New communications effort hopes to connect with new and younger audiences

Criterion staff report

As one of her first tasks as the new director of communications for the archdiocese, Sally Krause will review a communications survey conducted for the Church in central and southern Indiana.

Hirons, an Indianapolis-based communications consulting firm, oversaw the research study whose results were released in the spring. The work was done to help the archdiocese gain a deeper understanding of the communications needs and preferences of parishioners, and to reshape its communications efforts.

The research survey contained questions on a variety of topics, including the Church’s various communications methods, evangelization, regional influences and more.

“A variety of methods was used to gather input from a large number of people,” noted Ken Ogorek, executive director of the archdiocesan Secretariat for Evangelizing Catechesis, which oversees the communications department.

“Generally speaking, we learned our various audiences are receptive to Church-related information,” he continued. “The research shows we have an opportunity to create meaningful connections with younger audiences, including current Catholics, lapsed Catholics and other Christians, while still fortifying the archdiocese’s relationship with current parishioners and their desires for continued communication mediums.”

The survey revealed there is a need to better utilize the content that is developed for The Criterion (the archdiocesan newspaper) in other formats. “We are not going to alienate anyone by filling this void, but keep what is working,” Ogorek said.

When comparing the archdiocese’s communications efforts to other dioceses and archdioceses around the U.S., it was revealed that some others utilize their news platform as more than a newspaper. They include multimedia efforts ranging from websites, videos, podcasts, newsletters and more.

“Social media is also an important channel to reach new and younger audiences,” Ogorek noted.

Regarding strength of faith, the archdiocese is in a strong position, outperforming national benchmarks in many areas, but there is a constant desire and focus to bring more people to the Church and to a deeper relationship with Christ.

According to recent statistics, the Catholic Church in Indiana has a chance to grow by re-engaging lapsed Catholics. “With 41% having a favorable view and 28% neutral, there is a potential to bring them back to the Church through targeted messaging,” Ogorek noted.

As the archdiocese moves forward in enhancing its communications efforts, the hope is to increase staff.

“The ability to listen, gather data and discern a path forward is a sign of a healthy organization that’s committed to long-term success,” said Sally Krause, archdiocesan director of communications. “The study that Hirons helped us conduct and their subsequent recommendations are setting us out in the right direction. I am excited to be the steward of this plan and to gather many great minds for its implementation.”

“We are blessed to have the award-winning news team of The Criterion in place,” Ogorek noted, “but our hope is to add a much-needed digital media specialist to run a news platform that will complement our print media.”

Communications must continue to be a vehicle “for carrying out the heart of the Church’s mission, namely, evangelization and catechesis,” Ogorek continued, “and archdiocesan leadership is already acting on some of these survey results, and will continue doing so as our pastoral planning process continues.” †

 

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