USCCB - (Office of Media Relations) - Number Of Women Leaders In Church Compares Favorably To U.S. Work Force

Number Of Women Leaders In Church Compares Favorably To U.S. Work Force

WASHINGTON (June 25, 2004) —- The percentage of women in diocesan leadership positions compares favorably with the U.S. workforce, according to a church study released June 6, and called for by the U.S. Bishops' Committee on Women in Society and in the Church.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2002 women made up 51 percent of the executive, administrative, managerial and professional workforce. In that same year, women held 48.9 percent of diocesan administrative positions.

The study, titled "Women in Diocesan Leadership Positions: Progress Report, 2003," was conducted by The National Association of Church Personnel Administrators.

It is the second follow-up to a 1998 Women's Committee document From Words to Deeds, which encouraged the appointment of women to church leadership positions. Both the 1998 and the 2003 surveys are available on the Web site (www.usccb.org/laity/women.htm).

"The results of this survey are indeed encouraging," said Bishop Edward P. Cullen, of Allentown (PA), chairman of the Women's Committee. "Now that women hold nearly 50 percent of diocesan leadership positions, there is an even greater need for the document that the Women's Committee is developing to promote collaboration between women and clergy."

Other key findings from the 2003 report note that:

Over the five-year period between 1999 and 2003, the percentage of women in diocesan leadership rose slightly, to just under 48.4 percent. This compares to 46.6 percent during the 1995-1998 period.
During the 1999-2003 period, women held on average 26.8 percent of the top (Level One) positions. These include the chiefs of pastoral services, finance, personnel, education, and community services. This compares to 25.5 percent during the 1995-1998 period.
Large dioceses (over 350,000 Catholics) are less likely to employ women administrative staff. They averaged 45 percent between 1999-2003. Medium-sized dioceses averaged just under 50 percent while small dioceses (fewer than 150,000 Catholics) averaged 52 percent.
The South and West are the strongest employers of women administrators, averaging 53 percent, up slightly from the earlier period. The Central and Midwest showed substantial increases over the previous period, averaging 47 percent and 46 percent respectively. The Northeast had the smallest percentage -- 42 percent -- but this was a significant increase over the 38.2 percent of the 1995-98 period.

The NACPA survey included over 50 executive, management, administrative, and professional positions in arch/dioceses around the country.

Examples of women in top-level church positions can be found throughout the country. The position of chancellor, for example, in the Diocese of Dallas is held by Mary Edlund, and in the Archdiocese of Washington by Jane Belford.

The Director of Personnel Services in the Archdiocese of Chicago is Carol Fowler. In the Archdiocese of San Francisco, Maureen Huntington is Superintendent of Schools; in the Diocese of Mobile (AL), Gwen Byrd.

Possible interviewees:

Mary Edlund
Chancellor, Diocese of Dallas
214-528-2240, ext. 504
medlund@cathdal.org

Mary Woodward
Director, Department of Evangelization
Diocese of Jackson (MS)
601-960-8475
mary.woodward@jacksondiocese.org

Carol Fowler
Director of Personnel Services (Chief Personnel Officer)
Archdiocese of Chicago
312-751-8349
cfowler@archchicago.org

Jane Belford
Chancellor, Archdiocese of Washington
301-853-4520
belfordj@adw.org

Sr. Louise Bond, SNJM
Vicar for Religious
Diocese of San Bernardino
909-475-5342
lbond@sbdiocese.org

Maureen Huntington
Superintendent of Schools
Archdiocese of San Francisco
415-614-5660
huntington@sfarchdiocese.org

Gwen Byrd
Superintendent of Schools
Archdiocese of Mobile
251-438-4611
gbyrd@mobilearchdiocese.org