How do social institutions respond to increasing diversity? This research examines the question of the accommodation of subcultures in religious institutions via an in-depth, national look at non-territorial parishes in the U.S. Catholic Church. Data are drawn from: (1) a nationwide survey of dioceses regarding the presence and creation of non-territorial or "personal" parishes, and (2) follow-up case studies of personal parishes in several dioceses.
In a context of increasing racial, political, and cultural diversification in the U.S., this study brings attention to how the largest U.S. religious denomination has fostered and managed congregations which serve sub-cultural groups. It maps an important concept (the "personal parish") which has growing and significant implication for how Americans build and define religion in local contexts. The creation of personal parishes to serve subcultures of Catholics on the basis of ethnicity, language, rite, or other reason reveals how religious groups act within a pluralistic religious marketplace driven increasingly by identity rather than territorial ascription. Findings carry significance not only for religious groups in their attempts to accommodate diversity from within but also for a broader understanding of homophily and heterogeneity in American life as revealed in a variety of social institutions.
Broader Impacts
This project brings empirical data to bear on questions relevant to all social institutions facing subcultural diversification. Its relevance to the ways social institutions accommodate diversity and organize amidst changing local contexts can be utilized by scholars and policy makers.
Its broader impacts also include (1) training for undergraduate students at an Appalachian, non-PhD granting college (including multilingual and first-generation college students) in the methodology of the social sciences, (2) presentation to broad audiences interested in the theoretical and cultural implications of responses to subcultural diversity in American religion and other social institutions, and (3) public access to previously ungathered information on congregations geared toward traditionally marginalized populations. A resulting database of personal parish profiles will facilitate future studies of diversification in the American religious landscape.
How do religious institutions respond to diversity within? This research examined the question of subcultural accommodation in religious institutions via an in-depth, national look at "personal parishes" (i.e. non-territorial parishes) in the U.S. Catholic Church. Rather than being designated on the basis of geography, personal parishes serve a variety of niche groups based on ethnicity, language, liturgical style, or some other reason. Data for this study were collected via: (1) a nationwide survey of dioceses regarding the presence and creation of personal parishes, and (2) follow-up qualitative case studies of (arch)dioceses containing personal parishes of varying types. Eighty percent of all U.S. dioceses participated in the national survey. Though much of the literature on the social history of ethnic congregations would lead us to believe that parishes for special populations are a thing of the past, their enduring (and changing) presence proves contrary. Most dioceses (six in ten) currently have at least one personal parish in operation. Half have designated a personal parish after 1999. The majority of personal parishes serve ethnic or nationality groups. Recent years have seen substantial growth in parishes serving Vietnamese and Korean populations, in particular. Personal parishes that serve Asian/Pacific Islander populations have an average establishment date of 1992, compared to 1926 on average for parishes serving other populations. Also emergent in recent years are personal parishes devoted to the Traditional Latin Mass. Among the factors identified by dioceses as most influential in decisions to start a personal parish are growth in a particular demographic group and support/advocacy of the (arch)bishop. Qualitative case studies revealed numerous accounts of decades-long work toward personal parish status for niche Catholic groups. Parish designation frequently carries a strong sense of pride, recognition, and ownership. Pastors of personal parishes suggest that a dedicated parish space generates cohesiveness for groups that may be otherwise marginalized and more geographically dispersed. This is particularly true for new immigrant groups, for whom the parish plays a key role in enculturation and building social capital. Personal parishes may foster unity and identity in ways that territorial parishes do not. On the other hand, they simultaneously exacerbate the racial homogeneity that characterizes most congregations. An ever-more-robust literature on multiracial/multiethnic/multicultural congregations tends to hold up as ideal a blended space that intentionally and strategically bridges the needs of multiple, diverse constituencies. Indeed, this ideal rang true for many project respondents. Nevertheless, in the absence of that ideal being met – and in consideration of the added value proffered by specialized communities – dedicated niche spaces continue to matter. Findings also suggest that shared identity is as pivotal as geography in constituting community. This project made substantial impact as the only national, contemporary exploration of personal parishes in the United States Catholic Church. It generated the only existing comprehensive and consolidated list of U.S. personal parishes. Moreover, the project trained multiple students from an Appalachian, non-PhD granting college with a large population of first-generation college students. Undergraduate research assistants gained valuable skills in the methodology and theory of social science, along with hands-on experience in gathering and analyzing qualitative and quantitative data. Finally, through presentation and publication to multiple audiences, this project has deepened an understanding of how social institutions respond to diversity from within.
