Q: What is the mission of the Real Presence Coalition (RPC)?
A: The mission of the RPC is to assist bishops of the United States in understanding the crisis of faith in this country regarding belief in the Real Presence of Our Blessed Lord in the Holy Eucharist.
Q: What is the RCP doing to accomplish this mission?
A: To accomplish this mission, the RCP has engaged the assistance of a professional, highly reputable research firm, Polling Opinion Strategies, to assist in the development of a national survey who will study and analyze the results.
Q: Why is RCP conducting a survey? Haven’t surveys regarding belief in the True Presence already been done?
A: Several different surveys regarding belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist have been conducted, but to varying results. Some surveys show a shocking level of disbelief in the Real Presence, despite the claim of being a practicing Catholic. Most surveys fail to address matters which could indicate the cause of such disbelief. And some other surveys indicate a more moderate degree of adherence to Catholic teaching on the Eucharist. Because of this, it was decided by the members of the RCP that a comprehensive survey should be conducted to get to the root of the problem with a more precise understanding of the degree of belief or unbelief.
Q: How do you account for varying survey results among different polling organizations?
A: We believe that different ways of asking the question of belief in the Real Presence can yield different results. U.S. Bishops decided to launch the three-year Eucharistic Revival program based upon the alarming results of the 2019 Pew Research Study, but the bishops have not conducted a survey of their own in their own dioceses.
Q: Why do you think the bishops have not surveyed the laity?
A: Excellent question. We recognize that the prioritization went toward the National Eucharistic Congress over conducting a comprehensive laity survey. In discovering the Synodal approach, we appreciate that the bishops may assume they already know the laity’s perspectives, but we believe a formal survey will explicitly reveal valuable information that ensures anonymity and honesty because no personal information is captured.
Q: Have you solicited feedback from Bishops before releasing the survey or forming the group?
A: We solicited input from various clergy, including bishops. The RPC is a laity-driven initiative. Employing a synodal approach, we will solicit feedback from the laity on why Catholics have lost faith in the Real Presence and provide this to the bishops.
Q: The survey is limited to U.S. Catholics. Why not solicit input from Catholics in other countries?
A: Our effort is focused on providing feedback to U.S. bishops on their National Eucharistic Revival Campaign. We may try to expand the survey to other countries in a future phase of the project.
Q: You say the survey is for just the laity. Can clergy take the survey? How do you capture the input of clergy?
A: Using the synodal approach, we are capturing the feedback of the laity at this point since there is a crisis of faith in the Church. We may at some point capture the feedback of clergy but right now our first step is to gather the important feedback and share it with the bishops.
Q: How is the survey being conducted?
A: We are attempting to capture a sample representative of diverse age groups, backgrounds, and regions from the country and are calling upon Real Presence Coalition members and friends of the Coalition to assist us in distributing the survey as widely as possible to ensure we accomplish this objective.
Q: How did you decide on the questions that were included in the survey?
A: We compiled a broad swath of information from lectures and reading materials from clergy, theologians, and laity in developing the questions to capture the nuances relating to belief or disbelief in the Eucharist. We engaged a reputable professional research firm, Polling Opinion Strategies to assist in the development of the survey and analyze the results.
Q: Who is Public Opinion Strategies and what is their role?
A: Public Opinion Strategies is a national research firm, that has conducted 11 million interviews across 50 states, including polling and analysis. Public Opinion Strategies was engaged to assist RPC in developing the Eucharistic lay survey and will assist with the analysis.
Q: What is the role of RPC members?
A: Coalition members are responsible for helping to promote the survey via email and social media.
Q: What type of analysis will be furnished to the bishops once the survey is done?
A: Once the survey data is collected, thorough analysis is essential. The bishops will be able to identify trends, common concerns, and areas for growth. The challenge lies in translating these findings into meaningful action.
Q: How can the findings inform pastoral efforts? What steps can be taken to address issues revealed from the survey and foster deeper faith?
A: We are committed to collaborating closely with the bishops to analyze the survey results comprehensively. Together, we will map out an action plan that addresses the root causes behind declining belief in the Real Presence. Our shared goal is to foster deeper faith and understanding among the faithful.
Q: How will you reach young people?
A: We are calling upon all Catholic organizations to work with the Real Presence Coalition to gather feedback through the survey so that we can get to the heart of the reasons why many people, including young people, no longer believe. Will you be part of the solution?
Q: What effect does non-belief in the Real Presence have on Catholics?
A: St. Paul was very clear, “he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh judgment to himself, not discerning the body of the Lord.” In other words, they receive Communion unworthily because they do not believe in the Real Presence. As a result, the grave sin of sacrilege is multiplied throughout the nation, and as prominent figures living in objective states of mortal sin, what was once a personal sacrilege has raised to the level of scandal, which in turn causes further unbelief.