What People Are Asking For: A Hunger for Community and Purpose

Over the past year, I’ve had the privilege of sitting with pastors, parish staff, school leaders, parents, young adults, and older parishioners from every corner of our diocese. These conversations became the basis of a 24‑page listening report that identified five key themes shaping parish life in Southern Minnesota today. One of the themes we heard was the growing reality of loneliness and social isolation in Southern Minnesota — something affecting people of every age and parish size.

Yet even with the differences between our communities, the same longings kept rising to the surface. People are longing for community and they want a deeper sense of purpose in their faith and parish life.

These aren’t abstract ideas. They’re the quiet, heartfelt hopes of Catholics who love their communities and parishes and want to see them flourish.

A Hunger for Community

One consistent thing I heard this year was a desire for deeper community. Many people spoke about loneliness, isolation, or simply feeling disconnected from others. We can scroll and “like” all we want on social media, but if we’re honest with ourselves, we know that real community happens in a phone call on a day you’re feeling blue, in the stands of a little league game or over a cup of coffee.

Others talked about how much they value the moments when they do feel known — a warm greeting after Mass, a small group that checks in on each other, a pastor who remembers their family by name.

Community doesn’t require big programs or complicated structures. It grows through simple acts of welcome and genuine care. And when parishes nurture that sense of belonging, people come alive. They feel rooted. They feel part of something bigger than themselves.

This longing is not unique to our diocese. National research shows that loneliness has become one of the most widespread struggles in American life today. Our listening exercise this past year confirmed that Southern Minnesota is no exception — people are craving connection, and they are looking to their parishes to help them find it.

A Hunger for Purpose

People also shared a deep desire for purpose — a sense that their faith matters in their daily lives and that their parish has a mission worth investing in. Young adults want to know how to use their gifts. Families want to feel that their parish is helping them grow. Older parishioners want to know that their lifetime of faith still has something to offer.

Purpose gives people direction. It helps them see how their time, their prayer, and their generosity contribute to the life of the Church. And when a parish has a clear sense of mission, people naturally want to be part of it.

In our listening, many parishioners said they want to understand why their parish exists, where it is going, and how they can help. This desire for purpose is a sign of hope — people want to belong to something meaningful, something rooted in Christ.

What This Means for You

These themes are shaping how the Catholic Foundation of Southern Minnesota is preparing for the future. They are guiding our Board’s strategic planning and influencing the new programs we’re launching in 2026, 2027 and beyond. But they also speak directly to parish life, and to each of us.

Here are a few simple ways you can help strengthen community and purpose in your parish:

• Welcome someone new at Mass. A warm greeting can change someone’s entire week.
• Invite a friend or neighbor. Most people come to church because someone personally invited them.
• Ask your pastor how you can help. Parishes thrive when people offer their gifts, even in small ways.
• Share your hopes. Pastors and parish leaders want to know what you’re longing for! Your voice matters.
• Pray for your parish. Prayer is the foundation of every renewal effort in the Church.

A Hopeful Path Forward

What gives me hope is that these longings are not signs of decline. They are signs of life. People want more from their parishes because they believe the Church has something beautiful and essential to offer. And they’re right!

As we look ahead, the Foundation will continue listening, learning, and adapting, always with the goal of strengthening the mission of the Church in Southern Minnesota. I invite you to stay connected, share your own hopes, and walk with us as we continue this work together.

   

Photo Credit: St. Felix Parish in Wabasha. 2026 Youth Group Gatheringer