Engaging Children and Youth in the Sunday Liturgy for Encounters with Christ Survey

Section 1: General Parish Information

(Include English and Non-English-speaking families)

Parish REQUIRED Please fill out this field.

Approximate number of children (under 18) in your parish: REQUIRED 0-50 51-100 101-200 200+ Please fill out this field.

How long has your parish experienced a consistent increase in children attending Mass?

Select one or enter in 'other': Less than 6 months 6-12 months 1-2 years Over 2 years
Other (please specify): Please enter valid data.

Section 2: Successful Strategies for Increasing Attendance

What programs or initiatives have you found to be most successful in increasing children’s / youth participation in Mass?

Select all that apply and/or include in 'other': Dedicated children's Mass or family Mass Children's choir Children's Liturgy of the Word or other special homilies for children Religious Education programs (e.g. CCD, Saturday or Sunday school) Youth groups or other youth/children's groups Altar serving or other volunteer opportunities for children Special events like Vacation Bible Camp or retreats Parent involvement programs
Other (please specify): Please enter valid data.

How do you engage children / youth during Mass to ensure they remain interested and participate actively?

Select all that apply and/or include in 'other': Interactive homilies or children’s homilies Visual aids, art, or multimedia Active participation in singing and prayers Involving children in Mass (e.g., as readers, altar servers)
Other (please specify): Please enter valid data.

What role do parents play in the increased attendance of children / youth at Mass?

Select all that apply and/or include in 'other': Parents attend Mass regularly with their children Parents are involved in children’s faith formation programs (e.g., helping with religious education) Parents are encouraged to participate in parish events with their children
Other (please specify): Please enter valid data.

Section 3: Community and Parish Support

What community-building strategies have helped children / youth feel more connected to the parish and motivated to attend Mass regularly?

Select all that apply and/or include in 'other': Building relationships through youth ministry programs Social events or family-focused activities after Mass Building a sense of belonging and community among children and families
Other (please specify): Please enter valid data.

Do you use any specific communication strategies to keep families informed and engaged in children’s / youth activities or Mass attendance?

Select all that apply and/or include in 'other': Regular newsletters or emails Social media (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, Parish App) Flyers or bulletin inserts Text message reminders Personal invitations or follow-up calls
Other (please specify): Please enter valid data.

Has your parish collaborated with the wider diocesan community to promote children’s / youth participation?

Select one Yes, we collaborate frequently Occasionally, we receive support No, we handle things independently We are open to collaborating

Section 4: Challenges and Lessons Learned

What challenges has your parish faced when trying to increase children’s / youth attendance at Mass?

What specific actions or changes did you implement or have tried that contribute most to the increase in children’s / youth Mass attendance?

What have you learned from your experiences that could help other parishes who are struggling with consistency in children’s / youth attendance at Mass?

Section 5: Outcomes and Feedback

Since implementing these strategies, how would you rate the overall impact on children / youth participation in Mass? Significant increase Moderate increase Minor increase No noticeable change

How do you measure the success of children’s / youth attendance at Mass (e.g., feedback from families, tracking participation rates, etc.)? Please enter valid data.

Section 6: Advice for Other Parishes

What advice would you give to other parishes that want to improve children’s / youth attendance at Mass?

Are there any resources (materials, guides, external programs) that you would recommend to other parishes trying to achieve greater consistency in children's / youth Mass attendance? (please specify) Please enter valid data.

Section 7: Additional Comments

Do you have any additional comments, insights, or suggestions that could help other parishes improve their children's / youth Mass attendance?