Dean Hoge (May 27, 1937 – September 13, 2008), one of the world’s leading experts in the field of the sociology of religion, was invited by the Pastoral Research Office to visit Australia in October 2006.
Professor Hoge, from the Catholic University of America, spent three decades researching American religion, producing 19 books and 100 scholarly articles. In 2003, he won the ‘Father Louis J. Luzbetak Award’ from the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) at Georgetown University. Dean Hoge was elected as the President of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion in October 2007, a position he held until his death in September 2008.
During his visit to Australia, Dean drew on the findings of his studies to discuss topics such as young adult Catholics, how they are different, and what they think of the institutional Church; international priests serving in the USA, the debate about them, the problems and the possibilities; the priest shortage and our options for carrying out the mission of the Church; and trends in priestly life since the Second Vatican Council.
To download pdf versions of the following talks by Dean Hoge please click on the title, or right click and ‘save .. as’:
‘Mission of the Church and Declining Clergy‘
‘Identity of Young Adult Catholics‘
In a book published early in 2006, International Priests in America: Challenges and Opportunities, Professor Hoge examined the phenomenon of bringing in priests from developing countries to work in American parishes as priestly vocations in the US decline.
Founding Director of the Pastoral Research Office, Dr Bob Dixon, said: “Dean’s research shows the Church is in a period of great transition and his studies of the clergy in the United States point to a changing face of the Church of the future, with a greater emphasis on the contribution of lay people.”
Bob added: “Our own research in Australia shows similar trends, and his expert findings will help us in Australia to focus on these very important issues.”
Further information:
National Catholic Reporter: ‘Survey of U.S. Catholics – American Catholics from John Paul II to Benedict XVI’.
Book Review: International Priests in America: Challenges and Opportunities
For more articles about Dean Hoge [click here].
For details about Dean Hoge’s books [click here].
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