Our Lady of the Assumption Parish
Claremont, California
Strategic
Planning Assumptions
Prepared and Proposed by Rev. Thomas Welbers, Pastor
for consideration by the Strategic Planning Team
In preparing the Strategic Pastoral Plan for Our Lady
of the Assumption Parish,
we assume that . . .
ECONOMIC/DEMOGRAPHIC
1. The ethnic diversity of the parish, as well as social and economic differences, will increase.
While Claremont and the Pomona-Inland Valley region as
a whole will probably experience increased economic prosperity, the gap between
the rich and the poor, and its attendant polarization and tensions, will also
increase.
2. The parish community will continue to draw significant numbers of committed parishioners from beyond the territorial parish boundaries (Claremont and North Pomona) because of the hospitality and activities of the parish community life as well as the school.
3. Opportunities for the parish to become involved in the civic, social, and economic life of Claremont and the surrounding cities will continue to increase.
FINANCIAL
1. The Parish currently stands at 42% of its estimated minimum giving potential. (See Archdiocesan demographic report.)
2. The parish will continue to have a strong administrative team, dynamic stewardship emphasis, and responsible financial management.
3. The parish administration operates within the norms and guidelines of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, and at the same time receives advice and assistance from the various pertinent diocesan departments, as well as the experience and expertise of other parishes.
CHURCH LIFE AND
MINISTRIES
1. Within five years, the only full-time resident priest will be the pastor.
It has been projected that within five years fewer
than 20 parishes out of almost 300 will have even one associate pastor. The Vietnamese community may be served by a
priest part time, being shared with several communities. It is likely, however, that OLA will remain
an attractive place of temporary or long-term residence for priests from other
countries, both students and those making extended sabbaticals.
2. Trained lay leadership and increased collaboration with other parishes will be necessary to provide needed and expected ministries and services.
3. According to current Archdiocesan policy, the current pastor’s term will expire in 2006
4. The poor we will always have with us.
The “preferential option for the poor” is a central
part of the Catholic Church’s taaching, as well as a mandate of Jesus Christ;
it is not an optional endeavor for a fringe group.
Description of Archdiocesan
Demographic Reports
For Our Lady of the Assumption Parish, March 2000
Parish Boundaries:
North:
Somewhere in the mountains. (St. Mary’s, Palmdale, is probably our neighboring
parish to the north.
East: The County Line.
South: San Bernardino Freeway west to San Antonio & Towne Aves. north to Arrow, west to Fulton Rd. (Claremont-La Verne boundary).
West: Fulton Rd. & Claremont-La Verne boundary north to Foothill, jog east ½ block to Bradford, continue north on Bradford to Bowdoin, jog east ½ block to Dawn, and north to Baseline; continue straight northward (passing west edge of Live Oak Reservoir and Marshall Canyon Golf Course) to (indefinite) north boundary.
Up-to-date demographic census data and calculations were provided by Claritas, Inc. and Micro Geographics according to census blocks. Where parish boundaries intersect a census block, a proportional percentage of the block’s total figures was used. The parish territory comprises 18 full census blocks and portions of 8 census blocks.
OLA Parish territory, 1998 estimated total population by race (individuals)
|
Total |
White |
Hispanic |
Black |
Asian/Pacific |
Other |
|
49,615 |
28,057 (57%) |
11,769 (24%) |
5,578 (11%) |
3,984 (8%) |
226 (<1%) |
OLA Parish territory, 2003 estimated total population by race (individuals)
|
Total |
White |
Hispanic |
Black |
Asian/Pacific |
Other |
|
51,204 |
26,404 (51%) |
14,264 (28%) |
5,623 (11%) |
4,666 (9%) |
246 (<1%) |
|
3% increase |
6% decrease |
21% increase |
<1% increase |
17% increase |
9% increase |
OLA Parish territory, 1998 estimated Catholic Households
|
Total Households |
White 25% Catholic |
Hispanic 70% Catholic |
Black 7% Catholic |
Asian/Pac 80% Catholic |
Total Catholic Households |
|
15,965 |
2,257 |
2,651 |
126 |
1,026 |
6,059 |
|
OLA Parish territory, 1998 estimated total household median income: |
53,338 |
|
Estimated minimum giving potential @ 1% of Catholic household median income: |
3,231,749 |
|
OLA actual income as percentage of estimated “potential” contribution income: |
42% |
The “42%” is from a sheet given to each pastor privately. While actual figures are fairly hard demographic data, their interpretation, including the percentages of Catholics for each group and the admittedly arbitrary selection of 1% of median income of Catholic households within the parish as a reasonable potential (minimum or maximum?) for giving, is certainly open to dispute. The purpose of this exercise is to begin a process of determining realistic criteria for measuring and comparing diverse parishes’ income potential. It’s a good first step, but far from finished, I think. It does provide a pattern for possible analysis of our own registration census data for those who come from outside the parish.
The following page is a chart also gives an interesting total population breakdown by age of OLA parish territory. (This includes Catholics and non-Catholics.)
For purposes of comparison, the following chart, provided by the City of Claremont, may prove helpful.
|
|
Claremont |
Pomona |
San Bernardino County |
Los Angeles County |
|
White |
63.7% |
25.6% |
54.7% |
33.5% |
|
Hispanic |
14.0% |
54.3% |
31.1% |
44.0% |
|
Black |
6.1% |
12.7% |
8.7% |
9.8% |
|
Asian/Pacific |
10.2% |
6.9% |
4.8% |
12.3% |
|
Other |
6.0% |
0.5% |
0.7% |
0.3% |
Our
Lady of the Assumption Church Seating Capacity
March 2000
Comfortably
Full
|
Nave—6
per pew in (22x2x6) (25” per person) |
264 |
|
Transepts—
5 per pew (9x2x5) (23” per person) |
90 |
|
Sanctuary—(712
total inches/24x2=59.33) |
60 |
|
Loft—(12
pews x 4) |
48 |
|
Vestibule—(4
pews x 4) |
16 |
|
|
|
|
Total
Seating |
478 |
Tightly Full
|
Nave—7
per pew in (22x2x7) (22” per person) |
308 |
|
Transepts—
5 per pew (9x2x5) (23” per person) |
90 |
|
Sanctuary—(712
total inches/22x2=64.73) |
65 |
|
Loft—(12
pews x 5) [103”/22=4.7] |
60 |
|
Vestibule—(4
pews x 5) |
20 |
|
|
|
|
Total
Seating |
543 |
Anything
beyond this, we’re talking “packing” and standing.