Bonus: CARA Research with Fr. Tom Gaunt, SJ

QUICK SUMMARY What does the data actually say about how Catholics live their faith today, and who counts as "active"? In this episode, Dave Plisky and Fr. John Gribowich sit down with Fr. Thomas Gaunt, SJ, Executive Director of CARA (the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate) at Georgetown University, to dig into 60 years of Catholic research. They explore why inactive Catholics still fiercely identify as Catholic, what a year of volunteer service does to marriage stability and vocations, and why radical listening—not big campaigns—may be the most powerful tool the Church has. If you work in parish ministry, Catholic education, or simply want to understand the real state of the faith in America, this conversation will challenge and inspire you.  IN THIS BONUS EPISODE, WE EXPLORE Why 30% of self-identified Catholics never attend Mass, yet refuse to stop calling themselves Catholic CARA's consistent finding that "care for the poor" ranks #2 in what Catholics say defines their faith The surprising discovery that 60% of young adult Catholics (18–35) are involved in faith-based activities outside Mass Why the divorce rate among Jesuit Volunteer Corps alumni was 2% vs. ~12% for comparable peers How 10–11% of male Catholic volunteers later entered seminary or religious life The massive demographic churn in the Catholic population, including that 1 in 4 U.S. Catholics is a foreign-born immigrant Why parish revitalization campaigns need to first ask the parish itself to change How radical welcome (e.g., parking lot ministers, easy websites, a real person answering the phone) does more than any grand strategy What Pope Francis's "arm around the shoulder" posture means for pastoral leadership Why listening without an agenda may be the most prophetic Christian witness in an age of polarization ABOUT FR. THOMAS GAUNT, SJ Fr. Thomas Gaunt is a Jesuit priest with 53 years in the Society of Jesus and 43 years of ordained ministry. He holds a doctoral degree in city planning from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill — making him a proud Tar Heel. He spent his early priesthood as a pastor and Director of Planning for the Diocese of Charlotte, NC, before serving as Formation Director for the Jesuits of the East and Executive Secretary of the Jesuit national office. For the past 14 years, he has served as Executive Director of CARA — the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate — located at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. His research specialties include priesthood and religious life, the impact of volunteer service on young adults, and international Catholic research. RESOURCES MENTIONED CARA — Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate The CARA Report (Substack) CARA Book: Faith and Spiritual Life of Young Adult Catholics Catholic Volunteer Network Jesuit Volunteer Corps Nativity Parish / Rebuilt (Timonium, MD) Vinea Research (Hans Plate) Religion to Reality — DeSales Media Discipleship Study  MEMORABLE QUOTE "The most radical way to live the Christian life right now is to become a listener without an agenda." — Fr. John Gribowich EPISODE TIMESTAMPS Use these timestamps to jump to the moments that matter most to you: [00:00:00] Introducti...