual.
18. Travel towards the corner of James and Hume Sts, travel west toward Neil St.
THIS IS THE LARGEST CATHOLIC MASS IN THE CITY.
ALSO, THIS IS THE SECOND BIGGEST SINGLE CHURCH SERVICE IN TOOWOOMBA.
*1. # of people: 381.
2. Available chairs: 820 (Comfortably). (Note: Catholic church says it can hold 1200 people.)
3. Type of person: -.
4. Socio Economic Status: -.
5. Kids: 32.
6. Ages: Mostly 45-65yo.
7. Men: 50%
8. Offering: -.
9. Late arrivals: -.
**10. Interesting info: WHAT NUNS GET PAID IN REMUNERATION. A nun or sister in Toowoomba said "The church does abuse it's nun's. We are supposed to get our own living quarters for keeps in case we get sick or retire but this hardly ever happens as the Catholic church owns the property and the nuns often get forced out. As it is, we get paid nothing. How it works is like this, whatever a lay person can earn on a job, we get the equivalent of only 1/3 of that wage. But we don't ever see that money even then. It gets pooled into whatever order we are in and that gets re-distributed to all the nuns in that order. For example, I work in a church office and this church office pays my order the money they would have paid me. I have taken a vow of poverty, however, every nun in the world takes this. After we retire we can collect the pension but in the USA the nuns can not collect the pension at all. We tend to live in church accommodation which has no privacy, our backyard can be a school play ground. There are about only 30 nuns left in Toowoomba. It has been known to happen that a bishop sends for 2 nuns and there is no accommodation at all and they have to house with parishioners.
HOW CATHOLIC CHURCES DO WITHOUT A PRIEST EVEN DURING COMMUNION. A parish manager said "There is a universal shortage of Catholic priests. There are places in Australia without a priest all together. But these churches do end up having communion. To explain, a mass is only a mass when a priest consecrates the body and blood of Christ. This is where we believe the bread turns into the literal body of Christ and the wine turns into the literal blood of Christ. (All churches believe this.) If there is no priest available then a lay person or nun can give a service, which includes communion, but as long as it is consecrated by a priest, this can be anytime before hand and it can be done anywhere."
CATHOLICS NOW ADOPT HOME GROUPS - THIS ORIGINALLY WAS A VERY EVANGELICAL CHURCH "INITIATIVE". Also, not only the progressive Catholic church at Mater Dei are promoting home groups but the traditional St Pats are now asking for homes and home group leaders "once a week for a small group to gather." Service times are changed from 3 masses to 2 masses on Sunday morning 7am, 9am, 5.30pm, 6pm Sat Vigil as of 27/1/01.
NO MORE (TEACHING) BROTHERS IN TOOWOOMBA. This full time teaching position order within the Catholic church finished in Toowoomba in Feb 2004. Earlier this century the full time "Christian Brothers" were known to lead essentially what was essentially a begging lifestyle throughout Australia. Setting up an enormous amount of Catholic schools. A "Celebration of Eucharist to honour and farewell The Christian Brothers of the Toowoomba Diocese 1898 - 2003" was held 8 Feb 2004 at St Patricks Cathedral with 152 in attendance of the service and a $30 lunch followed.
11. Date & Time spent: 9 Feb 2003 9.06am- 9.15am. 29/7/01 9.45am-9.55am where there were 333 people. (The lowest figure was this- 9 Feb 2003 192 people 9.10am- 9.20am) (16 Feb 2003 381 people. 9.10am-9.17am)
12. When service finished. Allow 35- 55min for this mass.
13. This & other service times: 9.00am. 7am. 5.30pm. 6pm Sat.
14. Preacher: -.
15. Feeling: -.
16. Their belief: -.
17. Dress code: Casual.
18. Travel towards the corner of James and Hume Sts, travel west toward Neil St.
*1. # of people: 280.
2. Available chairs: 820 (Comfortably). (Note: Catholic church says it can hold 1200 people.)
3. Type of person: Simple, hardy people.
4. Socio Economic Status: Medium Low.
5. Kids: Some 30 below 16yo.
6. Ages: Mostly 45-65yo
7. Men: 50%
8. Offering: -.
9. Late arrivals: -.
*10. Interesting info: This church was burnt down twice prior to the current building (Source Fr Des.) The wings of the church were later added. Two foundation stones say 1883 and 1932. However, St Pats was first there in 1863. Before that was St Pauls Lutheran in Phillip St in 1861. Before that was St Stephens in Neil St in 1859. Before that was St Lukes Anglican built in 1857. (Source: local library.) The businessman of Orchy fruit juice / city councillor attends this church.
11. Date & Time spent: 29/7/01 6pm-6.30pm.
12. When service finished. 6.25pm (55min mass).
13. This & other service times: 5.30pm. 7am. 9am. 6pm Sat.
14. Preacher: Visiting priest Fr Des. Fr Maher gave some announcements.
*15. Feeling: Interestingly an old man kept interrupting the mass but no one escorted him from the building.
16. Their belief: -.
17. Dress code: Casual.
18. Travel towards the corner of James and Hume Sts, travel west toward Neil St, ample parking on West side of Cathedral, using James St entrance not Neil St.
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