The National Centre for Pastoral Research (formerly Pastoral Research Office) is an agency of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference.
CORE PROJECTS
The National Centre for Pastoral Research has ongoing responsibility for:
- Carrying out the National Catholic Census Project (1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016, 2021 and 2026), including the dissemination of results to parishes and dioceses.
- The Australian Catholic Mapping Online project (2011–)
- Carrying out and reporting the results of the National Count of Attendance (2001, 2006, 2011, 2016, 2021 and 2026).
- Catholic participation in the National Church Life Surveys (2001, 2006, 2011 and 2016).
- Providing assistance to dioceses, Catholic Education Offices and other Catholic agencies in the understanding and use of NCLS and Census data.
- Providing research and pastoral planning consultancy services to dioceses and Catholic agencies.
TOPICAL RESEARCH
We also undertake specialised research projects from time to time. These include:
- Synod on Synodality (2021—)
- Qualities and Qualifications of Lay Leaders in Church Governance
- Evaluating the Implementation of “Woman and Man: The Bishops Respond” (Social Justice Sunday Statement 2000) (2024 – 2026)
- Absent From the Table: Australian Catholics who do not regularly attend Sunday Mass (2024-2026)
- A Profile of Catholic Clergy (2024 – 2025)
- Response to Governance Review Project (2023)
- ACBC-CRA Response to the Royal Commission Project (2023)
- Fifth Plenary Council of Australia (2018 – 2023)
- Pedagogy Development: Building on Positive Learnings from COVID-19 (2021- 2022)
- Central Coast Project (2021)
- Review of the Australian Catholic Youth Festival (2020)
- Governance in Australia Survey (2019)
- Survey of Religious Congregations in Australia 2018 (2018-2019)
- Understanding Religious Vocation in Australia Today (2014-2018)
- Australian Catholic Bishops Youth Survey (2017)
- Our Work Matters: Catholic Church employers and employees in Australia (2015 – 2017)
- Building Stronger Parishes (2009-2015)
Click here for our complete list of projects
